20 juni 2010 20:56
Back to the Eighties
Duran Duran, Billy Ocean, Feargal Sharkey, Salt’n’ Pepa, Kajagoogoo, Cyndi Lauper, Rick Astley: we have been in Serbia for over a week and what strikes us, apart from the meat consumption, is the music. Everywhere we go, we hear hits from the eighties, as is the case – or should we say: as is especially the case? – on petrol stations, not a bad condition for hitchhiking.
Hitchhiking is a good way to make contact. How different is travelling by train or plane where conversation with fellow-travellers is short and more informal. If at all. » Lees meer…
We have arrived in the Serbian capital. Everything here is bigger, faster and more dynamic than in the rest of the country, as is the case with most capital cities. At every new location we go through the same repetition, so nothing different in Belgrade. It is great to be able to set up camp here for a few days. The first night at the Sava Center parking lot was fine but a bit rough: no shower, bathroom, running water or shade. So when we get the offer by phone to move to the ‘best spot of the city’, we are very quick to take it. 
Tuesday morning, 7.30. Despite the short night I wake up early. It is warm, whichs encourages me to get off the caravanbed. I immediately take a quick shower at the city beach, before Cordula and Jens arrive with their cameras. Then I prepare a strong cup of coffee on the small stove-espressomaker. We are drinking our coffee in the shade of the tall trees bordering the parking lot when our new German friends arrive in their rental car – without a tow bar. Biljana’s brother Dragan offered to bring us to the first service station on the edge of the city, as it is virtually impossible to get a lift from a city center. 
Since yesterday the self-adjusted song “Feliz Novi Sad” is stuck in my head. The contrast between a Spanish Christmas and the Serbian summer could not be bigger though. We have arrived at a fantastic location, at a beach on the Danube. Despite the high temperatures the water level is dangerously high. In the direct surroundings of our caravan there is a swimming pool, a variety of small kiosks, terraces, sport pitches and picknich patches. In the evening half of the Novi Sad population gathers here to watch the World Cup on large TV screens. Even later at night the beach turns into some sort of lovers lane. Coloured lights, outside eating places and a wandering gipsy orchestra. To me it feels like something between the Parade (a Dutch traveling cultural festival) and a beach side resort. 
Today at 4pm the world cup soccer match between Serbia and Ghana was on. We thought it would be wise to try to arrive in Novi Sad before that hour, anticipating a traffic dip. So we put ourselves at the side of the road with a cardboard sign saying “Auto-Kuka-Ilok”. The early visitors of the cafe Piramide terrace in Vukovar look at our hitchhiking attempts in disbelief. We are experienced caravan hitchhikers though, and used to strange situations by now. 
Utrecht