We had a fantastic day yesterday. The weather was in the high 50’s and the snow was melting fast. It was the end of the Ski Week holiday. Reflecting on the break, the best thing about it is reconnecting with my children and wife. I really noticed today as I came home from school, how excited the kids were to see me. I missed them today as I was working at the high school. They are shown above playing on a car in the shopping mall of the supermarket, Super Vero. We did grocery shopping Saturday morning.
Below, Owen is seen looking over the park of Kalemegdan. Kalemegdan is a Turkish word for “battle ground – fortress” and it is one of my favorite placeds in Belgrade. The city began here, within the walls of the fort and the history just oozes out of every brick and turret. The fort was originally built by the Romans and throughout history, has changed hands from the Byzantines, Hungarians, Turks, Serbs, etc. As you can see in the photo, the fort is strategically placed overlooking the confluence of the Sava and Danube (Dunav in Serbian) rivers. Legend has it that Attila the Hun is buried at this meeting of the two rivers. Belgrade has always been at the border between various empires and the fort holds the memories of these conflicts between competitors.
Today there is also a huge park surrounding the fort. Many Belgraders hang out there, playing chess, walking, talking, and many children are running around the playgrounds. The fort also has tennis courts, basketball courts, and a cool military museum display with about 10 tanks and cannons kids can climb on. Owen and Oliver below are shown on a battering ram with the fort in the background. The kids love eating “kokice” (popcorn in Serbian).
I read of the catacombs, canals, and tunnels that are largely unexplored under the fort. The Serbs really have not restored the fort or done enough excavation and research on the place which is unusual. It is part of the charm I guess, that it is not totally done up for tourists, although it is a must see for anyone coming to the city for the views. I also like the fact that the locals uses the place and it is still a vital part of the daily life of many Belgraders and not just a museum.
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