Day 10 - A Balkan Sunday in Serbia
- manicmondeo
- Jun 7
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 8
We’d made it to Burgas to pick up Jase. That was checkpoint two, after getting off the ferry. The next step was to hot foot it across Bulgaria and a potentially troublesome border.
With Booking.com agreeing to refund our money for the non-existent hotel, our kindly host bade us adieu. It was already hot and due to get hotter.
Cranes and potentially vultures provided the entertainment and we sped across the plains of ancient Thrace. Our destination was the historic province’s largest city, Plovdiv.
After a few-mile drive down a cobbled road, and some noises from Rosemary, we reached Plovdiv, which is regarded as Europe’s oldest city - its history dating back about 8,000 years. Founded by Alex the Great’s dad, a lot of its timeless remains remain today. But, security apart, god knows why they built it atop a rugged cliff.
A woman told us we could venture in to an Orthodox church, so we did. They love gold and an icon, those guys and girls.
Along with the Roman amphitheatre (built not long after Jesus was a lad), we also saw its Ottoman houses and a man playing what looked like a massive haggis.
The drive to the border was hot, yet Jim and Jase still found time to order a load of grilled meat. It was delicious.
We’d worried about the border into Serbia as they don’t have the best of relations with NATO and the rest of the west. Our worries were pooh-poohed with one of the easiest ever crossings. On the empty roads, most other vehicles appeared to have come from China - as in China registered. Confusing.
We’d made good time, and gained an hour, so took a detour through the Gradište Canyon. We had chosen… wisely. It was stunning. Wild, raw, off the beaten track and ultimately Balkan.
We had arrived.
The Balkans have a very confusing and intertwined history. At the skull tower on the edge of Nis, we saw this in graphic close-up. In the early 1800s, the Ottomans had slain countless Serbians, including military leader and later drink-while-you-think answer Stevan Sinđelić.
To intimidate the locals, the Ottomans put the skulls of the slain into a tower. This had the opposite effect and roused the Serbs. Even today, it’s a site of pilgrimage and pride to Serbians, standing as a testament to their resolve and strength.
Nis on a Sunday was better than expected. It was arguably the liveliest city we’d visited. Beer, grilled meats, illuminated landmarks and people out well into the night. This was Balkan.
Songs of the day
Craig: Bulgarian Chicks by Balkan Beat Box
Jim: Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley
Jase: Enjoy Yourself by Mrs Mills
Ian: Life Won’t Wait by Rancid
Comments