Introduction to the Balkans

When I initially told people back home that I was heading to Belgrade for work, the reaction was hesitant at best, and downright concerned at worst.  After all, most of our associations with the city stemmed from the NATO bombings in 1999 and the ousting of Milošević in 2000.   And even I have to admit, my first impressions of the city did not leave a great impression.  But what I soon found, is that even though it has held a bad reputation, Belgrade (and Serbia) is well on the way of shaking off its past.

Staying in Central Belgrade, I found the people to be friendly and the city to be very easily navigated by foot.   The first full night there, Sarah and I wandered through the streets, taking in a few beautifully lit buildings among mostly drab and grey dwellings.   I would not call the city pretty, but it was uncomfortable either.   We headed towards the pedestrian area which was full of people and shops, and offered a lively atmosphere.   Upon seeing that the temperature was -7C, we headed into a recommended restaurant and enjoyed some surprisingly impressive Serbian cuisine.   There was definitely Hungarian and Greek influences in our dishes, but I have to say that the food is one of the best I have had in my trips.

The next day, we got out of work a bit earlier, and so we took advantage of the late afternoon daylight to head down to the Temple of Saint Sava, the largest Orthodox Church in the Balkans.  The temple is visible over tops of the buildings and its size was even more impressive as we approached.   There was a good deal of reconstruction going on inside, so we only ducked in for a minute, but I am so happy to have seen it in the daylight!  From the temple, we headed towards the Parliament building.  This time, night had fallen, but the building was still impressive.   Again, we were starting to feel the cold (-8C!), so we headed back to our new favorite eating spot....hey, why mess with a good thing!

My visit to Belgrade was very much a lesson in not judging a book by its cover (sorry for the cliche!) or in this case, not judging a city by its past.   I was surprised at how much I warmed up to the city (figuratively, not literally....it was damn cold!!).  I am not sure that I would name Belgrade among the top cities to go back to, but I am so very happy I experienced it.  And having a taste of the Balkans, I definitely want to experience more!