Belgrade under Tequila - Part 1

SHAKESPEARE, BELT AND NEW FRIENDS Adam, USA On the way from Bulgaria to Belgrade, I went with two girls from Canada, who lived with me in the same hotel in Sofia. Upon arrival at the destination train one of them met up with her boyfriend, and the second went with me to the hotel. After registration and settlement, we decided to go to the local Serbian restaurant. Main dish in the restaurant was a big dish of fried meat, but most of all I liked the Serbian salad. It is such a mixture of tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and peppers, all bathed in vinegar and sunflower oil. It seems that this simple dish, but it is tasty. I ordered this salad every day, is still in Belgrade. We returned to the hotel and sat down at a laptop in the main hall. I'm quite tired after the move and going before bedtime to solve some their own affairs. I'm going to go for a walk around the city the next day. Four students clearly met that evening with some guys from Germany and planned their evening program. One of them looked at me and said: "Hey, American! Do you want us to drink? "I figured out how to politely refuse, therefore, accepted the invitation. Kalemegdan Park Our company is composed of eight men went to an Irish pub, which was located near the Republic Square. Cost us only to take their place as the girls immediately started ordering tequila. Instead of the usual for this drink salt and slices of lime, the waiter brought a tray of cinnamon and orange slices. Quite unexpectedly, but quite tasty. So that's gone-gone. During the time that I usually drink a glass of beer, we had time to "persuade" five or six shots of tequila. And all around the table have already said in English, the Germans spoke German, the Serbs in Serbian, but after some time we found out that about the same degree possess Spanish. So from time to time we passed it in English, then German, then in Serbian then in Spanish. I can hardly imagine what it was like for those at the neighboring tables. After we left the pub, no one thought to disperse. In the local shop, we bought more beer and continued drinking until three o'clock in the morning right in the middle area. I, of course, like a familiarity with Belgrade. Republic Square, next day I awoke to the sound of rain. The sky cleared just a short while after lunch. Just at this time, I went for a walk in the park, which lies north of the hotel. The park, which is called the Kalemegdan is the ruins of the old fortress, which has been preserved since the foundation of Belgrade. It occupies the northwestern part of the park and is located near the place where the river Sava flows into the Danube. The walls of the old fortress divided into several parts of the park. On the road to the park I walked past the zoo, and then passed through a large gate, which is on a hill overlooking the confluence of two rivers. Very nice. Noting that this hill is visible even that part of town, which lies beyond the Danube and Sava, and called New Belgrade. Middle of the river was a small uninhabited island, covered with forest. Rumor has it that once held a concert on the island, and because of the loud sound was lost half the birds that lived there. Since then, the concerts on the island was banned, and, apparently, not only concerts, and the remaining activities. The first evening that night I took the advice of one of the employees of the hotel, whose name was Marco, and went to the old streets Skadarlija to dine in one of there the restaurants. In the institution where I visited, the walls were many pictures. I ordered a pork karadordevu, these are breaded pork rolls stuffed with cheese in the sauce. (This dish is named in honor of the Prince of Serbia Dorda Petrovich Karadorde, the meat is usually prepared as a roll of pork or veal, stuffed with a special cream, this cream called clotted cream or Gaymard. Ca. Ed.) Delicious! I have heard in the room next to a woman said something and she sang and played music. Shortly after I finished eating, she went into the hall where I was sitting. Dress the actress looked a bit out of fashion, but on it were beautiful decorations. First, she said something in Serbian, alas, I did not understand. But then she turned to me and said in English: "Welcome!" She told us that when this restaurant was founded in the XIX century, this served the artists who sought inspiration. Court comes Shakespear (doubtful, since the playwright died in the early XVII century, ca. Ed.), And other great writers. She also told me a local joke. Shakespeare wrote: "To be or not to be - that is the question," but some believe that "to drink or not drink - that's the issue, but the Serbs say:" Two beers or more beer - that's the only issue. " Orkestrik then began to play, and she sang and danced. Read more: