We fly back to Rome today, and we’ll be mulling over our experiences here in Belgrade for some time. This whole trip, in fact, since Paul left for Rome at the beginning of July (and I stayed with the granddaughter who was supposed to accompany him for his first week there, but whose plans were upset by an airline strike). I’ve been away from home since the end of July — which means I’m only halfway through my time on this celebration of our 50th anniversary.
Some days, I must tell you, some days this trip feels far too ambitious, and I wonder how I could have proposed it — and then executed it! — so impetuously. Some days I wish we were back home in our comfortable and comforting routines. Some days I wish I’d thought more carefully about what it would mean to have the two ends of our itinerary, in and out of the Schengen zone, so far apart (Beginning of July, end of November) that we’ve had to plan trips to keep us free of violating our limits here.
Other days, though, I’m proud that we’ve imposed or introduced these Wild Cards into our anniversary celebration. Moving together into our 51st year of marriage, we’ve hiked in Cornwall; stayed with new friends in Wales; shared walks and museum visits, cold rainy days and brilliant blue skies in Edinburgh; and now we’re moving through the streets of a city whose language we don’t speak, trying to absorb something of its complicated history and culture.
This month, back in Rome, our adult kids will join us and we’ll have a few grandkids here as well. And then in November we have one more adventure before heading back home, reinvigorated and, I believe, even more appreciative of what we have. Perhaps even with a better idea of what our next decade or two might look like.
For now, though. . . Packing up, and looking through my sketchbook, remembering what we’ve done over our week here (and yes, I’ll probably tell you more later, and I’ve already posted photos on Instagram). Walking through the city to the iconic fortress overlooking the Danube and Sava rivers, wandering through the large park that surrounds it. Walking to Saint Sava Temple, another landmark here (all the domes and spires in this city!), on Monday; then yesterday across a bridge and along the Sava River to the Museum of Contemporary Art (and the well-used, impressive park that hosts it). . .
And on Tuesday,
Breakfast in our apartment, as we’ve done everyday but our first here) — Granola / Muesli + yogurt + berries, just like at home. (And just as he does at home, Paul’s shopped for the groceries, although here he’s had to rely on pictures rather than words — which meant that our first afternoon here, we both poured drinkable yogurt instead of milk into our tea. . . Well, he says, there was a cow picture on the bottle…)
Then out for a special coffee . . .
I shared a video of this (Paul pouring the coffee over a sugar cube) here
and then well-fuelled with strong, sweet coffee, off we went . . .
There are so many important sites we didn’t visit here, and we eschewed the possibility of a guided tour in favour of being guided by serendipity and leaving time to unwind, to talk about our plans for the next two months, just for being together under sunny skies and assembling our own impressions. But I do love a Botanical Garden. . .
This one was a perfect walking distance from our apartment, somewhere around 2.5 kilometres, so I got most of my daily steps in while following that Google beam along a route we hadn’t so far taken.
The Botanical Garden just celebrated its 150th year — so it’s got a century on our marriage! Happy Anniversary!
A very reasonable admission cost (although this was the first time we had to go to one of the ubiquitous Currency Exchanges to switch some euros to dinars — otherwise, we’ve been able to use our cards, no problem); an expansive green space for beautiful respite from city concrete; several wonderful art installations throughout; and an accessible and informative pollinator garden. . .
And this beautiful old greenhouse with an array of desert and tropical forest plants in its different rooms, embellished with some innovative and complementary art.
I’ll definitely have to try sketching this later — beautiful lines, no?
and inside. . .
I thought I’d taken more photos inside, but I guess I ended up just absorbing. . .
As we walked through the garden, I filled my pockets with various botanical gleanings, and then sketched them onto a few pages when I got back home. I see now that I’ve given this page the wrong date . . . probably because I added the text yesterday, when it was Wednesday, October 2nd. Honestly, it’s hard to keep track of the date when our routines are so disrupted.
Besides the double-page spread in my (non-watercolour) sketchbook, I added one to my small concertina book. I’ll unfold that later when I’ve filled it, and give you a video tour.
Right now, I’m proofreading as we wait for our boarding gate to be announced. Easy, smooth progress through Nikolas Tesla airport, and once again I was selected for a full-on full-body search. Do they have a daily quota for septuagenarians? Just reminding myself that travel is a privilege (this kind of travel, at least).
Okay, better go,
Chat later,
xo,
f
I’m impressed by, and envious of, your lengthy sojourn abroad, Frances. We’re partway through a 6 week odyssey which is taking us from Paris/Beaune/Lyon to Bern/Zurich/Basel into Sardinia where we are now, and ending with Liguria/Tuscany and finally Rome- and after many years of such multi-stop adventures we’ve nearly concluded that future trips won’t be so complicated (we’re 72 & 75, and our 50th will be in’26).
It does get more exhausting, doesn’t it, with age? while still exhilarating to revisit old favorites as well as explore new terrain. Our downfall is in saying to each other, “ X is only a short train ride (or flight) away”! We’ll still travel and do it solo, our way, but maybe reduce the stops and lengthen the stays- until we can’t move about any more (hopefully not for many more years).
May your travels and your long, happy marriage continue to bring you joy and inspiration. Your blog brings me both.
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That does sound like a complicated odyssey, Elizabeth — with a number of stops I’d happily make as well, but that I know would each add their wear and tear. I’d love to get to Sardinia and also to spend more time in Tuscany . . . but yes, although X or Y might only be a short train ride or flight away, each stop requires adjustment, not to mention the packing and unpacking, and often a language shift as well. The plan with our longer trip was that having the base in Rome would allow ample recovery time between those smaller trips, but the get-out-of-Schengen demands made that a better idea in theory than in practice.
Thanks for the kind words about the blogging, the travels, and the marriage — much appreciated, as is your company here. . .
Wow. What an adventure, Frances. The longest trip we’ve done was three months to New Zealand and Australia. I assume that your renting an apartment in Rome and being able to return home, so to speak, after trips to other places has helped. I really envy you that Wales trip. We’d love to go to Wales.
We’ve never been to Belgrade, but we did make a foray into Serbia when we were enroute from Croatia to Bosnia-Herzegovina. We wanted to visit a town suggested by Rick Steves. Our gps recommended one route. We followed it until we encountered a road block, wailing sirens, flashing lights, speeding police cars, and a diversion that went on and on until we were lost. Miles later I approached a policeman guarding access to a street and tried to ask how to get where we were going, using my usual method, a smile and shrug, while holding I up my phone with the map. He barked at me angrily, and when I started to reply, he barked louder and said, “No English.” So I retreated. That’s the only time in years and years of travel where we were frightened because we did not speak the language and could not find anyone to help.
Turned out the “emergency” that had closed the roads was a cycling race. We saw the cyclists swish past a bit later from the traffic jam we were sitting in. So… not the bomb or fire or catastrophic event we’d feared. Ha. But I’ll admit that encounter did colour my view of Serbian policemen.
Hope the rest of your adventure is wonderful, my friend. xox
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Thanks, Sue! It is an adventure, probably at least a month too long but I’m not sure what month I would have been willing to give up so (insert shrug emoji). We are staying in an apartment in Rome, serendipitously arranged via a friend we made here last year. Having the base does help (see my response to Elizabeth here).
I remember that incident now you remind me. I can imagine how uncomfortable, even frightening, that must have been. We felt shades of the same over our week in Belgrade — English for at least one generation is probably tightly associated with NATO and a judgement that went heavily against Serbian nationalist interests. My politics are obviously not aligned with that attitude, and I’m still thinking about that in the context of a current world climate. . . But we also had many of the smaller interactions that can come with travel, if we’re lucky — those where humanity connects across barriers. I’ll write more on this later. Wouldn’t have gone to Belgrade if not for the need to clock some non-Schengen days, don’t regret doing so, but still reflecting. Sympathize with your “coloured view.”
Such a wonderful way to celebrate your anniversary. We marked 35 years this year, which pales in comparison to your 50 years together, and the 150 years of that lovely garden. You have much to be proud of and you’re both so admirably intrepid! Travel of any duration can be challenging, with wonderful and not so wonderful times, often crowded into the same day. I enjoyed 5 months of mostly solo travel in Europe during a break from uni when I was 20, 50 years ago, but I’ve definitely lost that intrepidity and am genuinely okay with that. Nevertheless, I do love tagging along virtually on your travel adventures, and especially appreciate your inimitable take on cities that are new to me. I hadn’t realised how much Serbia has in common with Greece, and Cyprus where my parents came from. First the sandy trays of slim candles and now the “Greek” coffee and loukoumia (Turkish delight). Those Ottoman influences are extensive! And your travel sketches are full of joy. Perhaps one of the lasting gifts of your grand anniversary tour will be the reward of living in the moment, together.
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35 years is a significant time to be married as well. Congratulations! We married as babies, obviously 😂 (honestly, when I think of 21 and 23, it does seem we were babies!)
And yes! “wonderful and not so wonderful times, often crowded into the same day”! Read Wendy of York’s comment for an example of this!
5 months of mostly solo travel — and you were a baby then as well!
I’m intrigued as well, by the connections to Greek, Cypriot — and, I believe, Turkish culture. Part of what makes the Balkans so fascinating, the mixed Eastern and Western history and culture.
I share your intrigue, Frances. Someone I know who has both Greek-Cypriot and Croatian heritage explained to me that the Balkans were for a time ruled by the Byzantine Empire and the Orthodox Church, before the Ottoman Turks invaded Constantinople (where my father was born in 1922 when it had a substantial Greek population before his family moved to Cyprus when he was quite young). Many areas in Asia Minor and parts of Europe were heavily influenced by the Byzantines and Greek religion before their collapse and the rise and spread of Islam. Intriguing indeed.
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Yes, this has been my understanding as well, partly from what I remember learning in high school way back when and then from visiting with « Dottoressa » in Zagreb. So compelling to me is this knowledge that these different ethnic, religious, and linguistic communities have had periods in which they lived together cooperatively and productively, sharing many cultural practices….and then economic or political realities shifted and the darker aspects of humanity came to the fore. As we are seeing in too many parts of the world right now…
Return to your ‘Wednesday’ sketch and print ‘Yesterday,’ at the beginning of the text. I won’t tell if you don’t lol
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Done! 😉
I’m really enjoying reading about your travels . I get impatient with those who treat travel as an opportunity to show off their various outfits whilst taking up strange poses & making silly faces . Do they absorb anything of the countries they visit I wonder . I don’t remember that type of traveller being around years ago . I like that you notice the little things & you don’t pretend all is perfect . I no longer have the energy & stamina , both mental & physical for the wandering we used to do but that’s ok . It was wonderful . I remember one exhausting day in northern India . We were on a small minibus on the way to Agra & were held up by an old coach full of pilgrims that had rolled off the road , killing most of the passengers. It was dreadful . A little later we passed a whole field full of saris laid out drying in the sun , I don’t know why . That field of jewel coloured saris was incredibly beautiful but coming right after the horror of the crash was too much for most of us . That’s how travel can be sometimes & it’s exhausting . Travelling out from your base in Rome seems an excellent idea , giving you chance to recoup your energy & I’m sure your grandchildren will always remember this family get together.
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Thanks, Wendy! I’m happy to have you along and to add your memories of travel to mine. (I also like watching how you’ve adjusted to letting go some of the travel as you age, taking notes for myself whenever that stage hits — I can feel it just at my back some days).
I mentioned you in my response to Maria, here in these comments — she wrote of the way travel challenges, offering “wonderful and not so wonderful times, often crowded into the same day”– and you’ve offered a stunning example of such a day! So grateful to readers and community here for enriching my own travel through your own. xo
I am so in awe of your trip. Our longest trip so far has been to Alaska in 2023 and it was just under 8 weeks in length. To work through the logistics of home life (because it does go on, even when you are not there) and travel life can, at times, feel overwhelming. For us, we also have that little black, white and tan pup who figures into everything we think and do.
Serbia has never been on my travel list (so many other places we haven’t been) but based on your pictures and writing, I now wonder why. I love the bits of nature gathered and sketched and I look forward to additional peeks in your sketchbook in future posts. Safe and happy travels.
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That was a big trip, Beverly! Tougher in many ways than what we’re doing. You get the back side complications, the ones you leave behind, but don’t really. We’re lucky we have kids who live very near our place and look after whatever needs looking after, but it’s still on our minds.
Serbia has a difficult history and politics, but we found it worthwhile to visit.
Some resonance between the nature gathering sketching in my sketchbook and in yours lately. A fun connection, right?
We celebrated our 48th yesterday and have already started thinking about a trip for our 50th in 2026. It definitely won’t be as long and ambitious as yours, but we do want it to be special. Egypt has crossed my mind, but we’ll see.
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Congratulations, Elaine! And wouldn’t Egypt be a cool place to visit for a 50th! (Also, I wouldn’t specially recommend the “long and ambitious”! You might add a third adjective, because I may have been overly impetuous in the planning.
As others have said, I am so impressed by the breadth and depth of this long, ambitious 50th anniversary sojourn. It is so lovely to read about it–thank you so much for sharing! I especially love seeing your artwork capturing the details. When you share more, could you note/remind us what exact blank books you are using to draw and paint in? As I have shared before, for a few years I have been doing colored pencil illustrations in my bullet journals when I travel, but it seems it would be better to do those and some watercolor work on higher quality paper, and perhaps later paste them into my other book. I actually did a bit of that when we were in Italy in May.
While you’ve been traveling, we have been moving from the SW to the PNW of the United States. (I think I’ve mentioned that in a previous comment.) It has mostly been a smooth (if sometimes exhausting) experience, and we are so glad to be settling into our new home. It is exhilarating and sometimes discombobulating! I am glad we are doing this now in our late 60’s, rather than waiting until we need the support of our children for such an undertaking.
I am finding that at this point I am pretty fatigued, and it is making me more more forgetful than usual–I often can’t remember exactly where I am keeping something in the new space, particularly the kitchen. I imagine that you too might have moments in your holiday lodging when you find yourself thinking very hard as you are looking for measuring cups (or something like that which isn’t used too frequently) in a kitchen you haven’t spent much time in. I hope you don’t have many of those wrinkles, or can laugh at them!
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Oh, Linda! I can so remember that stage (8 years ago now) of trying to remember where objects were in our new space. Not only the mental and physical energy of trying to find something I needed, but also the real emotional jolt of home being un-homely. But it may be that having gone through that, I’m now less likely to feel as fussed about not having what I’d like in a new temporary kitchen. (Except I really do mind not having my proper tea cup and teapot 😉
Author
Just adding: the blank books. I filled a Leuchtturm sketchbook in the first two months here, as well as a watercolour concertina (zigzag) book that my friend gave me (Hahnemuele, about 6×6?). And then I filled a sketchbook (meant for dry medium, as is the Leuchtturm, but will take a light wash) that I picked up at the gift shop in Edinburgh’s National Modern Gallery — the Leuchtturm has a hard cover and a very useful elastic that holds it closed in my bag; the National Galleries book is much slimmer, cover is just card — both are about 5×7″
Your trip is ever more impressive as you reveal more of it. Have you had peaks and troughs of receptiveness to your surroundings?
I will admit that your current destination has sparked some interesting and challenging thoughts for me, which I’ll share with you by PM.
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Never did see a PM from you — not sure if you ended up sending it. Yes, I probably share some of those thoughts, but don’t regret having made the trip and found enough to recommend and plenty to keep me reflecting.
I’m enjoying these glimpses of your trip very much. We did a similarly long stint away when we spent most of 2015 in my husbands birth country of Malta. Living in a different country for an extended period is both exciting and exhausting. Some of our plans didn’t work out due to a tardy bureaucracy with my residents card (pesky Schengen rules!) and I had occasional bouts of homesickness but overall the memories made were worth any number of glitches. Sunsets over Grand Harbour, strolling the streets of Medina before the tourists arrive, swimming in the Mediterranean sea early in the morning as the fishing boats sell their catch, freshly filled ricotta canoli, the bistro where the good amaro was only served to locals.
I have just watched the tv series “The Ottoman Empire by Train” by Prof Alice Roberts, Belgrade was on her route. So many interesting places with complex histories.
Have a great time with family when they arrive, you’ll be able to show them your favourite places.
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Yes! Both exciting and exhausting! I remember hearing someone say, back when I was in my early 30s, that she needed a couple of weeks before she was ready to pronounce whether a trip or a holiday had been good or bad. That stuck with me, somehow, and I’ve found it to be true in the decades since.
I’ll have to keep an eye out for that TV series, thank you!