I always find a chance to walk after long riding days and now it's one of those times as during the last couple ones I've done over 1000km crossing two borders. So here I am at Serbia now, staying at the city of Krusevac. An important location regarding Serbian history as it became capital even from 1371. Needless to mention the obvious massive amount of bloodshed the area has seen in various wars over the years.
To be precise I stay at Lazarica which I guess took its name after Prince Lazar, an emblematic person in Serbia's history but more on that later. Let's go for a walk.
If any of you Serbians see me on one of your local TV channels the following image answers:
The girl aims the camera exactly where I cross the street to the other side. One of the most indifferent images one can see but tells you already how moody the weather is (though mercifully still dry) and how moody the area looks in general. What this image cannot tell you is the smell that's in the air. A mix of grilled meat and baked bread is all around which makes me hungrier than a wolf. Hopefully I have an area to explore for the first time so I can pretend I don't smell anything as my focus is on other non edible things.
OK, maybe edible if I was a cow but being a human I focus on the aesthetics of mama nature that decorates Lazarev Park in Spring like this:
And now the historic bits begin. Here's what's left from the local medieval fortifications of the late 1300s:
Not much unfortunately but enough to get an idea. The most impressive bit here is the Donjon Tower which was built back in the day for defence purposes:
There's also a trench around it which today at more peaceful times (ehm...really?) is dry:
Prince Lazar couldn't be absent from this spot so here you can see him moody just like the weather:
He died in 1389 at the battle of Kosovo against the Ottomans. While a solo motorcycle traveller is typing the words you read right now more than half a millennium later, there are still tensions in the area, without as much bloodshed though. Fortunately. For the moment at least.
This sign shows to visitors what is what at this historic park:
The local National Museum is a beautiful building with a pretty garden:
Thanks to its garden it stands out compared to the pale rest of the city:
The local church is also an attraction, also with nicely maintained garden. It's a whole complex that I didn't manage to find out what this bit is about (or maybe just a clock tower?):
Shall I ask this dove?
The church itself:
These walls really have stories to tell:
The parsonage:
The entrance to the whole complex:
The first view you get as you step inside:
And the one you see when your back to the parsonage and the church on your left:
Have I mentioned how green is this park or not enough? Have a look:
Even these tall trees are fully conquered by climbing ivy.
I like the view to the clock tower from this angle:
Moody ruins under moody weather:
The amount of houses in poor condition is vast around here but if I had to put one on the cover of a book about them it might be this:
Speaks for all the rest, especially in front of the municipality's light that has no glass anymore.
For a moment it's not all Serbian to me anymore as I look at this:
"ΠΟΡΤΑ" in Greek means "door" and it means just the same here.
From the local Lidl's parking lot I take a few pictures which tell the story of the buildings around here. Here's a typical pretty old ex nice now poor house:
And all around are these younger but still old (I guess from the 70s) condos that look like lego:
They all add to the moody thing that's all around each to its own way.
Inside Lidl I found the same prices more or less with the ones back in Greece. Makes me wonder how some people here manage their living since the average feels to me much poorer than the Greek one. There's many people still driving their half a century old Zastavas...
As for me, I grab some piece of Greece among other stuff from Lidl and to my surprise it's not touristic Greek but really good stuff:
More walks coming soon - see you on the next one!
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