“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”
― Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad/Roughing It
― Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad/Roughing It
A view from the hills over the Danube in the Belgrade neighborhood of Zemun. I came to Belgrade, Serbia (and spent nearly 3 weeks in this country) rather by accident, but found the experience reinforced my conviction that explorations off the beaten path are often the most rewarding.
I discovered in this Balkan country a people curious and eager to engage with outsiders.
What's more, Serbia's isolation has preserved unusual ways of living and thinking. In Belgrade I developed a unique sense of place that went beyond its green environment. I also observed at close hand how political and economic dislocation can impact the quality of the urban environment.
I discovered in this Balkan country a people curious and eager to engage with outsiders.
What's more, Serbia's isolation has preserved unusual ways of living and thinking. In Belgrade I developed a unique sense of place that went beyond its green environment. I also observed at close hand how political and economic dislocation can impact the quality of the urban environment.
The Balkans My route to Belgrade, as the visit was unplanned, was not direct. I'd taken a flight from Amsterdam to Budapest on a whim, really, just wanting to get away for a bit. Upon learning that there was a train connection to Belgrade from Keleti station, near my hotel, I bought the 20 euro ticket and the next morning was on an old Serbian train crossing south through the great plain named after the Roman province of Pannonia, which covered this same territory 2000 years ago.
The passenger compartment was dated, adding to a growing sense of going back in time as we passed through dozens of tidy, small Hungarian towns and villages with red-tile roofed houses and well-tended gardens. The number of passengers gradually decreased to just a handful as we approached the last Hungarian town on the line, Kelebia. I met only one other tourist, a young Finnish film director, during the long stop at the Serbian border town of Subotica.
I felt both the centrality and remoteness of Serbia. Although only slightly over 3 hours from Budapest, the border brought me into a world that was markedly different. The look of country towns in Serbia, run down but still quaint, with old Zastavas and East-German Trabants and Wartburgs still on the roads, reminded me of the eastern Europe I knew 20 years ago. But there was something pleasant about this countryside, too. The fields were well tended and efforts were made to keep even train stations tidy. From Subotica, we continued for another 3 hours, through unending fields of sunflowers and maize, until we arrived at the limit of what had once been the Austro-Hungarian empire: the Danube crossing to Belgrade.
I felt both the centrality and remoteness of Serbia. Although only slightly over 3 hours from Budapest, the border brought me into a world that was markedly different. The look of country towns in Serbia, run down but still quaint, with old Zastavas and East-German Trabants and Wartburgs still on the roads, reminded me of the eastern Europe I knew 20 years ago. But there was something pleasant about this countryside, too. The fields were well tended and efforts were made to keep even train stations tidy. From Subotica, we continued for another 3 hours, through unending fields of sunflowers and maize, until we arrived at the limit of what had once been the Austro-Hungarian empire: the Danube crossing to Belgrade.
Belgrade's main train station, seemingly unchanged in decades. Soon I was disembarking from the train in Belgrade's weathered old station (with weeds growing between the tracks), and headed off on foot to my hotel - with my senses sharpened in search of the first signs of Belgrade's green identity. Belgrade is probably a rather odd place to look for green design or innovation. The capital of a country only recently emerging from its status as a pariah state, this is not a place that normally provides positive models of any sort to the outside world.
But this city fascinated me. Once the proud capital of the much larger Yugoslavia, Belgrade is now a diminished city abuzz with conspiracy theories in the grip of what I must call a siege mentality. The economic and political catastrophe that fuels this sort of thinking is easy to see across the country, but in Belgrade particularly it struck me daily how tenuous a country's fortunes can be - especially when under the influence of unbridled nationalism.
But this city fascinated me. Once the proud capital of the much larger Yugoslavia, Belgrade is now a diminished city abuzz with conspiracy theories in the grip of what I must call a siege mentality. The economic and political catastrophe that fuels this sort of thinking is easy to see across the country, but in Belgrade particularly it struck me daily how tenuous a country's fortunes can be - especially when under the influence of unbridled nationalism.
The bombed out and abandoned former Ministry of Defense building The implications of Serbia's fall are evident in the urban environment. Infrastructure and housing are often in poor shape. There is a feeling, outside of the rather elegant urban center, of neglect and decay. This city has certainly seen some hard times in the last 20 years as the capital of a country at war, the subject of Nato bombing, and the epicenter of a severe economic depression.
However, Belgrade, like so often in its troubled history, is emerging from disaster and remaking itself. And this period of pain is not exceptional. A long history of shifting control and influence, from Roman times to the present, has left Belgrade overrun, burned to the ground and repopulated dozens of times in its history. In fact, there are no buildings that predate the 18th century here despite a history that extends thousands of years into the past.
However, Belgrade, like so often in its troubled history, is emerging from disaster and remaking itself. And this period of pain is not exceptional. A long history of shifting control and influence, from Roman times to the present, has left Belgrade overrun, burned to the ground and repopulated dozens of times in its history. In fact, there are no buildings that predate the 18th century here despite a history that extends thousands of years into the past.
A typically covered cafe near the university at night. For fear of leaving a forlorn impression I must point out that there are many very delightful sides to Belgrade. The city has its special charms. There are countless sidewalk cafes, dozens of floating restaurants on the graceful Danube, eye-catching architecture throughout the city, the quaint charm of a small village in the neighborhood of Zemun, and commanding views of the whole region from Belgrade Fortress.
A thought that struck me repeatedly was that if this city existed outside of Europe, maybe somewhere in Latin America, it would be celebrated as a gem of European architecture and culture. Instead, it vies for attention with Budapest, Vienna and other cities of central and southeastern Europe. It's tough competition.
But what about the green face of Belgrade? It's not the first thing that would come to mind upon a visit here, but Belgrade is in fact a very green city for a number of reasons. First of all, it is a city of pedestrians and people using public transportation. Serbian per capita consumption of petroleum is only one fifth that of the average US citizen. Most people walk to do their shopping, and there is an excellent system of buses and trams, far superior to what you would find in cities at this economic level in other parts of the world. In fact, although Serbia has a GDP per head on par with countries such as Colombia and Peru, in terms of public transport, Belgrade is more like cities in other parts of Europe.
A thought that struck me repeatedly was that if this city existed outside of Europe, maybe somewhere in Latin America, it would be celebrated as a gem of European architecture and culture. Instead, it vies for attention with Budapest, Vienna and other cities of central and southeastern Europe. It's tough competition.
But what about the green face of Belgrade? It's not the first thing that would come to mind upon a visit here, but Belgrade is in fact a very green city for a number of reasons. First of all, it is a city of pedestrians and people using public transportation. Serbian per capita consumption of petroleum is only one fifth that of the average US citizen. Most people walk to do their shopping, and there is an excellent system of buses and trams, far superior to what you would find in cities at this economic level in other parts of the world. In fact, although Serbia has a GDP per head on par with countries such as Colombia and Peru, in terms of public transport, Belgrade is more like cities in other parts of Europe.
One of the relatively new electric buses imported from Byelorussia. This edge in urban transport is a legacy of the communist era, when public transport was a government priority. One of its nicest features is the electric tram and trolley bus network. Throughout the communist world expensive oil was often shunned in public transportation and replaced with cheap electricity. Electricity produced from coal (the norm) pollutes, but often far from the city itself. As a result, the air in Belgrade seems quite clean and there is less noise pollution, too, as electric buses are rather silent. I used these buses on a daily basis to get to the center from the neighborhood I eventually settled into and found them very pleasant.
A rather typical street tram, again powered by electricity.
Typical pedestrian street in the center of Belgrade. The bipedal orientation of this city can also be seen in the pedestrianized zones of the center. All these car-free streets are lined with, or divided by, sidewalk cafes. The streets themselves, paved with a very fine quality black and grey stone, are kept spotlessly clean. Walking through these areas, you could easily imagine yourself in the wealthier parts of Europe, both in terms of ambiance and the look of the people. There are a few beggars in sight, but generally Serbs do not look poor. This is due, I believe, to the very low level of inequality in income distribution in Serbia. It's another reason this country is so different from it's GDP-per-capita peers in South America.
Men at work planting trees in a park along the Danube. Although evidence of decline is easy to see, there are also signs of urban renewal. I saw immense iron-box planters full of lush grasses and flowers which had been recently installed across from the train station (visible in the picture above), and throughout the city I noticed tree planting underway. Some of this planting was sponsored by businesses such as local banks, others by the city itself. I also visited the botanical garden near the city center. Although I was allowed to enter, it was closed to most visitors because after years of neglect it is undergoing a restoration. I saw positive signs like this throughout the city.
I wrote earlier about the special sense of place here in Belgrade, and food made up an important part of this, ranging from the bounteous local green markets (especially memorable are the fresh raspberries, blackberries and melons) to local breads, cheeses, and meats. I discovered mouthwatering local specialties, with pictures of some of my favorites below.
My dear friend Milos, who made Belgrade home for me. I left Belgrade with new friendships, sadness to leave such an atmospheric place behind, and a sense of optimism for the future. Serbia's present economic predicament is not permanent, and I think the country's low costs and educated population should make it a very attractive place to invest. Despite the statistics, Serbia is not really comparable to Latin America. Belgrade is a city built on a European pattern, with all the amenities, as worn as some of them may be, that any European city could expect. As the economy grows and the government has more resources, the parks and street trees will improve. Outdated attitudes, including the prevalent idea of Serb exceptionalism, will shift toward the European norm and Serbia will fit into modern Europe. I would bet my money on this place.
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