Like much of what we have been seeing, Belgrade is a mix of eastern and western architecture. Our bus tour took us past Tito’s Museum and Tomb. Unlike many of the leaders of this area, he died peacefully. His widow still lives in a small palace near the restored but powerless royal family. We passed several embassies, including the US, which is next to the Iranian, and the Israeli, where our bus was stopped because Jerry attempted to take a photograph. (Ask him the details.)
The St. Sava Church, started in 1937, has 18 gilded crosses outside and is virtually incomplete inside.
The Fortress at the confluence of the Sava and Danube was used from the 16th to 18th century. Its gates are named for the cities the troops headed toward, Belgrade and Istanbul. A collection of military tanks and cannon rest on the moat area.
After lunch Jerry and Anna Lee climbed 120 steps back to the town center to walk along the pedestrian street lined with many bookstores and upscale shops. Jerry was looking to buy a new watch and was interested in ones from the Soviet era.
We continued onto Skadartija Street, a Bohemian area. The facades of the three story buildings are painted with additional windows, flower boxes and plants.
Our walk back to the boat took us through a park where stalls are filled with souvenirs and tables hold chess sets used by competitive older men and a young Dutch woman.
The guest lecturer on board presented a brief economic, political and military history of Serbia. He started with WWI which he said was started not by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand but by the economic aggression of the Austro-Hungarian empire. He discussed the “benevolent dictatorship” of Tito, a refrain we heard several times in Serbia. There is a lament back to the time when the various factions worked together, life was easier, and the economy was secure. Tito failed to apply reforms that the people wanted and left no one to follow him. The result was a return to factional fighting, murder and bombing by NATO forces.
After the lecture, a wonderful string quartet entered us with Mozart, Vivaldi, and Brubeck.
Jerry and Anna Lee took a break from the visit to Navi Sad to treat the beginning of colds. Steve and Rita said it was quite lovely.
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