I know how I got here (now where the Hell am I?)

Just had to stop and write a quick entry while I sit in front of the biggest and most incredible church I’ve ever seen - the St. Sava Orthodox Cathedral.

I've always wanted to see the Taj Mahal; now I don’t know if it’s necessary. This thing totally blew my mind! It’s white with green domes and gold crosses, very simple but astoundingly huge. It’s under construction so it’s basically empty inside, with dark, cold stone. But there’s music playing and people praying and bowing and lighting candles amid the scaffolding. Wow!

So, as usual, I had nothing to worry about last night and everything worked itself out.

I had a delicious meal at the restaurant, then I went back to the hostel, planning to just go to bed. When I arrived, the girl who works there, Jasna) and her beautiful, black-haired Macedonian friend, were sitting in the lounge watching television, so I sat down with them.

They told me about a popular Macedonian singer named Tose Proeski who was killed in a car crash yesterday. They were almost in tears talking about him, apparently both of them grew up with his music. It was touching to listen to them.

An Aussie guy named Mike came into the hostel at around 10pm, and we started to chat. Turns out we’re travelling to exactly the same places for the next few weeks, so we’re going to stick together for the rest of our journey.

Isn’t it amazing how things work out? I'd been lonely and planning to leave that hostel, and within an hour, I found a travel partner for the rest of my trip.

We stayed up until 2am talking: the latest I’ve stayed up in ages!. I got up this morning at 9:30, had a brutal shower, (and actually had a brutal sleep as well, but the hostel is starting to grow on me). My first stop of the day was St. Mark’s Cathedral (which HAD impressed me before I saw this Church of my life).

The street signs and the map are impossible. I’m amazed that I've made it anywhere other than just walking around in circles!

I decided to have a look at Tito’s Mausoleum, but if I’d known the ordeal it would become I never would’ve bothered. I had to cross to the other side of a major highway (a mission in itself!), and the whole area stunk of exhaust fumes and big-city-grossness.

I had no idea where I was, which street I was on, or where that bastard Tito was buried; at one point, I walked past a horrible shantytown and felt really nervous in a Sherman McCoy type of way.

I nearly gave up and went back to the centre, but when I spotted a couple of security guards, I asked them the way and they helped me. I arrived at 15:10 - it closed at 15:00. Awesome.

It took me forever to walk back into town; luckily, I could see the astounding St. Sava from miles away, so I enjoyed it from many different vantage points. I’m still completely turned around here, even though I’ve been walking around town nonstop for two days! I usually hate to pull out the map and mark myself with a big T for tourist, but in Belgrade I never put it away, not that it even helps!

I’m having dinner with Mike tonight: a real, live human being!