Belgrade an unexpected treat

Having an interest in international politics and current affairs is both a blessing and a curse. There’s probably something about human nature that makes us more comfortable to think in black and whites rather than greys (Christian notwithstanding). And lord only knows we’re currently living through a period of human history that is both saturated with information yet simultaneously dangerously divided between the us and the them. A neat bloc of the us versus the other.

Whichever way you look at it Serbia was pretty clearly one of the bad guys in the Balkan conflicts of the 90’s. Not the only bad guy, no side is ever totally innocent in war, but the country didn’t emerge from it looking good. Fast forward to the current day and it remains one of very few staunch supporters of Russia and Putin. This doesn’t win it many friends in Europe and probably helps explain why Belgrade seems to stay off the cheap flight city break/stag-do destination itinerary. It was the last European city to be bombed by the west in… (checks notes) geez… 1999.. not that long ago. Oh and the Chinese embassy got hit. And we wonder why Putin, for all of his many faults, fears NATO expansion to his doorstep. Remember, NATO the purely defensive organisation.

So with my preconceptions in tow I sauntered into Belgrade on a lovely late afternoon to a central district of pavement cafes and restaurants, landscaped parks and families enjoying the late spring sun. My Air B and B host couldn’t be more helpful, offering me leaflets and suggestions of things to see and do in a city of which he is clearly proud.

The city sits on the confluence of the Danube and the Sava giving the city important strategic importance, as evidenced by the enormous fortifications stretching back to 3BC. In addition to a military museum, the fort interestingly has loads of sporting opportunities in its grounds. Outdoor gym equipment, volleyball courts and the like. I took a stroll across the river which involved a treacherous decent from the fort to river level then a trip in a lift “for bikes only” to get back up to bridge level. I may have snuck a bike or two into passenger lifts in the past where that wasn’t really allowed, but I’ve never had to sneak in the other way round. I’ll take the chance to spare me the 200 steps.

On the opposite side of the river sits the contemporary art museum, whose contents were a bit underwhelming for me personally. Of more curiosity was when sitting outside, I was moved along by the Museum Director as a police motorcade deposited a Chinese state VIP visitor. A sign of the times, and following on from a massive state visit which apparently required the hanging of hundreds of Chinese flags stretching from the city centre to the airport. As one of the few remaining European countries that doesn’t even have frenemy status with the west, you need all the global friends you can get I suppose.

As part of my usual new-city routine and often check the listings to see what music is on in town, if any. Sometimes you get lucky – Incognito in Tblisi for one – and as luck would have it, Belgrade was hosting the Gipsy Kings outdoors on the banks of the river for one of the nights I was in town. Yay! Not my usual musical taste but I remember the hit album well from the early 90’s and the high quality guitarists who came to play in the restaurant I worked at who played Gipsy King covers.

Sadly the event was hard to enjoy, not because the music wasn’t up to scratch, it very much was (I think) but the event was poorly organised. Massive queues to get in, the stage wasn’t very high, the sound system not nearly loud enough, trees blocking the view. The biggest problem however was the layout. For some reason the organisers decided that the event needed a VIP area right in front of the stage consisting of rows and rows of round tables of 10, no doubt so they could charge a fortune from the ex-communist racketeers… sorry businessmen (they are men). The net result of this was hundreds of bored, well-dressed Serbs chatting at the tables while the people with interest in the music were pushed right back too far from the stage to see or hear properly. I really hope this style of musical exploitation, profiteering and posing doesn’t catch on.

But the night wasn’t a complete loss, as is often the case I was able to find a cool little (gay) bar playing good music, with friendly people. It’s probably not too easy to be out and proud in a socially conservative country like Serbia so the rainbows are more discrete but it’s nice that people have their own spot to enjoy. The funniest part of the night for me was explaining to the bar staff what their sign that says “vinegar strokes” is actually about…

I left Belgrade with a really positive impression of the place.  A major European city that hasn’t quite been totally invaded by Starbucks and McDonalds just yet. Friendly people and good fun to be had. Make the effort to get there before it either switches sides and becomes like every other eastern European city or before NATO has another go.