Day Forty-Six

27/06/25 - Day Forty-Six


There were a couple of last things I wanted to tick off in Belgrade before I left, so I met up with Lyosha. We went to the Church of St Sivas, the main orthodox one in the city. Upon entering the fear of god was put into us with chanting being played over the speakers, and the dark and faded iconography all over the interior. It was certainly one of the more impressive and atmospheric churches I had visited so far on my trip. Mega! In the end, we ran out of time to visit the Nikola Tesla museum, but I did manage to pick up some pepper spray to combat the fearsome dogs I had been told about in Bulgaria and turkey. 

I returned to the flat and procrastinated leaving. I had had such a good time in Belgrade, I really didn’t wanna drag myself away from this cool city, but the quest must go on. Belgrade really is an awesome city and I’d love to live here for a year maybe one day, if that ever comes to fruition is another question. And so with a heavy heart, I woke the napping Jakob, and we said farewell, embracing for the last time! I got my bike back too, but only after paying again partly in euros and the rest on card - my transfer still hadn’t through. Apparently card to card transfers don’t work in Serbia, something to do with my foreign bank? Anyway, I put trust in the mechanic that I’d get my money back eventually and so I rode out of the city in the evening sun. 

Crossing the Danube, it felt like a new chapter of my journey was beginning. Poetically, I was almost bitten by a dog on the outskirts of the city, and so, chased out of Belgrade, I finally left. It gnashed at my rear panniers, then backed off as I shouted and raised my arm. I don’t even think it was a stray! I managed 25 miles, despite setting off at 6pm and rode into the dark, pitching up in plain view of the path.

 

St. Sivas Church

 

 

 

A final hit of Belgrade brutalism, this one being particularly interesting

 

 

 

 

 

Will it hold?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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