Serbia's Ambassador to the World

Since posting a blog in January on the site Serbia's Ambassador to the World, the site has gone from strength to strength. Up to three blogs a day appear on the site and many of these are from foreigners expressing surprise at the friendliness of the people, the food, the quality of life and many other aspects they have noticed whilst visiting. The blog's originator, Karl Haudbourg, has done a brilliant job of presenting Serbia in a light contrary to that often presented by the media. If you want to read more about Serbia and some of its more interesting facets, look no further than Serbia's Ambassador to the World.

Belgrade blog now posted

You can see my recent blog about Belgrade at the Ambassador Serbia site now.

Flight of fancy...

As the 737-400 climbed up and out of Serbian airspace, I turned and raised my glass in another farewell to Belgrade. This time I was armed with a copy of Momo Kapor’s ‘The Magic of Belgrade’. My wife too has a copy. Hers in Serbian, mine in English. Parting gifts from my brother in Law.
Kapor’s Belgrade is as one expects, full of coffee, cabbage, pretty women but no hats! Reading this tome is a bit like déjà vu for a former resident and frequent visitor like me. His people such as keva and the umbrella maker, places such as the doomed Chinese restaurant and Kalemegdan and the ‘magic’ he portrays all tell accurate tales of what is a magnet for all that were born there or have visited. Yet it is certainly not its looks that attract one to Belgrade. As Kapor so aptly says: “It does not photograph well and always looks like some other place”. Whilst it has a sprinkling of tourist attractions, it lacks anything on the scale of the British Museum, the Louvre or other such jewels found elsewhere.
However, what Belgrade does have is a pulse. It is a city that is alive. It is a city that makes a statement about how cities should be – lived in. Yet it also a city with a past and its ghosts walk with the living to give Belgrade its unique but haunting identity. If you come from or have been to Belgrade, you’ll understand me – if not then the city waits to kiss your soul.

(The above piece will shortly be appearing on www.ambassador-serbia.com)

Greetings from Belgrade

Okay, so now back in Belgrade after a few days in Zagreb. Belgrade is a creative hot bed and very inspirational. Perhaps its the legacy of such great writers as Ivo Andric and a host of others. Apart from working on my latest pantomime (which will not be performed this season) I have drummed up credible scenarios for two new plays. This gives me three or four that are now 'work in progress'. I have therefore decreed that 2010 should be deemed the 'International Year of Performing Arts'. And why not? Let's get writing, directing and performing and stage the biggest World-wide festival of theatre and performance ever. The World is still under sufferance from the banking crisis but we can still have fun and spread a tide of creativity from London to Minsk. Let me know what you think. Drop me a line here.