Photo of the week: Bullets in Belgrade
I was digging through my photo archives looking for this week’s picture when I found this shot I took in Belgrade during a trip I did accross the Balkans in 2003, a couple of years after the war in the region was over. By then Belgrade was clearly recovering itself from chaos, and the lively and invigorating people made you feel comfortable and welcomed, just like any traveler would in any other city. However it wouldn’t have been realistic if I had overseen the scars of war present in Belgrade, with bullet and shrapnel marks obviously blatant in some areas. After relaxing at an artificial beach along the Danube I made my way to sniper alley, a street where sharp shooters had created havoc among civilians during the war. The bullet marks were everywhere to be seen on the pavement, but it was these marks on a nearby building that really caught my attention, making me wonder what has been of the inhabitants of those apartments. I hoped that they were alive and well, convincing myslef that they probably had moved to a better house elsewhere, and as I looked at a UN military vehicule drive by I wondered if and why had all this really been necessary.
Category: Europe, Serbia, Travel Photography
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Hi again,
Thank you for your quick reply!! We are not always the spot on a map some one goes to so i always get excited when i see something about Serbia/Belgrade. And its great to see what people think.. for this reason i hope you can understand i got a bit disappointed about your post. If u r in the neighborhood:) and need any tips/tour plz dont hesitate to write.. again all the best
Thanks for your offer Ida! I sent you an email with a guest author article proposal
Sure will Ida, and all I have are good words about Serbia and Belgrade!
Hi Federico,
Hi my name is Ida and i am from Belgrade. Please Federico i think you should seriously reconsider this post about Belgrade as our city was not under siege since the WWII! Belgrade was bombed in 1999. and there are ruined buildings with shrapnel wholes BUT these were administrative buildings and as i mentioned explained briefly no UN vehicles, no guns, no snipers no war really
. We are quite friendly as u wrote so come visit us again 
)
All the best,
Ida
Hi Ida, thanks for stopping by and your feedback! With your comment I guess I am confused and I took this picture in Sarajevo. See, I also remember seeing a building that had collapsed because of a bomb, and this I am sure was in Belgrade, but then you also seem to say that this is possible. I have just looked online and have found other pictures of administrative buildings with bullet marks in Belgrade, as you say too. In any case, and in my opinion, if there are ruined buildings and shrapnel holes in buildings of a city I associate it with acts of war. But I loved your country and city Ida, and whenever I have a chance to got back I will do so in a heartbeat!
Picture tells thousand words … leave it at that
Aye Aye Sir!
Wow… just… WOW. Gives me shivers.
And not without reason…
Federico
Hmm.. estoy no seguro que es Belgrado porque no bullets were shot in the 90′s war there…only terrifying blasts caused by bombs being launched from the far…UN truck driving past complements the site… Pero, could been that the building was damaged that way (resembles bullet marks). You have a good eye Koki
Hi Marija!
I’m beginning to doubt if perhaps I took this picture in Sarajevo and what I describe ocurred there…hmmm….
Federico
Kaixo Koki! Esto no fue en Sarajevo? Esa noche no fue la que nos perdimos estando en un estado lamentable?
Kaixo Gunnar!
Jeje…recuerdo Sarajevo si…pero esta foto es de Belgrado, donde consideraste sacar una foto del rotulo de Siemens para un concurso…recuerdas?
Fascinating!! Just imagine how terrified the people in there must have felt during such an attack. It sends chills up my spine!