Music is everywhere, from accordion players on cobblestone streets to soundtracks pumped into supermarkets. In Eastern Europe and the Balkans, the music has been predominantly a blast from pop’s past–in a good way.
Here’s a glimpse of a few that keep repeating themselves in the background of my daily life.
Where have I been hearing all these random retro songs? From cafes in Tiraspol, bars in Belgrade and outdoor markets in Moldova to grocery stores in Kiev.
And of course, on the long road trips through the countryside where there’s nothing but fields of sunflowers and corn across the horizon.
My first trip to the cemetery was in 1993 while in Europe on a semester abroad. Like everyone else, we searched out the gravestones of Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde. Now when I visit I take leisurely strolls along leafy paths and bask in a few moments of quiet in an otherwise frenetic city.
While tourists flock here much more than they have in years past, there are still corners of the cemetery relatively free from groups led along with little flags.
Don’t believe what the critics say, Belgrade is worth a visit. It may even be worth a lengthy stay. It’s the kind of gritty city that exudes character and embraces those visitors willing to look past all the cigarette butts and solemn faces. Don’t be surprised if, late at night, you find yourself imbibing Rakia with new friends in a dark bar.
And if there’s one neighborhood where this magic is most likely to happen, it’s Savamala. A neighborhood that reminds me of living in Providence, RI. The buildings could use a facelift and the streets are still littered with remnants of a former war, but the drinks (both coffee and alcohol) flow in unlikely spaces inhabited by long-time residents, hipsters, and immigrants.
If you look closely, even mailboxes become pieces of street art.
