Subotica - The Norwegian Connection

"Are you from Norway?" asked the breakfast buffet hostess at our hotel. "No" I replied. Sun-Ling and I both thought it an odd question but then noticed that the breakfast room TV was tuned to a Norwegian channel and most of our fellow breakfasters were watching. OK, not so odd as most of the guests are from Norway. But why are all these Norwegians here in Subotica, a Serbian a city just a few kilometers from the Hungarian border and known mainly for its Art Nouveau architecture.

Dental tourism is the answer. Just 10 meters from our hotel is a Nordent facility for all your dental needs at presumably a much lower cost than in Norway.

 Here are a few of the photos I took of Art Nouveau buildings in Subotica. To see lots more on flickr click here.

The iconic Raichle Ferenc Family Palace which one first spots when coming out of the train station.


Interior - It's now the Modern Art Gallery.




One of the highlights was the Jewish Synagogue which fell into disuse after WWII as the surviving Jewish population left for Israel. It is now belongs to the state, is protected and under renovation. Here are several photos of the exterior and interior.














The Town Hall.




We ran into The Mayor while touring the Town Hall tower. This is a view to the Synagogue (with dome) from the tower.


The Grand Stairway.


The council chamber.



We also made a trip to nearby Palić with its lakeside park.


Palić water tower.


Grand Terrace front, back, and tunnel.






Water jar statue - Palić.


Easter willows at the Market.


Bus #6 will arrive in 6 minutes. Nice!

Novi Sad - In Like a Lamb, Out Like a Lion

The outdoor tables on the main pedestrian street in Novi Sad were filled with shirt-sleeved locals well into the evening the day we arrived; however, the next day, Sun-Ling's birthday,  not even a single well-bundled person could be found sitting outside on the main drags. Of course folks were still strolling and biking.

Novi Sad, situated on the Danube about 90 minutes north of Belgrade by train, is known for its Art Nouveau architecture, rural monasteries in Fruška Gora National Park, and the Petrovaradin Fortress which guards the Danube.

For Sun-Ling's windy and chilly birthday we took a long hike (24 kms) stringing together 4 monasteries in Fruška Gora plus the town of Sremski Karlovci and then topping off the day with cake from a local pastry shop and a basket (sort of ) of french fries from Muchacho's.

Novi Sad Station. The train from Belgrade to Novi Sad was relaxing.


We were pleased to find Ananda Veggie, a vegan restaurant with a menu of the day, just a few blocks from city center.




The former Jewish Synagogue - Art Nouveau.


More Art Nouveau.


A Bauhaus building.


And another Bauhaus apartment.




And my favorite building in Novi Sad is this one; The White Banovina circa 1937. Quite the boat, eh?




Along the Danube a new bridge is under construction in the distance. Twin spans are being built on opposing riverbanks and will be positioned over the river when completed.


The Catholic Church.


Walking to Petrovaradin Fortress.






Novo Hopovo Monastery, Fruška Gora National Park.


Trail and blaze.


Stari Hopovo Monastery, Fruška Gora.


To Greteg Monastery.






Greteg Monastery where we were surprised to see three Serbian Orthodox nuns.


Velika Remeta Monastery.


Main Square - Sremski Karlovci.


Finally; Sun-Ling digging into her basket of takeout Muchaco fries. What a great place. It serves only french fries and beer. ;-)

Beograd - A Real Capital

Getting to Belgrade (Beograd) was a bit more difficult than planned as the 7:30 am bus from Jajce to Banja Luka was cancelled and we had to hop on an 8:00 am combi headed to Zagreb via Banja Luka instead. And although we were dropped off 500 meters from the Banja Luka bus staion at 9:24, we caught the 9:30 bus to Belgrade, flagging it down as it pulled out of the station. Whew!

From Banja Luka we headed northeast across the Sava River plain and into Croatia. Being Saturday there was lots of roadside Spring planting activity; with shovels in household vegetable gardens and with tractors in larger fields - we even saw one horse-drawn plow.

While the combi drove through a gorge with the occasional white water kayaking course in the river below, the bus shot along a modern limited access highway, getting us into Serbia and Belgrade on time at 3:30 pm. The border controls were painless. Our feet never touched the ground in Croatia; however, we have entry and exit stamps in our passports.

Belgrade is not an easy city to navigate but we found a nice room with a kitchenette before it started raining. And then made it up to Kalemegdan Park and Fortress in a drizzling dusk for some great views.

Being a real capital, Belgrade has wide boulevards, great architecture, plenty of public transport, spacious public spaces, both up-and-coming and gentrified neighborhoods, a Changing of the Guard ceremony, and more than one McDonald's. [The single vegetarian restaurant appears (we did not eat there) to be mainly for tourists.]

On our first full day in Belgrade we rode bus #84 over the Sava River to the suburb of Zemun (zeh-moon) on the Danube River, checked out the Old Town and the amazing Art Deco former Air Force Head Quarters building, then walked the ~6 kms back to Belgrade Center following the promenades, quays, and paths along the Danube and Sava ending up at Kalemegdan Park and Fortress.

The next day we checked out some of the  main sights in Belgrade: churches, government buildings, parks, monuments, and of course returned to Kalemegdan Park.

Walking to Kalemegdan Park on our first evening in Belgrade.


The French Embassy near Kalemegdan Park.


View of the Sava River from Kalemegdan Park.


The Victor Monument.


View from the Zemun Fortress back to Belgrade.


Several photos of the very cool Art Deco airplane-shaped Air Force Headquarters, bombed by NATO in 1999.






Icarus up close.



Swans and boats on the Danube.


Here are two of the many floating cafes, restaurants, bars and hostels along the Danube and Sava.




Cyclists.


Looking across the Sava to Old Belgrade.




Sun-Ling's boots atop the fortress wall.


Looking across Kalemegdan Park to the confluence of the Sava and Danube.


Architonic murals on Skadarlija Street. We stayed on this street and can report that currently the evening music scene consists solely of acoustic folk quartets working for tips in the restaurants...Look closely at the mural - it's all in the same plane.


Republic Square - the heart of the Old Town.


Looking towards Albania Palace; at one time the tallest building in the Balkans.


The very low key guard changing.


Looking down Tasmadan Park to St Mark's Church.


Buying and eating lunch at Toma Pekara (Bakery).


Trams and buses near Slavija Square roundabout.


St Sava Temple - a very large Serbian Orthodox church. It's got dome.


The Train Station.


Our last stroll along the rivers.