Belgrade was full of history, beautiful views, unexpected discoveries, and more than a few treasures that will forever remind me of my time in Serbia.
I started the morning with breakfast onboard the Avalon Passion. One of my favorite things about breakfast is the made-to-order omelette station, so I had the chef prepare a fresh veggie omelette before we set off to explore Belgrade. It was the perfect start to what would become another memorable day.
Our walking tour began at Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, one of the oldest and most important historical sites in Serbia. Standing atop the fortress walls, looking out over the meeting of the Danube and Sava Rivers, it was easy to understand why this location has been fought over and defended for centuries. The views alone were worth the walk, even in the summer heat.
Just when I thought the morning couldn’t surprise me any more, I turned a corner and found…dinosaurs.
Right inside the fortress grounds was a life-size dinosaur exhibit, complete with a Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and several other prehistoric giants. It definitely wasn’t something I expected to see while exploring one of Europe’s oldest fortresses, but that’s one of the things I love about travel. Sometimes it’s the unexpected discoveries that become some of your favorite memories.
While exploring the fortress, I also picked up a Serbian Army souvenir cap. It’s a unique reminder of Belgrade’s rich military history and one of those souvenirs that will always bring me back to this fascinating city.
By late morning, the Belgrade heat had definitely caught up with me. I was absolutely parched and more than ready to find some air conditioning. I stumbled into a bookstore, ordered an ice-cold Orangina, one of my all-time favorite drinks, along with a bottle of water, and took a few minutes to cool off.
That bookstore turned out to be much more than a place to escape the heat.
One of my favorite travel traditions is collecting Harry Potter books in the local language, so naturally I headed straight for the book section. The staff explained that the Serbian Cyrillic MinaLima edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was no longer available, but they still had the Serbian edition printed in the Latin alphabet. Since Serbia commonly uses both writing systems in everyday life, I was happy to add the Serbian Latin edition to my growing collection.
The treasure hunting continued with a stop at Starbucks, where I found not one, but two additions to my collection: the Serbia “You Are Here” mug and the Belgrade mug, proudly displaying the city’s name in Cyrillic, Београд. I couldn’t resist celebrating my successful shopping expedition with a Caramel Mocha Cloud Frappuccino before heading back toward the ship. Also, when I had purchased the Harry Potter book, the salesman gave me a 20% off coupon of my total order at Starbucks! I’m so glad I went to the bookstore first! I saved about $12!
After all the walking, the heat, and carrying my growing collection of souvenirs, my back was letting me know it was time for a break. I returned to the Avalon Passion, enjoyed a wonderful lunch, and stretched out in my cool cabin for a little while. Sometimes listening to your body is the best travel decision you can make.
Fortunately, the rest did the trick.
Elizabeth, Susan, and Ginny had discovered a small antique shop, and curiosity got the better of me. I’m so glad I decided to head back into town.
Inside, I found exactly the kind of treasures I love bringing home. I purchased a beautiful china plate with a matching teacup and saucer for the mismatched china collection I’m slowly putting together to replace my well-loved Fiesta Ware. I also found a handmade fairy ornament that simply made me smile.
My favorite discovery, though, was a vintage portrait of a distinguished Serbian gentleman sporting a magnificent handlebar moustache. I have absolutely no idea who he was, but I couldn’t leave him behind. Once I get home, he’ll receive a place of honor on one of my walls, where I’m sure he’ll become the subject of many conversations.
Before leaving town, I also found Belgrade and Serbia magnets written in Cyrillic, another perfect reminder of a city where both alphabets are part of everyday life.
Back onboard, Avalon hosted afternoon tea in the Panorama Lounge. There weren’t any traditional scones, but the cheesecake and assortment of sweet treats were absolutely delicious and made for a relaxing afternoon before the evening’s activities.
After reading for a while, I headed down for Happy Hour and our nightly port talk. Our cruise director confirmed what we’d already suspected. Because of the exceptionally low water levels on the Danube, we won’t be able to sail all the way to Budapest. Instead, we’ll continue sailing upriver through Croatia, disembark on Thursday, and travel the rest of the way to Budapest by motorcoach, where we’ll spend our final night in a hotel.
Honestly, I’m just grateful we’ll still be able to continue sailing. Experiencing Croatia from the ship was one of the parts of this itinerary I was most looking forward to, so I consider that very good news.
Dinner was another excellent meal. I enjoyed grilled turkey with butternut squash, which was surprisingly one of my favorite dishes of the day.
Back in my cabin that evening, I finished reading I Must Betray You, a historical novel set during the Romanian Revolution. It seemed like the perfect book to finish after beginning this journey in Romania and hearing firsthand stories from our cruise director about living through those extraordinary events. The tour guide from our foodie tour last Monday recommended this title and said that it was very much like it was back in 1989. It’s a great read, especially since we were just there. Even the hotel we stayed at in Bucharest is featured in the novel!
As I looked over everything I’d collected throughout the day, I realized Belgrade had given me far more than souvenirs. Every item, from the army cap and Harry Potter book to the mugs, magnets, antique china, fairy ornament, and mysterious gentleman with the remarkable moustache, tells the story of a different moment from the day.
Belgrade surprised me at every turn.
And those stories are always the best souvenirs to bring home.
Cleared For Take-Off! 