FROM SERBIA

Another Private Tour of Sremska Mitrovica

Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia, Sep 11, 2005 - As today is my last day in Sremska Mitrovica, I went for another long walk.  This time, I ventured into the parts of the city in which I have not set foot in over 35 years...

Here's, for example, the first house in which we lived when I was 9.  This is where the unfortunate poisoning of my dog took place (see "A Dog Day Afternoon," June 2005).

Right across the street from that modest house are now these ugly communist-era apartment buildings.  Someone had painted the three pseudo-Roman frescos over the concrete to soften the injury to one's eye and aesthetics.

Ditto on these two apartment buildings about half a mile down the street.  The artwork seems like an apology for the ugliness that lies behind it.  At least someone tried to do something about it in Mitrovica.  And at least they preserved the beautiful tree-lined streets.  In New Belgrade, on the other hand, one can see mile after barren mile of such communist architectural monstrosities looking worse after every year of additional decay.

That is why this brand new (private) apartment building was a welcome respite to the eye, especially as it is in the same block as the above communist dwellings. 

So it was this fruit stand, one of several on the tree-lined Zeleznicka (Railroad) Street, now renamed King Petar I Street.  As you can see, there is no shortage of fruit and veggies in Serbia.

Not far from it, however, was this relatively new apartment building titled "My Home."  English language is evidently creeping into every day use in small towns, and not just in Serbia's capital.

By contrast, this is a typical modest "suburban" home on the same street.  Pretty planting and abundant flowers attest as to the difference in attitudes and care between owners of detached homes and the apartment dwellers.

Finally, I arrived at the final destination of my long walk... the town's railroad station built exactly 60 years ago (Sep 1945) upon the ruins of the old building that the retreating Nazi's had destroyed (Mitrovica was liberated from the German occupation on Nov 1, 1944).

As I entered the station, so did this Belgrade-bound train.  I remembered having to line up here as a youngster along with all Mitrovica school children in the 1950s to welcome "Marshal Tito" and his luxurious Blue Train.  It made me sick just thinking about it.

On my way back, I passed this ancient well in someone's yard.  "They don't make them that way anymore," I thought as I snapped this shot.

The Mitrovica town square looked practically deserted today, especially by contrast to the hustle and bustle of the antique car show that took place here yesterday.

At the end of my walk, I treated myself to a cappuccino at this outdoor cafe near the Hotel Sirmium, in the shade of linden trees, and with a view of this 18th century "Maria Theresa"-style building, now a cultural center. (Maria Theresa was an Austro-Hungarian Empress with a 40-year reign, 1740-1780).

And then it was on to Belgrade, my birthplace.  My home town welcomed me this afternoon with bright and clear skies, as can be seen from this photo taken from my hotel window.  But not before a bee stung me on my forehead as I was riding in a taxi to the hotel.  Talk about taking a beeline to my home town... :-)

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Serbia 2005 Index

End of Summer 2005

Bob's birthday 2005 & Part 2.1 & Part 2.2 

Bob's birthday 2004

New Pool 2005

Manderly Spring 2005

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