The "B" Trip, Part Two, Serbia and Bulgaria
Sep 30th, 2011, 07:35 AM
#1
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The "B" Trip, Part Two, Serbia and Bulgaria
This is part two of my "B" trip, which began with the Baltics here: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ne-baltics.cfm
This part will cover Serbia (on my own) and Bulgaria (on a tour), after which I'll move on to more of the Balkans.
<b>Sep 9 - 10 - Belgrade: First Impressions</b>
There are, occasionally, days when I wonder why I travel - usually when I have to get up early to catch a train or a plane and especially when I'm leaving a place I liked. So I wasn't in the best of moods as I waited for the airport bus to show up at the Radisson in Riga, but at least I didn't have to join the long line for Ryan Air once I got out to the airport.
I had printed my boarding card the day before, and airBaltic's bag drop went fast. In fact, my only problem with the flight wasn't airBaltic's fault at all, the wretched woman with the grating voice seated behind me, who talked even-on for the entire flight could have happened anywhere.
Instead of the rather pricey taxi offered by my B&B I opted for the public bus, but it did take a long time to show up, and I did have rather a long trek through town from the bus stop. The Art Home B&B, number one B&B/Inn for Belgrade on Tripadvisor, but listed nowhere else, impressed me favorably at first. I had a big room, with a big bed, a desk, wifi and TV, and tea, coffee and fruit available all day. Later I discovered there was nowhere in the shower to put anything, including the shower head, and there was only room for three people to eat breakfast. (The real problem with Art Home wouldn't show up until later.)
My route through town, with my new wheeled bag, had taken me up the main pedestrian street, which I visited several more times during my stay. The smooth pavement and upmarket shops could have been anywhere, and made a favorable first impression. So did the trees lining the streets in the Dorcol section where I was staying, although the pavement and buildings were in worse shape.
You couldn't leave the main street without encountering a cafe, but at 6:00 pm on a Friday evening it seems you're supposed to drink alcohol. I picked the only one with a posted price list, but the waiter told me that I couldn't have fruitjuice on its own, and then walked off! I did not feel welcomed to Belgrade, although I did slightly better at dinner that night. Little Bay, a Lonely Planet pick, did indeed remind me of the Sarastro in London, which has a similar opera theme, but the appetizer was mostly pastry and the trout tasted pickled.
The next morning I trekked over to the bus and train stations, where I checked the bus times for my move to Novy Sad, and found that I could only buy train tickets for journeys starting in Belgrade. Then I crossed the railroad tracks (on foot!) to reach the very nice bike/foot path along the river. I also approved of the park surrounding the remains of the fortress, strategically located on a bluff overlooking the junction of the Sara and Danube rivers.
By the time I reached the fortress proper I was too tired to keep going past the (pricey) restaurant to the (presumably cheaper) cafe, but I did enjoy a huge portion of pork stuffed with cheese and ham, with a good view. I was less pleased to discover I could also see into the very sad zoo, where an unfortunate tiger was kept in a concrete cage.
This part will cover Serbia (on my own) and Bulgaria (on a tour), after which I'll move on to more of the Balkans.
<b>Sep 9 - 10 - Belgrade: First Impressions</b>
There are, occasionally, days when I wonder why I travel - usually when I have to get up early to catch a train or a plane and especially when I'm leaving a place I liked. So I wasn't in the best of moods as I waited for the airport bus to show up at the Radisson in Riga, but at least I didn't have to join the long line for Ryan Air once I got out to the airport.
I had printed my boarding card the day before, and airBaltic's bag drop went fast. In fact, my only problem with the flight wasn't airBaltic's fault at all, the wretched woman with the grating voice seated behind me, who talked even-on for the entire flight could have happened anywhere.
Instead of the rather pricey taxi offered by my B&B I opted for the public bus, but it did take a long time to show up, and I did have rather a long trek through town from the bus stop. The Art Home B&B, number one B&B/Inn for Belgrade on Tripadvisor, but listed nowhere else, impressed me favorably at first. I had a big room, with a big bed, a desk, wifi and TV, and tea, coffee and fruit available all day. Later I discovered there was nowhere in the shower to put anything, including the shower head, and there was only room for three people to eat breakfast. (The real problem with Art Home wouldn't show up until later.)
My route through town, with my new wheeled bag, had taken me up the main pedestrian street, which I visited several more times during my stay. The smooth pavement and upmarket shops could have been anywhere, and made a favorable first impression. So did the trees lining the streets in the Dorcol section where I was staying, although the pavement and buildings were in worse shape.
You couldn't leave the main street without encountering a cafe, but at 6:00 pm on a Friday evening it seems you're supposed to drink alcohol. I picked the only one with a posted price list, but the waiter told me that I couldn't have fruitjuice on its own, and then walked off! I did not feel welcomed to Belgrade, although I did slightly better at dinner that night. Little Bay, a Lonely Planet pick, did indeed remind me of the Sarastro in London, which has a similar opera theme, but the appetizer was mostly pastry and the trout tasted pickled.
The next morning I trekked over to the bus and train stations, where I checked the bus times for my move to Novy Sad, and found that I could only buy train tickets for journeys starting in Belgrade. Then I crossed the railroad tracks (on foot!) to reach the very nice bike/foot path along the river. I also approved of the park surrounding the remains of the fortress, strategically located on a bluff overlooking the junction of the Sara and Danube rivers.
By the time I reached the fortress proper I was too tired to keep going past the (pricey) restaurant to the (presumably cheaper) cafe, but I did enjoy a huge portion of pork stuffed with cheese and ham, with a good view. I was less pleased to discover I could also see into the very sad zoo, where an unfortunate tiger was kept in a concrete cage.
Sep 30th, 2011, 11:37 AM
#4
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Hi Gertie - for the last nine years I've used an Eagle Creek convertible backpack - no wheels. I still prefer a backpack for rougher travel and if there will be lots of stairs. Big advantage in keeping your hands free, but the wheelie, while heavier overall, is better on a long trek on pavement (but NOT cobbles!).
Sep 30th, 2011, 05:52 PM
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KW...I'll wait for you to get to Bulgaria...I have a fair amount of history therein and I will tip you on a few things....no, not ANCIENT info..only about 3 years old.(LOL)
Have a great time..
Stu
Have a great time..
Stu
Oct 1st, 2011, 08:01 AM
#8
Original Poster
Hi Stu. Well, it started out as pretty much a real time report (see Part One), but the Bulgaria tour was not conducive to writing! Now I'm on my own again, maybe I'll get caught up.
Any way, I'm still traveling - any recent info on Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia?
Any way, I'm still traveling - any recent info on Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia?
Oct 2nd, 2011, 02:12 AM
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I was in Sarajevo. Mostar and Kraljeva Sutjeska earlier this year in April, and before that in May 2010 when I drove up to Sarajevo from Split via Bugogno, Donji Vakuf, and Travnik (worth a visit).
If you click on my name you'll find links to my trip reports.
I'm also interested to read about Bulgaria. I've been 3 times but only ever to ski resorts. Before I go I tell myself I will take day trips to monasteries and see some of the country, but then I am unable to tear myself away from the white stuff and the mountains!
If you click on my name you'll find links to my trip reports.
I'm also interested to read about Bulgaria. I've been 3 times but only ever to ski resorts. Before I go I tell myself I will take day trips to monasteries and see some of the country, but then I am unable to tear myself away from the white stuff and the mountains!
Oct 2nd, 2011, 10:48 AM
#10
Original Poster
Thanks, julia_t! I just spent dinner enjoying your most recent Sarajevo report - so informative and fun to read. Looks like I need to do some planning so I could stay at the hotel you recommend.
I was expecting to spend a night or two in Mostar - do you think mid-October is late enough for the crowds to have departed?
I was expecting to spend a night or two in Mostar - do you think mid-October is late enough for the crowds to have departed?
Oct 2nd, 2011, 11:16 AM
#11
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<b>Sep 10 - 11 - Belgrade: Second Thoughts</b>
After lunch, and a wander through the park surrounding the fortress, I headed back into town. I took a look at the inside of the Orthodox cathedral (right after a wedding and right before a Japanese tour group) and contemplated the outside of the Patriarchal residence opposite while drinking coffee. A visit to the Palace of Princess Ljubica (not very palatial, but showing the transition from Ottoman to Western interior decor) completed my sightseeing for the day.
Dinner, alas, did not live up to lunch. I made the mistake of visiting the Skadarska area, highly touted by Lonely Planet as Belgrade's "Bohemian heartland", and "sliced straight out of Montmartre". Not on a Saturday night it isn't. On a Saturday night it's home to loud music and louder groups. Not a place for a solo traveler, as the waiters at Dva Jelena (Two Deer) made clear by ignoring me, even after I made it plain that I wasn't waiting for anyone.
I decamped to Sesir Moj (My Hat), across the street, where the hostess adopted me, although she did try to explain (she had virtually no English) that the street was different on other nights. I concluded that Belgrade was a party town, and not really my kind of place.
Sunday morning the center of town was taken over by in-line skaters holding races down the main street - no sign of hangovers there. I checked out the Ethnographic Museum (good thing it was free on Sundays, although I enjoyed the costumes downstairs), and took a look at the Parliament building, near yet another nice park. I was more interested in the used book market behind the building, where mini-vans stacked high with books had drawn quite a crowd.
In this part of town I also discovered the very photogenic Hotel Moskva, which somewhat improved my outlook. I had an enjoyable fruit drink there in the morning, and a lovely salad of baby greens, avocado and orange followed by a mixed grill for dinner. I was not reluctant, however, to leave the next morning for Novy Sad. Three nights was plenty.
After lunch, and a wander through the park surrounding the fortress, I headed back into town. I took a look at the inside of the Orthodox cathedral (right after a wedding and right before a Japanese tour group) and contemplated the outside of the Patriarchal residence opposite while drinking coffee. A visit to the Palace of Princess Ljubica (not very palatial, but showing the transition from Ottoman to Western interior decor) completed my sightseeing for the day.
Dinner, alas, did not live up to lunch. I made the mistake of visiting the Skadarska area, highly touted by Lonely Planet as Belgrade's "Bohemian heartland", and "sliced straight out of Montmartre". Not on a Saturday night it isn't. On a Saturday night it's home to loud music and louder groups. Not a place for a solo traveler, as the waiters at Dva Jelena (Two Deer) made clear by ignoring me, even after I made it plain that I wasn't waiting for anyone.
I decamped to Sesir Moj (My Hat), across the street, where the hostess adopted me, although she did try to explain (she had virtually no English) that the street was different on other nights. I concluded that Belgrade was a party town, and not really my kind of place.
Sunday morning the center of town was taken over by in-line skaters holding races down the main street - no sign of hangovers there. I checked out the Ethnographic Museum (good thing it was free on Sundays, although I enjoyed the costumes downstairs), and took a look at the Parliament building, near yet another nice park. I was more interested in the used book market behind the building, where mini-vans stacked high with books had drawn quite a crowd.
In this part of town I also discovered the very photogenic Hotel Moskva, which somewhat improved my outlook. I had an enjoyable fruit drink there in the morning, and a lovely salad of baby greens, avocado and orange followed by a mixed grill for dinner. I was not reluctant, however, to leave the next morning for Novy Sad. Three nights was plenty.
Oct 2nd, 2011, 09:18 PM
#13
Original Poster
Lonely Planet says the Moskva "hasn't made moves to modernize", whatever that means. I didn't see the rooms, but the public areas (and toilets) looked fine, and the outside seating was comfortable. The outside of the building was in great shape.
Oct 2nd, 2011, 11:46 PM
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I'm glad you found my trip report useful!
My first visit to Mostar in 2007 was mid-October.
It was still quite hot during the day but got chilly in the evenings. Too cool to eat outside.
There were crowds during the day from about 10-11am until 3-4pm, but the city was blessedly peaceful early morning and in the evening. On my subsequent visits in May 2010 and April 2011 there were very definitely many more people than in October 2007. Most were on day trips from the coast or visiting from Medjugorje.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...llet-holes.cfm
My first visit to Mostar in 2007 was mid-October.
It was still quite hot during the day but got chilly in the evenings. Too cool to eat outside.
There were crowds during the day from about 10-11am until 3-4pm, but the city was blessedly peaceful early morning and in the evening. On my subsequent visits in May 2010 and April 2011 there were very definitely many more people than in October 2007. Most were on day trips from the coast or visiting from Medjugorje.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...llet-holes.cfm
Oct 3rd, 2011, 07:10 AM
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KW...a few yars ago, I drove from Lake Ohrid into Albania. Had to buy a permit at the border , but you'll not be driving.
Permit was good for one day so we tried to take in as much as we oculd which was not a lot...headed for Shkoder and had a lunch in what looked like a roadside honky tonk on the lakeside and paid with €'s..nothing memorable other than a very fresh chopped salad. We had Croatian plates on the rental car and the Montenegran border guard had said something in Serbo Croat that we later translated into "sh-- hole"...
I found newly independent Montenegro to be one of the most colorful parts of the former Yugoalavia. Near Podgorica(tsa), the aformentioned Shkoder Jezero(Lake0 is quite attractive, even had quite a boating fleet with some sizeable yachts! But my more in-depth experience with the cuntry came during Tito time.
Suggest you treat yourself to the grand old Europa Hotel in Sarajevo. We once stayed there in the 80's a a rate of less than $30! right before the '84 winter olympics. Hear it has been repaired and completely renovated.
Stu
Permit was good for one day so we tried to take in as much as we oculd which was not a lot...headed for Shkoder and had a lunch in what looked like a roadside honky tonk on the lakeside and paid with €'s..nothing memorable other than a very fresh chopped salad. We had Croatian plates on the rental car and the Montenegran border guard had said something in Serbo Croat that we later translated into "sh-- hole"...
I found newly independent Montenegro to be one of the most colorful parts of the former Yugoalavia. Near Podgorica(tsa), the aformentioned Shkoder Jezero(Lake0 is quite attractive, even had quite a boating fleet with some sizeable yachts! But my more in-depth experience with the cuntry came during Tito time.
Suggest you treat yourself to the grand old Europa Hotel in Sarajevo. We once stayed there in the 80's a a rate of less than $30! right before the '84 winter olympics. Hear it has been repaired and completely renovated.
Stu
Oct 3rd, 2011, 08:28 AM
#17
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Hi Stu - I'm currently in Ohrid - nice and quiet at this time of year! Plan to head for Korca on Wednesday - am negotiating car and driver as I want to go via Sv. Naum. Then Gjirokastra and Saranda by bus.
Oct 3rd, 2011, 09:12 AM
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https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...Kq1odTr3IKLHA#
You mentioned Mostar, KW...dunno if you've ever seen my scanned pix of Mostar and Sarajevo pre-war...also some digital and scanned of Croatia. The magazine article and pic of the bridge bombed out is a frightenng classic...
...continuing happy travels...I recall Ohrid with its flower gardens and the glistening mountain-ringed lake..you're going to be doing some significant travel in Alb...Sveti Naum we saw when crossing into the country...fascinating...Saranda on the Adriatic looks like a long bus ride from Ohrid. We skipped right through Tirane, but I don't think you'll miss much by heading south instead...we were surpised by the road system, not bad....but whenever we got off the main highways, some of the country roads are poorly maintained. I know nothing of Albania's bus system. But you'll find out and tell all! Seems like you and I are among the few to enter Albania...I once noticed a some other Fodorits who ventured forth.
stu
You mentioned Mostar, KW...dunno if you've ever seen my scanned pix of Mostar and Sarajevo pre-war...also some digital and scanned of Croatia. The magazine article and pic of the bridge bombed out is a frightenng classic...
...continuing happy travels...I recall Ohrid with its flower gardens and the glistening mountain-ringed lake..you're going to be doing some significant travel in Alb...Sveti Naum we saw when crossing into the country...fascinating...Saranda on the Adriatic looks like a long bus ride from Ohrid. We skipped right through Tirane, but I don't think you'll miss much by heading south instead...we were surpised by the road system, not bad....but whenever we got off the main highways, some of the country roads are poorly maintained. I know nothing of Albania's bus system. But you'll find out and tell all! Seems like you and I are among the few to enter Albania...I once noticed a some other Fodorits who ventured forth.
stu
Oct 3rd, 2011, 12:28 PM
#19
Original Poster
<b>Sep 12-15 - Novi Sad vs. Subotica</b>
Reading the guidebooks it was clear that any self-respecting Art Nouveau fan should visit Subotica, just on the Serbian side of the Hungarian border. My first thought was to fly into Budapest and take the train south, but since I was already visiting Budapest to fly home, I flew to Belgrade and took the train north instead. To keep the journeys shorter I decided to sleep in Novi Sad, Serbia's second city, and day trip to Subotica.
The sleeping part went well: I stayed at the Voyager B&B (http://www.voyagerns.co.rs/ ), which got me a huge bed-sitting room, with sofa, desk, wifi and TV, a second small bedroom and a good-sized bathroom, along with friendly staff, for just 49 euros/night. The first thing said staff did was register me with the police, at which point I realized that the Art Home B&B in Belgrade had not done so. Hadn't the guidebooks stressed the importance of registration?
My train to Subotica, a comfortable intercity bound for Prague, was boarded by police (not immigration officials) who came through checking IDs. They were happy with my one registration slip, but two young women seated nearby were hauled off because they hadn't been registered. When they eventually returned they had each been fined 50 euros (reduced from an initial demand for 300 euros each). Since the Art Home B&B had made a point of asking for payment in cash, I can only conclude that they were pulling a tax dodge by not registering me. A place to avoid!!!
Feeling lucky to have stopped in Novi Sad instead of going straight through from Belgrade, I got off the train in Subotica, crossed a rather tired park, and found myself facing the first of several wonderful buildings. It's true: if you like Art Nouveau you have to visit Subotica. You especially have to get there in time for the 12:00 tour of the interior of the town hall, during which you can marvel at the fact that they still hold meetings in the museum-worthy council chambers. I ate lunch in the Caffe Boss, in the courtyard of the building across from the train station, and considered making a return visit on my way to Budapest...
Cafe culture was as much a fixture of the scene in Novi Sad as in Belgrade, but the people seemed friendlier - I was especially impressed by a very helpful young man in the T.I., and by the woman who closed her Bureau de Change to help me track down an elusive travel agency. All those cafes didn't make it any easier to find somewhere for lunch, however. The patrons seemed only to drink, not eat. I did find one that also served pizza, and since I was suffering from both sore feet and a cold, I ate dinner each night round the corner from my B&B at Paprika.
Novi Sad is famous for the Exit festival, a multi-day music extravaganza I was happy to miss, and for the Petrovardin Citadel, where it's held. North of Belgrade, Serbia is decidedly flat, and the citadel was built in the 1700s on one of the few outcroppings of high ground, overlooking the Danube. I went up near dusk, as the remarkably high daytime temperatures cooled a little, and admired the views and the extensive remains.
Besides the citadel I checked out the cathedral, a church or two, and the museum (three good Roman helmets) but it was really too hot for extensive sightseeing. I had hoped to visit the monasteries in the Fruska Gora region, but the only affordable tours went on the weekend. Instead I took pills from a local pharmacy for my cold (mostly paracetamol) and enjoyed the AC in my comfortable digs.
Reading the guidebooks it was clear that any self-respecting Art Nouveau fan should visit Subotica, just on the Serbian side of the Hungarian border. My first thought was to fly into Budapest and take the train south, but since I was already visiting Budapest to fly home, I flew to Belgrade and took the train north instead. To keep the journeys shorter I decided to sleep in Novi Sad, Serbia's second city, and day trip to Subotica.
The sleeping part went well: I stayed at the Voyager B&B (http://www.voyagerns.co.rs/ ), which got me a huge bed-sitting room, with sofa, desk, wifi and TV, a second small bedroom and a good-sized bathroom, along with friendly staff, for just 49 euros/night. The first thing said staff did was register me with the police, at which point I realized that the Art Home B&B in Belgrade had not done so. Hadn't the guidebooks stressed the importance of registration?
My train to Subotica, a comfortable intercity bound for Prague, was boarded by police (not immigration officials) who came through checking IDs. They were happy with my one registration slip, but two young women seated nearby were hauled off because they hadn't been registered. When they eventually returned they had each been fined 50 euros (reduced from an initial demand for 300 euros each). Since the Art Home B&B had made a point of asking for payment in cash, I can only conclude that they were pulling a tax dodge by not registering me. A place to avoid!!!
Feeling lucky to have stopped in Novi Sad instead of going straight through from Belgrade, I got off the train in Subotica, crossed a rather tired park, and found myself facing the first of several wonderful buildings. It's true: if you like Art Nouveau you have to visit Subotica. You especially have to get there in time for the 12:00 tour of the interior of the town hall, during which you can marvel at the fact that they still hold meetings in the museum-worthy council chambers. I ate lunch in the Caffe Boss, in the courtyard of the building across from the train station, and considered making a return visit on my way to Budapest...
Cafe culture was as much a fixture of the scene in Novi Sad as in Belgrade, but the people seemed friendlier - I was especially impressed by a very helpful young man in the T.I., and by the woman who closed her Bureau de Change to help me track down an elusive travel agency. All those cafes didn't make it any easier to find somewhere for lunch, however. The patrons seemed only to drink, not eat. I did find one that also served pizza, and since I was suffering from both sore feet and a cold, I ate dinner each night round the corner from my B&B at Paprika.
Novi Sad is famous for the Exit festival, a multi-day music extravaganza I was happy to miss, and for the Petrovardin Citadel, where it's held. North of Belgrade, Serbia is decidedly flat, and the citadel was built in the 1700s on one of the few outcroppings of high ground, overlooking the Danube. I went up near dusk, as the remarkably high daytime temperatures cooled a little, and admired the views and the extensive remains.
Besides the citadel I checked out the cathedral, a church or two, and the museum (three good Roman helmets) but it was really too hot for extensive sightseeing. I had hoped to visit the monasteries in the Fruska Gora region, but the only affordable tours went on the weekend. Instead I took pills from a local pharmacy for my cold (mostly paracetamol) and enjoyed the AC in my comfortable digs.
Oct 4th, 2011, 11:45 AM
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Any signs, thursdaysd, of development of the citadel? A few years ago I helped a friend, who works in international tourism development, with a feasibility study for upscale boutique hotels in the Balkans. We looked at the Petrovardin citadel as a possible site; I think there was already one small independent hotel there. In the end investor interest faded with the declining economic outlook. I wonder if anyone else jumped on the idea?
