Novi Sad, Serbia – August 18th, 2009.

A massively slow start to the day means I get off late. The boys have decided to stay for a football match before heading to Sofia and I’m heading north to a town called Novi Sad.

I trudge down to the bus stop and snap off a pic of this cool ruined looking building. Then go buy a ticket before jumping on the bus. Its not long til we actually get to Novi Sad – only about an hour.

I make my way to the hostel – which is meant to be a good hostel. But it seems damn empty. The owner seems like a cool guy and the other bloke staying there does recommened me somewhere to go in Poland.

I go for a bit of a walk along the main street before heading to the Danube river. The danube is rated highly, but the river here doesn’t look pretty.

Main Street of Novi Sad

However, there is a resounding visual beauty and that is the Petrovaradin Citadel. Which is mightly impressive and has a prime position on the river thanks to the Volcanic rock its situated on. It also plays host to one of the best music festivals in the world, EXIT. Unfortunately I’m late for that thing. Dammit.

The Citadel - home to Exit. Which has the festival inside the fort.

I then head up and just traverse around the streets. Its a lot like Belgrade, just not as frantic paced. Which is idyllic at times.

How cool is the tiling of the roof?

After a shower I head off to grab some food at a little cafe. I then just head off and wander the streets. Again its peaceful despite the fact there is a bunch of people around. Its really calming. But there doesn’t seem to be much happening tonight. So I go chat to the hostel owner and a french guy at the hostel over some rakija and vodka before heading to bed.

Cool Fountain.

This regional rail line would link Szeged to Novi Sad, following the river Tisza for about two-thirds of the route. Proposed is a double-track electric regional line, using existing rail alignments (most of them now closed for traffic), with new sections to shorten the route. It would connect to several other proposed lines, new and upgraded. The line runs through the Bačka region. The old lines were built when the area was united under the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Szeged is now in Hungary, the rest of this route is in the Vojvodina region of Serbia.

Szeged is a regional city with 170 000 inhabitants, cut off from the region by the 1920 borders. (All proposals here ignore the borders). At Szeged, the inter-regional line would connect to the proposed high-speed line from Budapest via Kecskemét, and to the proposed upgraded line to Békéscsaba. Near Szeged, it would share track with the upgraded line Baja – Subotica – Szeged. Trains would start from the existing Szeged station, and pass through the new station (on the HSL route from Budapest).

Click to enlarge: The new station (red) on the new line south. The base is an Austro-Hungarian military map of around 1910, without the 1918 borders, and with older Hungarian spellings.

The line out of Szeged is at present an isolated local line, Hungarian line 136 to Röszke. Originally it continued to Subotica. The line to Senta diverges at Horgoš, across the border in Serbia. It was built in 1889: the section Horgoš – Kanjiža is still in use. A new cut-off line from Röszke would shorten the route, but it would run alongside former channels of the Tisza, and might be liable to flooding. The line is shown on the map in red: it would rejoin the old alignment, at the village of Martonoš (population 2100).

From Martonoš station the line runs straight to Kanjiža (Kanizsa or Magyarkanizsa in Hungarian). This is a small town with 10 000 inhabitants, 27 000 in the municipality.

From Kanjiža to Senta, the alignment again diverts around the former Tisza channels, inside the river dike (like the Deventer – Zwolle line in the Netherlands). Another cut-off is possible here (purple dotted line), depending on the flood threat.

4 km west of Senta station, at Gornji Breg, the line joins the line from Subotica, the proposed fast inter-regional line Subotica – Kikinda. On a double-track line, joint use by regional services for 4 km should not be a problem, but the junction must be reconstructed. With a population of 1900, Gornji Breg is large enough to justify a station on the regional line, but not on the inter-regional line.

At Senta (Zenta in Hungarian, population 20 000) trains would connect with fast trains to Kikinda, and also with local services to Čoka and along the east bank of the Tisza.

South of Senta, the line would use the old alignment to Bečej, outlined in orange. The alignment is abandoned but available. There would be stations at the villages of Ada (population 10 500) and Mol (7000), which have almost coalesced. There is one more station before Bečej, Bačko Petrovo Selo (in Hungarian Péterréve, population 7000).

Bečej itself is the largest town on the route, with 26 000 inhabitants, 41 000 in the municipality (that includes Bačko Petrovo Selo). The station was built on the western edge, although the town has expanded since then: the streets run toward the river (on the image, north is at the left).

South of the station, the line splits: one line runs to Vrbas, the other to Novi Sad via a winding route, 65 km long via Žabalj. The regional line would take a more direct route to Novi Sad, parallel to the regional road R120.

It would first follow the old line out of Bečej. 10 km south of the town, the line crosses the Danube – Tisza – Danube (DTD) Canal. Here, a new 19-km cut-off line to Temerin would begin.

It would run straight across open country, and then pass the eastern edge of Temerin, to rejoin the old line. This is an elongated town, with 19 000 inhabitants (municipality 28 000): the existing line passes through its southern half. There would be a new station on the eastern edge of town: the existing station would be retained. A short tunnel may be needed to approach it: the rail line crosses the main road.

After Temerin, the existing line runs south-southwest, with a station at the village of Bački Jarak (population 6000). About 4 km south of this station, the line would diverge onto the last section of new infrastructure, into Novi Sad.

The new alignment would run through undeveloped areas, crossing the E75 motorway, to join Highway 7. It would run along the south side of this road, crossing the DTD Canal, and then reach the existing rail line via a short link (with some limited demolition). The main station is about 1 km further. The new section would be about 8 km long, forming a north-western exit line from Novi Sad. (This could also be used for a new line to Zrenjanin via Žabalj, parallel to Highway 7).

Novi Sad, the capital of Vojvodina, has a population of 305 000. The main station has enough room for expansion to cope with new traffic over new lines. From the station, the main boulevard (Bulevar Oslobedjenja) leads to the city centre and the Danube.

The line would carry a regional service with a frequency of 20-30 minutes. It would have 13 intermediate stations. Assuming a Horgoš cut-off, the line would be 132 km long, with a station spacing of about 10 km.

This is what I was always told and if I had used this rule for my first 7 seconds judgment of Serbia it would not be getting a very good write-up. Stern looking unfriendly border guards precisely matched my mental stereotype of a Serb. My mental processing immediately raised the “don’t ever trust a Serb” flag.

I did not help my own cause by standing by the side of the guard-house  to eat a banana and then completely forgetting what I was doing, blatantly throwing the banana skin into a bush in front of two policemen. Try saying “But it will decompose officer” in Serbian.

Perhaps we should say “You only have 7 hours to make a first impression” because my first 7 hours have given me a great impression. The people are completely nuts; they shout friendly remarks in the street as I cycle through villages. An old man jumps into the street and starts waving his finger in the direction I am going shouting “Novi Sad, Novi Sad” my next destination.

There is so much energy , confidence and character in the people. They have arrogance, swagger and focus which remind me much of my first times in Buenos Aires. Their hospitality has been such that my inherent British suspicion switch has been put to the ‘on’ position. I fight this though as I do not think it is justified.  They bring free pancakes, hand write notes to help in Serbian, approach on the street asking if lost, bring coffee and seem almost desperate to be hospitable.

In my attempt to capture a day’s first impression this is the list of words and phrases I scribbled. I will paint my own picture just using these for now since if I structure too much I will have somehow lost the spark of first impression immediacy.

Village Life, Olive skin, Darker complexion, Black hair, rubbish dumping,  colorful, markets, more hills, poor road surface at edges, smiling, waving, inquisitive, not afraid, drinking beer, dogs and more dogs, lively, Hospitality, coffee, great food, Imagine Turkey to be more like this, shawled older women, language makes no sense, new alphabet, bomb destruction, young, smart dressed young (Italian styles), big sunglasses, well-built me, tall, deep voices, Novi Sad Fort, churches, art, music,

As I cycle down the hill overlooking Novi Sad Fortress I decide in an instant that I  want to come back to this place for the next ‘Exit Festival’ – I can’t imagine anything much wilder than dancing around a giant fortress with a bunch of crazy Serbians off their heads.

Photos of The Pertrovaradin Fortress without Party Animals

Space for photos of  The Pertrovaradin Fortress with Party Animals……

Into Novi Sad, I have picked up once again the Euro Velo 6 route which is a bicycle route that runs 4448km from the Atlantic to the Black sea. Every country takes a slightly different stance on the sign posting but in Serbia every marker comes with a little quote. I’m not sure if I want to be sick or smile.

“I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I’ve lived the length of it. I want to of lived the width of it as well”                                   Dianne Ackerman

Update: Sunday 15th November Belgrade.

I have decided that the Serbian Travel quotations make me smile.  So much so that I stop at every one to see what it says.

Living on Earth is expensive but it does include a free trip around the Sun every year

This next one is extremely apt sharing a road with Serbian drivers. They are the most insane I have ever seen. I find myself holding my breath and ’sucking in’ every time I feel the rumble and hear the scream of a big dirty truck coming up behind me.  Sometimes I glance behind to desperately catch the eye of the driver who is  animated in conversation on his mobile phone.

The only difference between fear and adventure is how much you breath (in) Rob Kalnitsky

(in) was my own apt addition to this quote. Apologies to the author.

This Cabinet Card captures the image of a Serbian woman in Ujivdek, Hungary. The town of Ujvidek is on the banks of the Danube and is the religious center of Serbians in Hungary. The town is now known as Novi Sad.  The photographer is Stojkovits Ivan. The woman is this photograph looks intensely serious as she poses for this photograph. Please leave comments providing additional information concerning this photograph or the history of Serbians during the turn of the century in this area of the world.

Muzičari na ovom verovatno jako dobrom koncertu – Line up:
BO DIDDLEY – GUITAR,VOCALS
DIK HECKSTAL SMITH – SAX
ERIC BELL – GUITAR
DAVE “MUNCH” MOORE – GUITAR
STRETCH – DRUMS
KEITH TILLMAN – BASS

Alex Monster

Mirror

Sedative

Mirror

Izreka kaže da u Novom Sadu, zbog tradicionalnog gostoprimstva, nadaleko čuvenog gurmanluka, obilja hrane, dobrog vina, muzike i mnogih restorana – nije lako biti gost!

Dobro došli u Novi Sad, dobro došli u Srpsku Atinu, gostoljubivi i lep grad, gde vas građani, vedri i raspoloženi, dočekuju otvorena srca iskreno i prijateljski. Novi Sad je glavni grad AP Vojvodine, privredni, kulturni, naučni, obrazovni, zdravstveni, administrativni centar sa blizu 320.000 stanovnika. Grad se smestio pored leve obale Dunava u južnoj Bačkoj.

Dva sata sasvim je dovoljno da prepešačite Novi Sad , ali sigurno ne i da nabrojite sve zbog čega bi ga vredelo videti. Sa 350.000 stanovnika naš grad je drugi po veličini u Srbiji i Crnoj Gori. Po nekim globalnijim kriterijumima, međutim, bio bi svrstan u manje gradove. Ni premali, ni preveliki, volimo da kažemo – taman. Nikada nije bio glavni grad neke države, ali je dugo u Austrijskoj Carevini i Austro-Ugarskoj monarhiji bio centar srpske kulture. U Novom Sadu je otvoreno prvo nacionalno pozorište i jedno vreme bio je kulturni centar regije. Centar grada čine uglavnom građevine iz druge polovine 19. veka i s početka 20 veka, što mu daje finu notu srednjeevropskog šarma karakterističnog za sve gradove na Dunavu. Nekada na jugu Ugarske, danas je glavni grad severne srpske pokrajine Vojvodine, balkanske žitnice i evropske regije sa najizraženijom multikulturalnosti.

Ljudi raznih nacija i konfesija žive vec vekovima harmonično u Vojvodini pa je zato ovde lako uklopiti se. Kažu da je Novi Sad najistočniji grad Zapadne Evrope i najzapadniji Istočne. Ljudi iz drugih krajeva nalaze da se u Novom Sadu sve odvija sporije, opuštenije, uglađenije. Ovde je sve lagano. Jedno od najlepših i najuređenijih kupališta na Dunavu, Štrand, nalazi se u Novom Sadu. Novosađani na Štrand ne dolaze samo da bi se kupali, sunčali i provodili letnje dane već i da bi “videli i bili viđeni”. Sa druge strane reke smeši se Fruška gora, planina pitoma kao i sam grad. Na njenom obronku, s druge strane grada, smestila se I Petrovaradinska tvrđava.

Simpatica emisiunea televizata pe The Money Channel. Cu Gabriela Szabo una dintre cele doua invitate. S-a vorbit pe indelete despre Raiffeisen Bucharest City Marathon, mai pe inteles a doua editie a Maratonului Bucuresti, ce bate la usa. In 18 octombrie 2009…

Laudabila initiativa de a populariza in mass-media, cu suficient spatiu de emisie, un eveniment ce era inaugurat in toamna anului trecut. Laudabila aparitia Bucurestiului pe harta oraselor gazda de maratoane, sute si sute, de la mari capitale pana la mici asezari… Iar infantul n-are de-acum decat sa creasca.

In vara trecuta, la Beijing, Constantina Dita punea Romania in fruntea ierarhiei olimpice in proba feminina de maraton, cucerind spectaculos aurul. O mama originara din Gorj, pe sudoarea sa, a innobilat o intreaga natiune cu o performanta absolut remarcabila, iar imediat cateva constiinte incarcate s-au sesizat. Peste nici trei luni, capitala Bucuresti organiza primul ei maraton. O reactie fireasca.

Dar de ce am deschis subiectul prin a cataloga emisiunea drept simpatica? Pentru ca moderatorul s-a lasat nitel dus de val. In fond, Bucuresti se pregateste de a doua editie. Ei bine, Budapesta si-a consumat deja in septembrie a 24-a editie anuala, Beogradul a 22-a, in primavara, iar Sofia e la borna 27, pentru a da exemple capitalele tarilor limitrofe.

N-are rost sa batem moneda despre Kosice, gazda celui mai vechi maraton european, demarat in 1924, caci atunci Bucurestiul chiar ar inghiti in sec. Si exemplele ar putea continua aproape la nesfarsit. Orasul vestic european si maratonul. Foarte foarte putini ar fi abia inaintea celei de-a doua editii…

S-a amintit de orasele gazda drept capitale. Hop, hop! Doar prin preajma, la Timisoara, se desfasoara editia a zecea, una “rotunda”, iar peste granita, la Novi Sad, dunarenii sarbi sunt la a 17-a organizare. Nici o vorba despre acestea. Si-ar fi dat cei “de la centru” cu firma in cap daca ar fi amintit socantul amanunt ca din cele 366 zile ale anului 2008 au ales tocmai aceeasi duminica din octombrie drept punct de start al editiilor maratonului din Bucuresti, in conditiile in care de la aceeasi ora Timisoara gazduia si ea un maraton deja consacrat, aflat la borna cu numarul noua si afiliat la AIMS, Asociatia Internationala a Maratoanelor pe Sosea. Cu nimic mai prejos. A fost o alegere lipsita de consideratie si respect, “la concurenta”. Cui ii foloseste o asemenea situatie paguboasa? In mod cert nu amatorilor de maratoane ce poate ar-dori sa le bifeze pe ambele, intr-un calendar competitional anual…

Dar prin pretiozitatea denumirii, Bucharest City Marathon, de parca n-ar fi in Romania, ci intr-o tara vorbitoare de limba engleza, organizatorii isi dezvaluie din start intentiile de a-l populariza pe scara internationala. La urma urmei, nimic rau in asta, dar graba cu care Bucurestiul incearca sa recupereze terenul pierdut dupa decenii de ignoranta la acest capitol nu da tocmai bine. E de asteptat ca maratonistii-turisti sa inceapa sa se inghesuie in urmatorii ani la Maratonul Bucurestiului insa evenimentul e abia la al doilea pas, cu alte cuvinte abia invata sa paseasca. Mai e mult pana departe, asta apropo de mentionarea in cadrul talk-showului a World Majors Marathons si a unui imaginar top al maratoanelor mondiale.

Ei bine, intre cele 5 “majore”, Bostonul e la editia 114 si cam acesta ar fi unicul top. Cinci ceva mai insemnate decat celelalte. Dar multe alte sute au insemnatatea si specificul lor. Au personalitatea lor si nu exista niciunde clasificari ori catalogari gen top zece ori top 20. S-a discutat acolo, in platou, despre intrarea in timp a Bucurestiului in acest inexistent top 20 sau macar sa fie al 21-lea. Dar de ce atata nevoie sa dea din start din coate? E mai cu mot? Nu se poate oare alinia cu numeroasele maratoane din lungul si latul globului, de la Ciudad de Mexico si pana la Tokyo? De ce neaparat sa se vorbeasca despre patrunderea intr-un top care de fapt nu exista, deja inaintea celei de-a doua editii!?! Picioarele pe pamant, rabdare fara tutun.

E o dovada de ignoranta… Ce-ar zice organizatorii Maratonului Clasic al Atenei, de la Marathonas, buricul spiritual al acestei probe, pe Stadionul Panathenaic unde Louis Spirou castiga primul maraton al Jocurilor Olimpice moderne, in 1896, daca ar auzi toba batuta la Bucuresti, dupa doar o editie. I-ar incuraja, bineinteles, pe proaspetii organizatori de maratoane.

Ce-ar zice cei de la Maratona d’Italia, unul dintre numeroasele maratoane din Cizma, cu zeci de editii la activ si oferind specificul alergarii in locul de bastina al eroicului Dorando Pietri, invingator moral in maratonul J.O. din 1908? I-ar incuraja, bineinteles, pe organizatorii din capitala.

Sunt zeci si sute de maratoane ce au atatea de oferit, prin specificul si personalitatea lor, de la nord de Cercul Arctic si pana-n Santiago de Chile. Am alergat recent, luna trecuta, in cea de-a 27-a editie a Hasco Lek Wroclaw Marathon, una dintre cele 5 curse majore de 42,195 kilometri din Polonia. Organizare impecabila, gazde primitoare, atentii suficiente tuturor participantilor. Dar mai ales traseul pe sub copaci semeti, pe langa parcuri si peluze verzi, pe langa Gradina Zoologica, peste podurile Odrei… Comparativ, citeam undeva ca Bucuresti e cea mai poluata capitala europeana. Sper ca nu aceasta sa fie una din caracteristicile proaspatului maraton.

Vroiam doar sa punctez ca, in goana dupa senzational, o promovare altfel laudabila pe un canal TV de stiri a Raiffesen Bucharest City Marathon a pacatuit uneori prin patinaje generate de ignorarea proportiilor. Un maraton are o linie de start si una de sosire si poate fi la fel de atractiv intr-un burg nemtesc ca in New York. Multi sunt maratonistii unsi cu toate alifiile ce prefera o cursa depopulata dintr-un oras oarecare, uneia “majore”, cu zeci de mii de participanti calcandu-se pe picioare si gafaind in multime. E chestie de preferinte, de optiuni, de abordare…

Si-atunci de ce sa te compari din start cu “majorele”, sa le iei drept unic exemplu si stacheta de atins? E drept, puterea sta in numarul mare dar un maraton “mic” are farmecul sau… Un maratonist rutinat imi marturisea candva ca intrecerea din Insulele Scilly, din arhipelagul britanic, a fost in felul ei cea mai memorabila la care a participat. Chit ca s-au aliniat doar 13 maratonisti la start. Calitate sau cantitate? Depinde din ce punct de vedere privesti lucrurile.

Si-o ultima idee. S-a intrebat si despre legatura dintre maratonul Bucuresti si Ministerul Sportului. Noroc cu organizatoarea, care i-a explicat moderatorului ca fiind vorba de un eveniment local, cooperarea se realizeaza cu Primaria Capitalei si nicidecum cu un minister. Ce sa aiba de-a face un Minister cu o intrecere atletica locala!?! E oare cel din Bucuresti unicul maraton din Romania, incat necesita atentia si grija MTS? Mai sunt curse in Timisoara, Muntii Piatra Craiului si cateva in Transilvania. Acestea n-ar trebui in acest caz luate in considerare de minister?

Deci pe aceste linii ar fi problemele de educatie si know-how in privinta perceperii ideii de maraton. Bucurestiul e la inceput, Bine ai Venit!, si isi va atrage simpatizanti, dupa felul cum a demarat. Dar numai incet, ca nu-i concurs nici cu Majors, nici cu top 10, nici cu top 20. La mai mare!