Visiting New Belgrade...
Up early to enjoy two large cups of Bailey’s and Coffee, we prepared for a fun day! Tanja arranged for her sister and brother-in-law to pick us up and show us New Belgrade. We are staying in the Old Belgrade section and most of our wanderings have been in our general area. Today we crossed the Danube River.
As we passed the Palace of Serbia, I was able to catch the “I love Serbia” sign! Written in one of the two used alphabets of the country, Cryillic is said to be based on phonics… “write as you speak and read as it is written”. The sign is located in front of the Palace of Serbia. Originally, used by the Federal Executive Council of Yugoslavia, it is now used by the Government and houses cabinets and ministries. The building is gigantic!
We also passed by Hotel Yugoslavia, once one of the most luxurious hotels in Yugoslavia. Opened in 1969, it was considered to be a top five hotel in all of Europe. Two missiles hit the structure during the 1999 bombings and the hotel was used as barracks for paramilitary forces. Closed to the public in 2006, half the hotel was reopened as a three-star and another portion was transformed into a casino in 2008. Maybe I’ll get a job there! ha!
Driving though the streets of this quaint part of town, we loved how they switched from paved to cobbled. Parking was a premium in certain areas. Everyone must have been drawn out by this sunny day!
Arriving in Zemun, our first stop was at Gardos Tower. Unfortunately it wasn’t open because I found photos of visitors who got to walk up the tower. Would have been a great photo spot! Built in 1896, by Hungarian, it stands in the center of town and surrounded by a fortress.
Despite the locked doors, we were treated to a bird’s eye view! The church clocktower framed by the Danube River was a beautiful sight! Slight fog still remained but we were happy because we initially expected rain. The weather was perfect!
Across the street from Gardos Tower is a charming spot called “String Instrument Gallery”. Decorated with a collection of rare stringed instruments and books, it is a nice place to enjoy coffee. It also has a bar and in the back is an amphitheater to enjoy outdoor concerts. Out in front was a schedule for many upcoming shows… and there are many.
Walking toward the Danube, we passed through adorable neighborhoods. This is one of my favorite things to do! The cobbled streets, old buildings, splashes of color… just feels like we are in a different time period. It’s such an escape from our regular lives but so natural for the people who live here. I often wonder if they realize the beauty of their home…
As we strolled down the street, Marina had Pedja move the car so we didn’t have to walk back up the hill. After returning home, Tanja asked if we were tired… of course we weren’t because we never had to walk very far. We really could have walked but maybe they thought we were really old and shouldn’t tire…hahaha! It was a treat to only walk one way though! I just felt bad for Pedja always looking for a new parking space in this active area. Photo on the left is Pedja moving the car!
Hello Danube River! (Not Sava River)… Barry was clicking away on his camera, I used my phone. My camera was in the bag but I was just more comfortable on this day with the iphone. So many graceful swans! We don’t look like tourists, do we???
This pathway ran the length of the Danube… such a nice place to walk on a sunny day. Caught one of our swan friends shaking its rear end in the air. Then a line of swans passed us in a very organized fashion.
My favorite part was watching the locals feed bags of raw cabbage to the swans. What a feast for our “friends”.
A couple more shots from the river… You can see all the cabbage floating on the water. Swans intrigue me… so elegant. Their necks bend in such a graceful curve. I could watch them all day!
Each village, city, countryside we have visited… we always say, “If I lived here…”. Since we left the USA, there isn’t anywhere we haven’t loved. We can picture ourselves living in any of the beautiful areas! So here, I can say… “If I lived here, I would spend hours sitting on the steps, watching the swans on the Danube… and then I’d go to the market!” Entering the “Zemun Outdoor Market brought me instant joy! My happy place. Of course, Barry wasn’t happy to see all the garlic, but he did love the meats.
What a cheerful face! Exuding an obvious pride, this man was ready to sell anything we wanted to buy. Fresh fruits and nuts at his stands, dry goods and paper goods in booths behind him. It would be so nice to have the freshest of fresh purchased every couple of days…
Now we reached an area we couldn’t resist… after tasting 8-10 meats, we purchased three! My favorite has to be the one on the right. It is called cvarci or pork candy. One taste and I was instantly addicted. Of course Texans would end up at the booth selling smoked meats!
Talk about fresh fish! So many types available, even those still swimming in the tank! Yes, I would be purchasing from this booth every day. The photo on the right allows you to see the setting of this market. This being just one small section, anything you need could be purchased here. Marina was even able to buy a small light for her Himalayan salt candle.
Who wouldn’t feel peaceful and content walking down this tree-lined pathway. Such a treat! We passed by this statue with an interesting story. Since the 18th century, it is tradition for swimmers to dive into the waters to be the first to reach the Holy Cross. Placed in rivers and lakes, people from all walks of life and all ages participate in the competition. Banned by the Yugoslavs during the communist years, it was reintroduced in 1997
Perfect timing for stopping by the river for coffee. Most people we have talked to enjoy one coffee a day. They are very small, espresso size so that would be a challenge for us! We usually have two large (small for compared to the ones we use at home) cups before leaving our apartment and then go out for coffee. We also found out from Marina, why the lady in the airport found it so strange we were drinking Baileys and espresso… it was the time of day. She told us that no one would look at us strange, as they like to drink that but then added, “unless it was 9am or something”… it was. Oops.
One more whimsical statue in a city full of statues! And now… time for Marina to drive because we were going to her neighborhood for lunch. Can’t wait. Serbians eat lunch much later than we are used to so we were a bit hungry but the afternoon coffee helps.
Lunch was worth the wait! In an area full of houseboat restaurants, we entered on called Suvenir… as soon as we arrived, I knew I would love it! The atmosphere was perfect and we got a table right at the window overlooking the Sava River.
With two wine areas that held some of my favorites, I was excited to try some good Serbian wine. Pedja selected a delicious, light red that went great with our lunch! It was a simple label and I couldn’t tell you the name… but I know it started with a “T”. Unusual for me not to catch that!
We had a great time laughing and talking. Such a fun couple! Though I had met Marina when she visited America, I had not met Pedja. We were fast friends and will hopefully meet up again before we leave.
Here we are! Surrounded by food, wine and the Danube… what a excellent experience!
Cucumber so fresh with a light sprinkle of salt for me. Barry had the tomato with lots of cheese… For my entree, I had a veal dish. It was served with potatoes, which I gave to Barry. The cream sauce that flavored the veal was outstanding! Barry had a meat dish but I dove into my meal so quickly, I forgot to take a pic of his.
Taking a quick look around the rest of the establishment, we saw this beautifully carved horse. Very unique. Around the room, were light covered olive trees growing in large pots. This section of the restaurant is uncovered and right on the water during the summer months. Can’t wait to return!
Sadly, the day was coming to an end. The city lights up beautifully. On the left, is one of the houseboat restaurants lit up. A bridge crossing the Sava River in a purple color… and a quick stop to snap a shot of the Fortress across the river! We were standing there a couple of days ago but up until now, had not seen it at night. It is stunning with the lights… Thank you, Pedja and Marina! It was a fabulous day!!!
