Right after my return to Belgrade, we will set off to discover the country at the next opportunity. Uros prepared a plan for me and his Macedonian friend Milica and filled up the car.

We drive to the Golubac Fortress, once across the eastern border of Serbia with Romania. There is an impressive fortress on the Danube. The river separates the countries and has created a strait there that used to be of strategic importance and was called the “Iron Gate”.

The city and the fortress were probably founded by the Hungarians in the 13th century. Translated, the place means “Pidgeon Castle”. Yes, like the bird. The castle could also be traced back to Roman times, no one knows. The Serbs and Hungarians often fought for this strategically important position, then later the Hungarians and the Ottomans, and regularly changed hands over the centuries to come. Despite this, the castle has been well maintained.

The Dragon Order also comes from Hungary, founded by King Sigismund, who, like the George Order, wants to fight the dragon as a beast and personification of the devil. Another famous member was Prince Vlad II Dracul, under whom the order fought the Ottomans in particular, and who got his name from being admitted to the order. Later there were legends dating from his son Vlad III. Drăculea, the “son of the dragon” made a “Dracula”. This castle has long been a seat of the Dragon Order.

We treat ourselves to lunch and end up at “Karpati”, which is owned by a Romanian family.

I’m met with total surprise by my friends from the Balkans with complete incomprehension when I have a form of roast beef for the main course and a fish soup made from local river fish as a starter.

Fish and meat don’t go together, I’m learning that. Later I also learn that you shouldn’t mix potatoes and peppers or noodles and potatoes.

Miliza also confirms this while sipping on her chocolate beer.