Toward Transylvania (Part 3)

We reached Belgrade around 10 p.m. on a train where we had dinner without even paying. The first impact with the Serbian capital frightened us a little. A girl we met outside the station accompanied us into the centre of Belgrade, where we found accommodation at the HOTEL BALKAN. Excellent value for money. Belgrade lies between the Sava and the Danube. Despite the terrible NATO bombings of 1999, the people of Belgrade are very courteous and easily make friends with foreigners. Eating in Belgrade costs quite little; the local cuisine is very tasty and local beer and wine can accompany the meals. For after dinner there are numerous and welcoming bars and discos. You can go, for example, to the Underground, which is in a cave beneath the walls of the “lower town”, a place frequented by sports champions, models and, of course, ordinary people.

Perhaps the oldest and most characteristic street in Belgrade is “Ulica Kralja Petra I”, while “Kalemegdan” is the name of the largest and most beautiful park in Belgrade; the park where the fortress stands is a place where mothers stroll with their children, couples of lovers, groups of students and also tourists. It's a truly peaceful place for contemplation in this city that has unfortunately, in recent years, been a place of mourning and sorrow.