War-Free blog.

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Robert D Kaplan once said that "Defeat... has a name: Pristina" Marka McAdam now thinks that the Albanian flags in the city are flapping a new name: Change. At the end, Kosovo is the only country I have not visited in the Balkans. There were some protest at the Serbian border and we had to change our plans... again. Serbia, itself was exactly what I needed after Bosnia. I did not try to understand the whys and did not ask for their side of the stories. I wanted a war-free stay and almost got it.

Instead of going to Kosovo, we went to Novi Sad. It is a shame we only miss the Exit festival by a couple of days. According to my guide book, Novi Sad is the place where hedonism meets activism. The old city small streets are packed of all kinds of cafes and bars. The view from the quiet fortress is fantastic. Going back over the bridge you can stop for an ice-cream and watch the beautiful tall Serbian woman in their high heels and mini-skirt on their way to the many clubs.

Belgrade was a bit of the same. The old town is nice and the fortress is a most see. I would have love to play basketball with the locals on one of the many great outdoor court. Only, the military museum and the 20 something tanks in the middle of the park remind you that 1999 is not too far back. By the way, they are not referring to anything that happen between the second great war and the NATO bombing. I don't know why....

What really impressed me, was the new Belgrade. It is such a contrast to the old city and it is only right to call it a city in a city. We enjoy a break watching a 3D movie in the new commercial centre.

We are now on our way to Sofia.

Nick

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