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Serbia

Belgrade Boat Cruise

Probably the neatest way to get a glimpse of Belgrade is through a boat cruise down her rivers. The city is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube  - that is what has given her the historical importance throughout the ages. Today, giant barges sail past the city hauling their loads to places all over Europe. Each year, the school hosts an evening boat cruise for faculty before the start of the new school year. It is a super way to reunite with friends, meet new coworkers, and enjoy seeing the shores of the city.

our first family picture in Belgrade (on the boat cruise)

Tied up along shore, you get a view of downtown Belgrade's rooftops. The spire of the Patriarchy towers over all the others, and the gilt gleams in the afternoon sun. Along the river, a bicycle path is in constant use during decent weather, and benches provide a place for people to sit and relax.
As the boat begins to pull out of the berth. the other vessels that ply the Sava come into view. There are a few pleasure craft, but most of the ships are for long-range hauling. 
  

Depending on the particular routing your ship takes, you might head upstream on the Sava towards Ada Ciganlija. Looking back at the city (above) you can see some of the bridges you passed under to get out here. Around Ada there are many personal floating 'cabins' where Belgradians go in the summer to get away from the hustle and rush of city life (right).

Turning right and heading down river on the Danube, you pass the walls for a bit more as you move towards the Panchevo Bridge. Fishermen ply these waters, using both rods and nets to coax the fish into their boats

If you go downstream towards the Danube, you slide past the fortress of Kalemegdan on your right. Lit by the setting sun, the walls that have guarded Belgrade for hundreds of years tower over the river. The statue of the Victor, one of the most famous symbols of Belgrade, is perched right at the point where the two rivers come together. 

You'll often reverse course at this point and start heading upstream on the Danube. As you cross the mouth of the Sava, you get a great view of Belgrade stretching away off to your left. You can continue past "Big War Island" and New Belgrade, heading towards Zemun. While now little more than a suburb of Belgrade, Zemun used to mark the southeastern end of European empires and Belgrade was at the northwest tip of the Ottoman world, so the two cities have a long and fiery history. 

By this time in the evening, the sun is usually setting. Depending on the conditions, we were sometimes treated to a dramatic sunset over the spires of the city.

and it always looks good through a beer glass...

Turning around and heading back to the dock, the sun is going down and the lights of Belgrade are coming up. While the low light and fast moving boat (since it is now going downstream on the Danube) make pictures difficult, it can be an amazingly relaxing ending to an evening on the water, and a perfect way to get your spirits ready for the start of another school year.

see some of the people on the boat cruises with us...

Kalemegdan: General views - Strolling around - Fortifications - Churches - Dancing - Gates - Nightfall - via Boat


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