Serbia > Arrival in Belgrade

A little before 7:30 in the morning, we drive to Sassenheim station. The sun is already shining, and it promises to be a beautiful day in the Netherlands. I'm going on a weekend trip to the Serbian capital Belgrade, together with René and Rita. Fortunately, the weather forecast for Belgrade also looks good for the weekend. Since we're traveling with hand luggage only, we can head straight to security and passport control upon arrival at Schiphol. We even have time for a cup of coffee. Then we walk to gate D26, which turns out to be quite a long walk. When we arrive at the gate, boarding hasn't started yet. The plane has arrived late, which means our departure will be delayed as well. Around 10:30, half an hour later than scheduled, we take off with flight JU261 from Air Serbia. Thanks to the clear weather, we get a nice view of the landscape below. During the flight, the crew comes by with a bottle of water and a sandwich. I wasn’t actually expecting that. After just under two hours, the plane begins its descent. We’re in Serbia. After passport control, we look for the transfer shuttle.

Serbia - The plane has just arrived in Belgrade

In front of the airport, several buses are parked, but not line A1. A taxi driver points at a red minibus and says, “That’s your shuttle.” The driver confirms it when we ask. We pay 400 Serbian dinars per person and get in. Inside, it’s a bit cramped. There’s no space for hand luggage, so everyone awkwardly holds their suitcases on their laps. We had planned to get off at Slavija Square, but an extra stop at the train station turns out to be closer to our hotel, so we get off there too. The oppressive heat is immediately noticeable, though it’s not yet thirty degrees. After the weekend, temperatures will rise above 35 degrees. We check out the Monument to Stefan Nemanja in front of the station. Nemanja was the founder of the Serbian state in the twelfth century. Then we walk toward Hotel Amsterdam. About halfway there, we pass a terrace and decide to stop for a drink. Hotel Amsterdam is centrally located in the city. We have a triple room on the fourth floor. In the late afternoon, we walk into the city center, where many streets are pedestrianized.

Serbia - The Monument of Stefan Nemanja in front of the station

There’s a lively atmosphere on the streets. In the somewhat outdated Millennium shopping center, we try to find Victor Tours, a tour operator for a possible Sunday excursion. We don’t manage to locate the company and give up the attempt. We continue our walk to Republic Square. In the middle of the square stands the statue of Prince Mihailo—a mounted statue of the Serbian prince who lived from 1823 to 1868. The streets surrounding the square are filled with cozy restaurants and crowded terraces. On a corner, we find a restaurant specializing in Balkan dishes. I choose a stew with meat, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes. After dinner, we stroll through the streets a bit more. On the way back to the hotel, we buy some water and a beer for the room.

Serbia - There is still disagreement about the Balkan War