Discovering Belgrade, Serbia
A mere bus ride away lies Belgrade, often referred to as the "White Fortress," the capital of Serbia, nestled along the Danube and Sava rivers in the heart of the north-central part of the country.
Our local historian guide led our walking tour through this historic city. A man in his early thirties, he represents the fourth generation to have experienced the trials and tribulations of this city.
As a strategically positioned city, Belgrade has been a battleground in 115 wars and has endured being razed to the ground a staggering 44 times. The scars of history are evident in its diverse architecture, where ancient structures, miraculously spared from destruction, stand alongside rebuilt midcentury buildings.
During a candid conversation with our guide, I asked about the prevailing sentiment regarding concerns about another attack. His response was brief: the fear of conflict always lingers.
To better understand the Balkans, I asked what exactly does this mean. He explained that the Balkans are primarily a geographical region, often called the Balkan Peninsula, the easternmost of Europe's three great southern peninsulas. Yet, there is no unanimous agreement on the specific countries included in this area. Largely shaped by media, the term Balkans, however, is negatively tainted by a history of ethnic divisions and political upheavals.
We toured a fortress, initially constructed by the Celts in the 4th century BCE and known to the Romans as Singidunum. Over the centuries, it was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. Here, we stood along the fortress walls, where Roman remnants from the 1st century AD, Serbian structures from the 15th century, and Austrian influences from the 18th century are built one on the other.
On a lighter note, our journey took us to a church with a unique bar adjacent. This tavern, established in 1823, is two centuries old and is celebrated as one of the city's iconic landmarks. Its peculiar name, marked by a question mark, started from a dispute in 1892 with the Serbian Orthodox Church. The owners' attempt to rename it "Kod Saborne crkve" (By the Saborna Church) was met with strong resistance. The name was protested by church authorities, who were not keen on seeing the cathedral referenced as part of a kafana's name. So, as a temporary solution, the tavern's owner put a question mark on the door, asking people to come up with a better name, but over time, it just stuck and became the official name of the place. It is now designated as a landmark and must remain a tavern in proper 19th-century form.
For enthusiasts of fine coffee, our path crossed a three-story coffee house offering a global variety of coffee varieties. Our guide also imparted a valuable lesson: the proper enjoyment of coffee lies in sitting down with a friend and savouring it from a genuine coffee cup, as opposed to the hurried experience of sipping from a paper cup while walking.
Following dinner, some of us ventured to a local bar for a nightcap. When they closed its doors, we moved on to another until around 2 a.m. For an evening filled with wine and laughter.
I am glad tomorrow is a free day
