BELGRADE, SERBIA

2016-01-26, 20:20, THORIN

STAY: EL DIABLO HOSTEL

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The next stop on from the relaxed Novi Sad was to the capitol of Serbia, and the capitol of ex-Yugoslavia, Belgrade. We took a bus down from Novi Sad (as trains aren't really reliable south of Slovenia/Hungary) which took the better part of an hour. Goodness me it was different. From the wide boulevards of Novi Sad and the breezy Danube, Belgrade was this industrial, communist era monster. At least so it appeared as we drove into the bus station.

First things first we are realists, and stopped by a local market for some breakfast. They were advertising 1 Kilo of grapes for 120 Serbian Dinar. That is 74p in British pounds. We tried to buy two plums, and they lady wouldn't let us. She insisted on giving us about 9 plums which came out to about 20 Serbian Dinar or 18p. They literally didn't have money small enough to pay for two plums.

Needless to say, the fresh produce was divine. Serbia had a reputation in Yugoslavia as the breadbasket of the Balkans, and the fresh food and produce out of most of the ex-Yugoslavia is superb. Belgrade was no exception. As we walked through the centre, much of the central square was cordoned off for a children and teen rollerblading and rollerskating race -- heats all morning. Kids that could just walk were competing - it was really cool, and very 90s. All these street kids rollerblading around had a strange charm to it.

We walked through the city centre to Belgrade castle first, which had a bizarre dinosaur park out the front. Castle was cool, lots of ruins. Also, a fascinating military sensation in the central courtyard with all kinds of Yugoslav era tanks and planes. Anyway, we spent the day walking around, seeing various castles and churches. Belgrade is the centre of Serbian orthodoxy, and some of the orthodox churches were incredible.

We then decided to make our way over to the grave of the ex-dictator, Tito. Tito is a hugely controversial figure in the Balkans, but many of the countries we went to lamented that Tito's death led to the fall of Yugoslavia, as well as the rise of regional nationalism. Consequently, Tito's grave is more of a shrine, surrounded by museums and solemn stewards. The interior of the building that houses his body, which is essentially a mausoleum, are walls fo the things he accomplished and accolades he won. In the centre, bathed in light, is his grave, a raised coffin in white marble. It represents just exactly what he meant to the Serbian people, as well as what Yugoslavia meant to many people. Amazing stuff. 

After Tito, we walked more around the city, passing a few buildings left unreppaired to show the extent of the NATO bombings during the Bosnian war. As the Serbian heartland, the bombing of Belgrade was an incredibly emotional event for the Serbs, and they left many buildings in the post-bombing state, making a similar statement as much of Sarajevo. People would talk to us about Yugoslavia and the Balkan wars, but the emotional scarring is so strong in almost all the population.

We met some cool people at the hostel, and a pack of us went out on the town. We mostly just drank along the roadside, but it was great fun. Belgrade has a huge party feeling to it, and Bars and Clubs were bumping everywhere. Not suprisingly, it was up early the next morning to catch the insanely long bus journey into Bosnia.