Trip to Belgrade (Part 1)
This time unfortunately I wasn't the lucky traveler. I just lent my trusty Olympus camera to my girlfriend. She went on (kind of) a business trip to Belgrade - the capital of Serbia.
The interesting thing is that the Youth Day (25th of May) was just while she was there.
Because I suspect that some of you are not familiar with the meaning of that, a history lesson follows...
/BEGIN HistoryLesson
Day of Youth is an ex holiday that used to be celebrated throughout the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. On this date president Tito's birthday was celebrated. It meant that youngsters from all of the country's six republics carried six batons, which on their way to Belgrade had passed through all major cities. They contained symbolic birthday messages for the president Tito.
I can still remember celebrations when still in the first grades of primary school. I think in Slovenia after somewhere around 1988 officially this wasn't practiced any more. That was also the time of the last generation of children which had to join Young Pioneers.
/END HistoryLesson
It was interesting to hear that even this year (like all of the previous years) six batons from all six of the former republics have arrived to Belgrade. This is kind of amazing knowing the fact that the country of Yugoslavia broke apart about 15 years ago in a nasty civil war.
On the first photo you can see three of the six this year's batons.
The second photo features my girlfriend wearing my Young Pioneer's hat (she borrowed it for the trip). It was taken near the House of Flowers (Kuća Cveća), where Tito is buried.
She also told me that the showcases with Tito's uniforms were crawling with moths. I don't know if those uniforms are originals, but unfortunately I am afraid they are.
I think this could be linked to the fact that there is no entrance fee. Obviously there is a lack of interest in preserving relics from that certain period of time. I think that's at least irresponsible if nothing else.
