Zagreb
It took nine hours by bus, train and tram to go from my hostel in Venice to my base for the coming days. My first evening in Zagreb had been rather short, tiredness and wine were to blame. The plan for Saturday was sightseeing. Simultaneously many Croatians planed to join a protest rally, dressed mainly in the national colors. At that point I had no idea what the cause of it was, so I continued with sightseeing.
While strolling through town, I thought Croatia seems to be a police state. Around the center of the city parks and squares were inhabited by the police force, wearing their combat armor. Additionally there were several road blocks. I thought there would be riots and the police obviously thought so, too. Fortunately there were no rights as far as I know. While the angry mob shouted on main square, I enjoyed the atmosphere of this beautiful town. You can`t help but think to yourself that the whole population of Zagreb is sitting in the outdoor area of one of the many cafes.
In the evening somebody explained the cause for the protest rally that day to me. Ante Gotovina, former Croatian General and widely considered a national hero, got sentenced to 24 years in jail by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague. After a couple of beers in the local pub street I called it a day.
The remaining sights were appreciated on Sunday. I took the night train at 23.55, that left me a lot of time to enjoy Croatian food and some beers, as well. The most impressive place to have a beer in Zagreb is a bar in the garden of a museum, where you can drink next to ancient sculptures.
Belgrade
The next morning I heard last stop Belgrade, at least that is what I think the train attendant said in Serbian. After a couple of hours sleep, Mladen the local hostelowner told me the must sees of Belgrade. In the coming days I went to the fort, the Tesla Museum, the remains of the bombed former headquarters of the Serbian army and to several other sights. As well as Zagreb, Belgrade shuttered my stereotypes concerning the beauty of Eastern European cities. If you like beautiful cities, gorgeous girls and cheap drinks, Belgrade is your destination.
Right now I am heading to Skopje, Macedonia by train. The ride so far has been far from usual. At the station in Belgrade I was able to take a seat in the train quite early, allowing me to watch a group of young men escaping from the police. The majority of them fled to the trains. So four of them took a seat in my compartment in an attempt to hide from the police. They seemed to be nervous till the train departed from the station, I was puzzled how to react. When the train was on the move and with a little help of wine everybody relaxed again. They were supporters of Red Star Belgrade and a bunch of nice guys.
It took nine hours by bus, train and tram to go from my hostel in Venice to my base for the coming days. My first evening in Zagreb had been rather short, tiredness and wine were to blame. The plan for Saturday was sightseeing. Simultaneously many Croatians planed to join a protest rally, dressed mainly in the national colors. At that point I had no idea what the cause of it was, so I continued with sightseeing.
While strolling through town, I thought Croatia seems to be a police state. Around the center of the city parks and squares were inhabited by the police force, wearing their combat armor. Additionally there were several road blocks. I thought there would be riots and the police obviously thought so, too. Fortunately there were no rights as far as I know. While the angry mob shouted on main square, I enjoyed the atmosphere of this beautiful town. You can`t help but think to yourself that the whole population of Zagreb is sitting in the outdoor area of one of the many cafes.
In the evening somebody explained the cause for the protest rally that day to me. Ante Gotovina, former Croatian General and widely considered a national hero, got sentenced to 24 years in jail by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague. After a couple of beers in the local pub street I called it a day.
The remaining sights were appreciated on Sunday. I took the night train at 23.55, that left me a lot of time to enjoy Croatian food and some beers, as well. The most impressive place to have a beer in Zagreb is a bar in the garden of a museum, where you can drink next to ancient sculptures.
Belgrade
The next morning I heard last stop Belgrade, at least that is what I think the train attendant said in Serbian. After a couple of hours sleep, Mladen the local hostelowner told me the must sees of Belgrade. In the coming days I went to the fort, the Tesla Museum, the remains of the bombed former headquarters of the Serbian army and to several other sights. As well as Zagreb, Belgrade shuttered my stereotypes concerning the beauty of Eastern European cities. If you like beautiful cities, gorgeous girls and cheap drinks, Belgrade is your destination.
Right now I am heading to Skopje, Macedonia by train. The ride so far has been far from usual. At the station in Belgrade I was able to take a seat in the train quite early, allowing me to watch a group of young men escaping from the police. The majority of them fled to the trains. So four of them took a seat in my compartment in an attempt to hide from the police. They seemed to be nervous till the train departed from the station, I was puzzled how to react. When the train was on the move and with a little help of wine everybody relaxed again. They were supporters of Red Star Belgrade and a bunch of nice guys.
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| Mosaic on the wall of Belgrade Zoo |
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