The hitchhiking to Belgrade went really easily. At first a hungarian guy who works in Sweden and went by car from there to Hungary in one day without sleeping gave us the first lift. He was really funny and explained us a lot about the south of Hungary and it`s history. At the petrol station where we left his car, we met a czech couple with a caravan who gave us a lift almost to Belgrade.
Because we couldn`t find a place to stay with couchsurfing we took a hostel for the first two nights in Belgrade. With many contingencies we ended up in the coolest and most alternative hostel you can imagine. It`s called „The Three Black Cats“ and actually it`s not a real hostel. It is more or less a normal flat from which a few dudes made something like a hostel. There we met Nikola (the first). He is a 30 year old guy who is working and actually living in the hostel. We talked a lot and we were surprised how much he knew about german literature and we discovered that we like the same writers (Hesse, Remarque). He told us about the war and how it is to grow up during a bombing. He said that he belongs to something like a „lost generation“. He grew up during the war and now he is expecting always something but nothing really happens. He also said that he would go to war against Kosovo always, what was really depressing. Yesteray Croatia became a member of the European Union and we read in the newspaper that in these days the croatian and the serbian presidents are sitting for the first time on one table. So hopefully the relationship between the former yugoslavian countries are getting better and also Serbia will be a member of the EU soon!
On this picture you can see Nikola at his „office“. Above him there is his bed:
Some more impressions with his mask and knife 🙂
His „colleague“ who also hung around in the hostel from time to time, started to drink self made Rakija out of a big tank around 14 PM:
But he was a nice guy as well and shared it with us later:
At our second day in Belgrade we did some sightseeing and explored the old fortress, from where you have a great view of the city and the Danube.
We also tried to visit the parliament, but when we arrived and asked for a guided tour, there was only a scary security guy who said something which seemed to be not very friendly and showed us the way to the exit. In the Saxonian parliament something like that wouldn`t be imaginable. 🙂 Publicity for the democracy doesn`t work like that. Here you can see a great picture of Hans in front of the parliament:
We had to try some traditional Serbian food, which is famous for being not very vegetarian friendly:
Belgrade is a city, where huge contrast between old and new, nice and ugly form the cityscape:
Belgrade is called the „Berlin of the Balkan“ for a reason, because it`s famous for it`s nightlife and nerver ending wild parties. Of course we also had a go. We stayed on a floating boot on the Danube, where a great rock band played. We heart all the good rock shit from Metallica, System of a Down and even RAMMSTEIN!! Unfortunately the audience was quite small but we had much fun nevertheless:
After the concert we had to say hi to the band and ended up chatting for quite a while and decided to have a drink together. Because it was already late and no more bars open, we went to our hostel and had some more drinks. We really felt in love with these guys and when it was time to say goodby, it was very hard for us. Thanks to Direct Drive (https://www.facebook.com/DirectDriveBand) We really enjoyed your concert and your company:
Nikola – who slept directly beside us, a fucking rock`roll band, two lovely american girls and an australian guy, drinking and chatting the night away – didn`t recognice anything. But suddenly he woke up, started the day with a cigarette and a beer and only after a while he realised that it was not 6 PM but 6 AM. On the picture you can see him coming out of his bed:
At the third day another Nikola, a Serbian guy Tobias met in Rome answered to a message we wrote when we arrived and invited us to stay for another day at his place. He cooked a delicious dinner for us and we met his girlfriend and one of his friends. At night he gave us a little city tour:
Here you can see a building which the Serbians call „The Generalstab“, which was destroyed during the bombing in 1999. -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovo_War. It is located close to the city centre and is nowadays one of the rare reminders oft the war:
Then Nikola showed us the greatest jazz club we saw in our lives – no exaggeration! It is on the rooftop of an old warehouse from where you have a stunning view over Belgrade. Thanks to Nikola for everything!!
dudesontour 