A kiwi (Jenny) and an Aussie (Matthew) are currently bumbling across Europe on their bicycles. They spent three days in Novi Sad, the second largest city in Serbia, where they enjoyed Serbian food. “Serbian food had been far more delicious and accommodating (for our fussy gluten free / vegetarian demands) than we expected.” Jenny said. The Kiwi/Aussie couple also chose to visit Belgrade. Their expectations for Belgrade started low:
We rode over the Sava river into central Belgrade and were greeted by a looming mass of ugly, blocky, derelict buildings and four lanes of roaring traffic so dense we were forced to hop off and walk our bikes along the crooked, wonky, crumbling pavement.
However, things were feeling much better when they headed out for a proper wander:
The city is patchy, with lovely old buildings mixed in with bleak Soviet-style square blocks and a few huge glass-facade jobs. We wandered through Kalemegdan which is a lovely big park and fortress located at the edge of the city centre where the Sava river meets the Danube. The park was filled with people wandering and sitting, a few playing chess, many in conversation. I love the way so many people in Belgrade’s public spaces seem to be in deep conversation.
It’s well worth reading the whole post in full. Matthew went on to call Belgrade ‘The City of Talking Men‘, and uploaded some excellent shots. The pictures describe so well the wonder, beauty, and atmosphere of Belgrade.
