Belgrade

 

Another day, the same city. 

That’s how academic life feel sometimes, as a perennial student (and as a student of life). Lab, grocery, home. Repeat. But when I first got the go-signal to attend a scientific conference and present a part of my work (in Belgrade, no less), I didn’t know how to feel. Conferences are a double-edge sword, and come with their own mixture of stress and excitement. But there was something gentler beneath it all, the secret thrill of discovering a new place, experiencing new culture, for free! The idea of finally going somewhere after being stuck, for different reasons, for many months, was surely a welcomed change. 

 

So after 5 days of presenting to a roomful of peers, networking for science' sake, I hit the city streets. And Belgrade did not disappoint. As in previous cases, the Balkans, with their storied lands and wallet-friendly offerings, are simply the best. Days gave way to discovery in its most delicious form, from trying out cevapcici, with silken kajmak, and a punch of ajvar, to exploring Zeleni Venac market which offered a bounty of cherries. Cherry on top, quite literally, after sitting quietly with my bag of cherries in Kalemegdan hill, grounded by the view of two great rivers holding the city in their embrace. 

The night  brought enchantment as well. Without set plans, I decided to join a pub crawl for the first time since Tartu, explored winding alleyways and unmarked doors for Belgrade’s underground scene, and met fellow travelers from different corners of the world, for the most unexpected tales of travels, regrets, chasing music, and all sorts of odd reasons. But others were just there for the beer, like me.

 

Belgrade might wait years for my return. But whenever life becomes a blur of deadlines, I will remember the fortress, the rivers, and the taste of cherries at sunset. Isn't it sweet?