//Day 15 /26-03-22 /Belgrade-Banatska Palanka

Today was a beautiful day although I lost my headset underway…..I left Belgrade early in the morning so met little traffic in the city streets. The streets were almost empty. The way out was via the way I got in Belgrade ; crossing the gap filled bridge and  cycle 15 k on a cycleway which is not a cycleway. The cycleway runs along some marshland with big pools an clearly a habitat of birds. I saw herons, cranes, duck and other feathered animals…

I also encountered some shepherds who were just braking up camp and getting for the day. It were  the same shepherds I saw when entering Belgrade 2 days ago and who seemed to roam the meadow between a motorway and the marshland. I waved , they waved back. Dark, dirty men living the hard life.

I continued my route. As it was Saturday, my favourite radio 1 day I wanted to take my headphones to listen to the program VOX I like when I noticed my headset was not longer in it’s usual place……Damn. I had almost cycled 20 K and returning to the center was not an option. Th only moment I could think of where I lost the headset was when I swapped lenses when taking a photograph of the flock of sheep and their shepherds. I decided to go back to that place and if I not find  them take my losses..I cycled back 10 K and took my losses. After some of the better curses I became zen again. Luck was that I would be passing a small city within 10 K. My objective :  find another set of headsets (rimes, does it ?). In Pancevo , as from now called the headset capital city, I found a PC shop  who sold me a pair of Serbian speaking headsets for 10 euros….music became available again, zen returned, a Serbian will probably start to appreciate headbone conducted music……

I continued my way. The weather was great, the road slowly changing ; in the distance I saw to see through the haze the Carphatians which land in Serbia. Often passing plastic green houses with people working the field. Poor agricultural villages every 10 K. But always with a little shop to find something to drink for Black Horse and myself…

I eventually reconnected with the Danube and said her good day ! She had became broader then when I saw cycled at her side in Hungary and Austria. Unfortunate  she had also  became contaminated with waste and plastic….Some years ago I travelled Indonesia. I had always thought that the level of waste and plastic I saw there could not be worse….Well I think the Serbian Danube is trying to do worse. Plastic everywhere ; in the water, in the trees, along the roads,…At the same time plenty of wildlife who is living through/in the plastic rubble. Beavers,I saw at least 30, who are sunbathing on the dike which I’m cycling, speeding away through the plastic bottles when they see me..It is intelligible to me to see so much plastic…

The Eurovelo cycle path is probably a line drafted along the Danube. In reality it is  a sand road. Within a couple of years probably an asphalted road with Mc Donalds outlets. Let’s hope they will stay sand roads….

 I cycled the last 20 K on road under construction. I was able to hold the road, some were not…I also met George. Who was guiding his horse and carriage along the road under construction. He spoke better German then me me and  asked me from where I was and if I had 50 euro’s to feed his 5 children. 

I arrived at Bantaska Palanka after not such a bad cycling day. A couple of restaurants along the Danube catering for the Belgrade tourists and the people waiting for the ferry to cross the Danube.I had booked a 27 euro room which was spotless above such a restaurant. I made a (very) short stroll in the village and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon the view of the Danube whilst reading the History of the Balkan from my terrace. Splendid weather. Time standing still. At 6 I went for dinner (the restaurant would close a 19.30), had a sort of filled hamburger, salad, coffee and the (good) smell of the Danube river. 

Tomorrow at 8.30 I will cross the Danube with the ferry and cycle to Donji Milanovac, a 100 K along the Danube. I hope there will be less plastic. 

Lessons learned :

• I have to be careful to secure my stuff. 
• There is to many plastic. STOP using plastic ! 
• Summertime changes are confusing..

Song of to day : Mercy Mercy Me (The ecology) - Marvin Gay