Serbia! 2024

July 1, 2024 – Monday. A New Journey!

I’m embarking on a new adventure today. It’s been a whole year since I last flew for vacation! The schedule ahead is packed with transfers, new places, and even a few countries. 🙂
Today, I’m flying to Almaty, and I managed to get a window seat on my last attempt—yay! The entire flight to Almaty is covered by clouds, but before that, the weather was hot. Now, it’s raining.
A quick update on the airline: Fly Arystan now charges 500 tenge for printing out a boarding pass (no longer free), and their sandwiches have gone up in price, from 2,500 to 3,300 tenge. However, the menu has expanded, and they’ve introduced a “combo” option.
Arriving in Almaty, the city feels fresh, green, and shady. The birds in the parks are singing loudly, and there are fountains everywhere. It’s beautiful!
By the way, the plane I flew on was named “Sagitta” (after the constellation “Arrow”). And when we landed, we were greeted by our old friend, “Rosa,” at the Almaty airport.

July 2, 2024 – Tuesday. Conquering the Peaks!

The next day, I headed to the mountains. I waited for the 12 bus for about an hour and a half, but it was fine. By the way, I started the morning with a hearty English breakfast: turkey, eggs, vegetables, and beans.
I had planned to take a Tesla taxi to Chimbulak, but they don’t go there anymore—strange! So, I opted for the cable car instead. A round-trip ticket costs 4,000 tenge on weekdays.
Once I arrived at Chimbulak, which is at an altitude of 2,260 meters, I began my hike. The path led me along a valley covered in yellow and purple flowers. Gradually, I ascended higher and reached the clouds. Everything around me was wrapped in a milky mist—an incredible sight! It felt like stepping into a silent, otherworldly place.
I had lunch on the slope, surrounded by the white fog. The temperature alternated between warm and cold, but the higher I climbed, the chillier it got. At one point, I even wished I had gloves and a warm hat with me.

Climbed to the second cable car station at 2,860 meters, but everything was hidden by clouds. From there, I decided to climb even higher. The clouds thickened, and the slope became steeper, completely soaked with moisture. I had hoped to reach the third base, but the climb was too challenging. The temperature dropped from +15°C to +9°C. In the end, I reached a height of 3,016 meters—just 184 meters below Talgar Pass.
My feet and socks were completely soaked, and the ground started to rise sharply, disappearing into the thickening fog. I couldn’t help but think, “Who climbs a mountain on two legs and descends on three?” That was me—sliding down the slippery, steep slope. But by 6:00 pm, I finally made it back to the second base in time for the last cable car ride, and I even got a free ride back. The station was just about to close, with only the cable car caretaker and a group of Chinese photographers left on the mountain. I descended with them.
In the evening, I went to the cinema to watch Inside Out 2, which was about new emotions. It was quite well-filmed.

July 3, 2024 – Wednesday. Departure

In the morning, I sat in the park near the theater, next to the fountains. It was such a wonderful, shady spot! I spent a lot of time walking around. In the 28 Panfilov’s Men Park, I stumbled upon a postcard-worthy temple and a square full of pigeons.
To find a neck pillow, I went to the Green Bazaar (there’s so much there!). Afterward, I had lunch at my favorite canteen near Raimbek Station. Their brizol is absolutely delicious!
I also took some time to admire the gallery of artists on Arbat and enjoyed a unique, very ethnic performance. The musicians played a combination of keys and a bow, creating sounds reminiscent of an electric jaw harp.
Back in the park by the fountains, I was mesmerized by an endless rainbow.

The flight was late, closer to midnight.Myriad lights twinkled beneath the wing of the plane—what a magical sight! Once again, I was flying with Wizzair on an A321, surrounded by many Indians, Arabs, and Kazakhstanis. I fully experienced what a “red-eyed flight” feels like. I had managed to sleep a bit, and the pillow helped a lot.
We arrived late at night while it was still dark. We plunged into the blazing night haze of the Arabian desert, where the temperature was +35°C! Hello, land of Abu Dhabi!
The fewer compatriots I saw on the way from the arrivals area, the more I felt myself blending into the international community—and I found I welcomed it. There were no major difficulties.
By the way, the route to the exit is incredibly long—literally kilometers of travelators. I had forgotten my transport card, Hafilat, back home, so I had to buy a new one for 10 dirhams. At night, instead of the usual A2, bus N2 takes you to the Central Bus Station. Sitting under the air conditioner was pure bliss!
At the city hostel, I met a local cat: sand-striped, pointy-eared, and lean, like a wild feline ancestor.

July 4, 2024. Четвертак. Здраво, Сербijа!

I woke up in the hostel, barely, to the sounds of shouting and noise. Half asleep, I thought the hostel owner had been attacked by unpleased guests of smth, but it turned out to be nothing. I hadn’t encountered anyone, not even a cat.
In the morning, I found myself running around Al Wahda Mall, searching for food and a gift for the road for Lela. The heat outside was unbearable, and even the shade didn’t offer much relief—only the air conditioner helped.
Unfortunately, my roaming was cut short—Tele2 has disconnected my tariff. What bastards! I grabbed a huge sandwich from Al-Baik for the flight, which I ended up eating during the entire journey.
On the plane, there were mostly Serbs. They have such an interesting dialect! And the people are really beautiful—especially the girls; you can’t help but admire them! 
The flight lasted more than five hours. During the trip, I managed to stand, sit, and buy a 0.3L can of Mirinda for an outrageous 16 dirhams (2,000 tenge).

In the evening, we landed at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport. There were lots of people, mostly guests from Europe, and long queues—especially at passport control. However, everyone seemed well-behaved, not pushing or crowding.
I bought a local SIM card for 1,300 dinars (the exchange rate to tenge was only 1:4), with a plan that covered the Balkan countries. I took the shuttle to the city—a mini-bus A1 for 400 dinars. Public transport here runs late, until midnight, including buses, trolleybuses, and old, rattling trams. I tried to pay for the fare, but every time I heard: “Just get on and don’t worry.” So, I ended up traveling without a ticket, although I would have preferred to walk.
The language here is funny! On the buses, “излаз” and “улаз” are written—so, ladies and gentlemen passengers, “squeeze yourself out” and “squeeze yourself in”! (a joke for Slavic) X)

The apartment at Visokog Stevana 35 is tiny but cozy, with a window that takes up an entire wall. Getting the keys was quite a quest, as I had to pick them up at a nearby gas station and find the place (which had no number). The owner, Natasha, was in Montenegro at the time. By the way, if you rent an apartment, don’t forget to fill out a “white card”. Russians are not asked for it now, but for others, questions may arise at customs upon departure. Ask the owners of the apartment, they know exactly how to prepare it.
In the evening, at Republic Square, I finally met Lela, my first pen pal from Postcrossing, whom I was meeting in person for the first time. She became my invaluable guide for the next two days. I gave her dates from the UAE, Kazakh chocolate, and a plate with a picture of Almaty. I also brought her the postcards she ordered—over 50 in total. She sent 35 of them the very next day. What enthusiasm!
After fortifying myself with an energy drink (a “green owl”), I set out for a long, eventful day. We walked through the park at night, enjoying the cool air. By the way, the prices in the stores here are almost the same as in Kazakhstan.

July 5, 2024. Петак. Belgrade.

Ah, Belgrade! Atmospheric, distinctive, sometimes untidy and sloppy, with every surface covered in graffiti—from walls to trash bins. Yet, it remains beautiful and stylish, full of life and tourists. It’s a true European city with a rich, 2,300-year history. In some areas, it’s bustling, tense, and in a hurry, while other parts have shady streets, street musicians, an abundance of shops, and easily readable signs in Cyrillic. As Lela said, living here, it’s impossible not to fall in love with the city.

The morning started with breakfast at a street café—an omelette with vegetables, delicious flatbread, and lemonade. The breakfast cost around 1,000 dinars, plus a tip. I spent some time walking around Kalemegdan Park, on the hills above the Sava embankment, and along the pedestrian street of Knez Mihailova.
I stopped for a snack at the local KFC, which had huge panoramic windows. The drinks there are endless, and they give you wooden cutlery when you order. After lunch, I was so sleepy that I even took a nap.
I didn’t meet Lela again until the evening—she was up late, filling out new postcards until 4:00 in the morning. The local main post office is incredibly monumental, like a palace of world mail. I sent several postcards, along with a stack of Lela’s.

Then we went back to Kalemegdan, where we explored the ancient Belgrade Fortress (by the way, the entrance is free). From the hill, beautiful panoramas of the city unfold. After a short walk, we returned to the familiar Republic Square. From there, I set off on my own to explore the bohemian quarter of Skadarlija, a charming twin of Montmartre. It was lively and filled to the brim with street music and tourists.

At Tezga restaurant, I tried a local dish—pljeskavica with goat cheese (pljeskavica sa kozijim sirom). It was delicious! A juicy patty with cheese and green onions. As a side, I had the most amazing fried potatoes in the world. 🙂
I wasn’t too impressed with the cocktails, though. The mojito was just refreshing and invigorating, like coconut milk, but with no distinct flavor—just sourness. I paid more than 2,000 dinars for dinner, but I was full and happy.
Later that night, I took tram 10 to the Church of St. Sava—a monumental structure, enormous, with a style reminiscent of Istanbul’s churches. I walked around the park, though the temple was already closed. In my shorts and T-shirt, it was cool at night—very fresh—though I couldn’t complain after the heat of the Emirates!

July 6, 2024. Saturday. Sava Embankment

In the morning, I headed to the embankment, descending the steps and spiral staircase from the fort. In the park, everyone was walking dogs of all kinds—Serbia really is a country of dogs. 🙂 I rented a bike for 320 dinars and spent an hour riding around almost the entire old city along the shore. The bike paths are quite convenient, and the views are picturesque! It was refreshing, unlike the busy streets. The sky was streaked with condensation trails—up to seven at once! This is what European air traffic looks like! It was an amazing sight for us.
As I passed by, I noticed that the graffiti on the walls often read “fuck NATO!” instead of “fuck Putin!”—similar to what I saw in Georgia. XD
In the evening, I visited the National Museum of Serbia, which showcases the country’s history and arts. The exhibits ranged from the most ancient items and jewelry to modern-day pieces. There were thousands of years of history on display, from the earliest primitive tools to elegant gold, precious metal, and stone jewelry. I was particularly impressed by the rich collection of ancient minted coins, from Roman times to modern ones, including banknotes from the recent Yugoslav hyperinflation (500 billion dinars on one piece of paper! I even have one in my collection—Lela sent it to me by mail once).
It’s incredible how skillfully these coins, over 2,000 years old, were crafted—with so many small, precise details! The collections are kept behind thick metal doors, almost like a bunker or a vault. On the second floor, I explored an art gallery featuring local artists. The canvases were beautiful—especially a portrait of a girl in a white satin dress. The fabric seemed to glow from within! The magic of the artist’s brush.

I met Lela for the last time at the DOCKER pub, which also doubles as a beer factory. The space is dominated by tanks and barrels where the beer is brewed, and from there, it flows straight to the tap. That evening, a football match was being broadcast on the screens, and the place was packed with noisy fans. I tried fried sausages with potatoes and a local beer chosen by Lela.
Afterward, we returned to Republic Square, and I went to a nap (just for an hour) before my next adventure—the journey ahead was bound to be exciting…

Continued in the next post)