Whenever I come to Belgrade I have this weird feeling. It’s the place where I spent most of my time and where most of my friends and family are but I live somewhere else now, so am I returning or am I coming to visit. This is the first time that I’ll be in Belgrade only for a week, so aura of “visiting” was definitely stronger this time.

For me, Belgrade is for catching up, for long walks and for familiar tastes. I get to find out what bars have closed since my last visit and what new places are open. I always make time for visiting few parts of Belgrade that can’t be mistaken for any other place on earth: for me, it’s St. Sava Temple, Kalemegdan fortress and streets around two main squares: Terazije and Slavija.

This time, however, I also got to participate in unique event: my visit to Belgrade happened to coincide with seminar celebrating 50 years of Aikido in Serbia and of course I took part! This was one of the few occasion I had to practice with people of all levels that I never saw in my life, so I had no idea what to expect. It was amazing experience and I can’t wait to do it again!

This stay was longest on my trip but it still felt short. Belgrade is my city and even though it might not be my home base at this moment it’s going to remain my city for a very long time.