Bells in Belgrade

We just got word (that’s me and the team of people who are trying to retrieve my bells) that they’re in Belgrade at the airport. That’s the good news. A taxi is being dispatched to go for them, but customs officials may let them go unless I personally show up for them. That’s the bad news. I really don’t want to go because it will be a wasted 4 hours or so that I could put to good use here either working or sleeping.

My pianist and I just finished an hour long walk-through of all the music I intend to play with me mostly singing my part. We didn’t actually go through every measure, but hit the high spots and places where changes occur, and we’ve planned an actual rehearsal for this evening at eight. One way or another the bells should be here by then.

Right now I’m having a late lunch at ARHIV Restaurant where all the participants in the festival and competition will be eating (and where the competition is picking up the tab – if we eat elsewhere we are expected to pay for it ourselves). I’m having sopska salata bez luka which is tomatoes and cucumbers and maybe a little onion in oil and vinegar with some shredded soft cheese on top. The main course will be chicken brest in blackberry sauce, and I really don’t know what that will be like. They have prepared an English menu for us, so I can choose what to eat without guessing, but some of the wording is pretty funny. The last item in the main course section is “Vegetarian Meat”.

This morning at another restaurant (the competition breakfast place since this one is not open then) I had corn flakes in warm milk. Not what I was expecting, but it was really good. I wanted some fruit with it, but they didn’t have any.

The computer still can’t get on-line in my room, so right after lunch I’ll go back to “Opera” for a caffe and some transmitting.

The chicken just arrived, and here’s what it looks like. The little round things are potatoes, and there’s a bundle of carrot sticks tied together with something edible that I can’t identify. Also green beans, white rice with kernel corn, and broccoli. The chicken is roasted and stuffed with spinach and sitting in a little pond of blackberry sauce that’s not really sweet, and, of course, there’s fresh, hot bread. It’s all quite delicious, and way more than I can eat, and not really on my diet.





There’s a small Wendl & Lung grand piano in the room, and a young man was playing it (badly) last night. I don’t know anything about that brand and have never heard of it. Has anybody in the music world heard of it?