I'll meet you by the horse

By Vesna Pajevic

Every  inhabitant of  Belgrade will tell you they have a favourite place and that it is very special. Of course,  you'll also be told that only a few know about it. On the other hand, people who came from a province, also have their “special“ places in Belgrade, but everyone is familiar with these! For example, there are:

         1.The Central Bus and the Central Railway Station

       Why the Stations? Well, they represent the first locations encountered by those eager for success, career, money, going out, those with big dreams and little pocket money. From there, the very first big steps are made into a big world, and these places are sacred to all of the provincials. They, better than anyone, know the complete timetables, arrival and departure times and usually they live in hope that the ticket they bought is one way. With a bag in one hand, they set out...                                                                                                                                                               

       2.Up Balkanska Street

      This street has long ago become the synonym for a “newcomer in Belgrade“. There's even a TV show called “ Balkanska Street“  that tells various but rather similar life stories of those who arrived to Belgrade once with a desire to defeat and conquer it. Indigenous inhabitants of Belgrade think of it as just a steep street, while for the newcomers - it is  a shortcut to fulfillment of their dreams. And when you climb up this legendary street, at the top you will be at our third location.

       3.Hotel  „Moskva“

       This hotel is a rarely beautiful old building. It is located at the interesection of the most frequent Belgrade streets. It is rustic, decadent and stylish ,with a gorgeous garden. In this garden you can always meet a few stray Belgrade citizens, enjoying a long tradition of coffee drinking at the Moskva. Also, you can meet all the provincials of this world who care about appearance! Even those people you rarely happen to see in their own town, if they are in Belgrade, you will by no means meet them in front of “Moskva“ or while walking down location number four.

             4. Knez Mihailova Street

        All metropoles have famous streets and this is also the case with Belgrade.  A pedestrian zone, with gorgeous antique, mostly preserved buildings, and lovely brand new boutiques with expensive goods . Everybody is here! Belgrade inhabitants, those who hope to become them, tourists, street musicians, and at the end of Knez Mihailova Street we can find our fifth favourite location.

           5.Kalemegdan Fortress and the ZOO  

       Young, modern parents coming from the provinces will do their best to bring their little offspring to see Kalemegdan Fortress and the ZOO. Beside them, one can often meet those provincials employed in Belgrade, who, on the other hand,  have brought here their cousins from the provinces who came to visit them for a  weekend!!!

           6.And now, SHOPPING!

       Currently, the most popular destinations are newly opened shopping malls in Belgrade and there is plenty to see there, both Belgrade’s inhabitants and the visitors. But, believe me, it is easy to distinguish between the two if you have just a little bit of patience to sit in one of the numerous cafes and watch, and, of course,  listen to the different accents of the southern,western and eastern Serbia. That is the first thing to reveal where people are from. If they manage to hide it successfully then other things reveal them. Rushing in order to visit all the shops, examining everything, and naturally buying desired things, while trying to beat the bus or train departure times, and such like.

    Another thing that reveals them is the bewildered look when they get out of the toilet since they recognize nothing.( Explanation is simple: they entered in one and exited in another part of the hall). Best of all,you will recognize them by commenting on the prices in restaurants:“What? Tiramisu’s 250 dinars?!! I can buy all the cake ingredients for that sum of money, it’s not the same as this one but just as delicious.“

7.Belgrade faculties 

           In the story about the sacred places of those who are not natives, but live in Belgrade, it is impossible not to mention faculties. Meeting places for young, wise men (the second one is not mandatory). Some of them came here to spend their parents’ hard earned money,others to spend their parents’ easily earned money, and the third are those with modest scholarships. However, all of them eager for knowledge and looking to have fun. Being from Belgrade or not, sometimes even strange things happen such as romance between a young Belgrade student and a pretty provincial girl, and vice versa and that is when it becomes interesting, such an unreal situation is created equal to the Queen of England finally deciding to wear lovely shoes! Although, I must admit, I am acquainted with some situations with a happy end. This refers to the first situation, not the one with the Queen.

           8.And, finally, the Republic Square also known as “by the horse“

      Namely, when Belgrade inhabitants make an appointment downtown, they will certainly say that they will meet you “by the horse“. As a matter of fact, that is a square on which the monument of Prince Mihailo riding a horse can be found, but the poor Prince nobody ever mentions.  A similar thing happened to the author of this text, moreover,  a time when for a moment in time I thought: “why, at a racecourse?!“ So, if you happen to be in Belgrade for the first time, and somebody makes an appointment  “by the horse“, don’t look for the nearest horse-farm or a racecourse, but...THE BELGRADE CITY CENTRE!!!