Budapest to Belgrade.

The most exciting recent news is that we have a new home. Here is our new spacious accommodation (our old tent was leaking)!


So equipped with our new house we set off through Hungary towards the Serbian Border :


Paprika drying:
The mighty Danube:
In Baja in (in Hungary near Serbian Border) we were having some difficulty communicating our intentions in a cafe, not having mastered much of the local tongue, but fortunately David and Timi came to our rescue, and then took us on a guided tour around town and out for a few drinks. Thanks Guys!
The following day we crossed the border into Serbia. So far we had cycled all the way from Amsterdam without having our passport checked once (good on you EU). Entering Serbia seemed like a big milestone: We really knew very little about Serbia, but we said Zdravo nicely to the border guards and hoped they would let us in !

Of course we needn't have worried and no sooner had we put our freshly stamped passports away, it became clear that cycling routes here are signposted better than in the UK .
The signs come complete with inspirational quotes (double click to see Eds favorite).
We got a bit lost entering the town of Backi Monostor, but the local fishermen, foresters and half of the town came to our rescue and we ended staying with a lovely lady called Janja.
The next night we camped in a idyllic spot by the Danube and some hunters built a fantastic fire for us!! We awoke to a lovely still dawn.



The boys and girls of Bodani and Vajska were very friendly and were very keen to practice their great English...


... and Helen discussed deer with the local hunters over a few Rakija.

We briefly crossed the Danube into Croatia before crossing back into Serbia and cycling through the Fruska Gora national park to Novi Sad with it's chocolate box Church.

As we arrived into Belgrade, the local cycle shop owner came over for a chat and showed us up to the old watchtower which marks the former boundary of the Turkish and Austro-Hungarian Empires and has a fantastic view of the city.

If you are cycling Eurovelo 6, arrive in Belgrade and need some bike repairs look no further than www.bajs.co.rs !!

We have spent a lovely couple of days exploring Belgrade, staying with Jill, Kieran's Aunt. Kieran is a freind from University who did a similar cycle trip last year http://delhi2dublin.blogspot.com/.

Belgrade is a really diverse city:

Helen got very excited when she saw the trams that she used to ride on as a kid in Basel, which had obviously been donated to Belgrade.

There are also various horrific reminders of the 1999 NATO bombings....