Thursday, June 11, 2015

Day 4: Belgrade Serbia

Our first stop was Kalemagdan Fortress, where we heard the story of Belgrade's history from Roman times to the recent civil war.


 Romans set these bricks. 

 Serbians use them for laying tennis. 



 Bullet holes mark the gates. 




 Active archaeology is still going on inside the walls.  These openings reveal Roman habitation going back to the 6th century. 








 A Turkish general was nevertheless buried in this crypt in the fortress. 
 Twists of string and yarn on the window of the crypt are a way of making wishes. 
 The fortress sits on a strategic promontory, allowing clear view of the confluence of rivers below. 
 Apparently the ladies of the day protested that the statue showed a bit too much of htis fellow's manhood.  A view from another angle reveals the hilt of his sword. 











 We met our bus for a whirlwind tour of the city.  Our only stop was St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church.  While impressive in every respect, the Church is unfinished, and promises to stay that way for the foreseeable future.  A nearby church was a better example, but services were going on, so unlike many other visitors, we took no photos. 











 Only a small area is used for services. 



 After lunch on the ship we returned to town on our own to explore.  We found the place infested with transformers. 


























Time to return to the ship for dinner and a sail. 

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