Train to Guca!!!

Early wake to catch the bus to Podgorica in Montenegro where we take the train back into Serbia to join our friends in Guca! The bus ride is hot and uncomfortable, the night was short and we are a bit tired. In Podgorica i see the man who rented my his room back then. He is quite surprise to see me again :)

We get train tickets, 15 euro for some 400 km, it is the cheapest way to get around in the Balkans, but we soon find out why... it is also the slowest and the most unreliable. The train is one and a half hour late and when it finally comes in we are really happy to have made reservations. It is packed with people. Most of them only go the Bielo Luka, the most northern town of Montenegro. I leave my seat to an older man, to dig a bit the view and the people on the corridor. Two young boys are yelling songs and banging on the windows. By the way all windows are big opened and everyone smokes there. Big changes from silent air conditioned swiss trains. Soon two police officers come around to apprehend them and take them out for interrogation and god knows hat else...



Despite the slow rhythm, I am happy we chose the train, the track is the most beautiful train ride I had so far, trough mountains, tunnels, bridges along magnificent cliffs and gorges. This old track from the seaside to Belgrade is probably full of history and its construction most have cost lots of lives and mens sweat. We stop in the middle of nowhere numerous times for different reasons. Mostly because the trains from the two directions can only cross in given places the rest being single tracked. the other reason is the waiting at the boarder.


We arrive a Pozeda with about 4 hours delay, they also had to change the locomotive... In the general wondering during the one hour stop in Uzice i meet a French couple going to Guca, they are traveling the Balkans, mostly by bike. Since the night is falling, they cannot get there by bike anymore and will organize a taxi together with their Serban friend met on the train.
In Pozeda we struggle with a serial bullshiter promising us a cheap taxi... We finally stop counting on his help and get a ride with a conventional taxi, skipping on the drunk bunch of youngsters i met on the tracks and who are taking the bus with a local. Anyhow... off to Guca!!! Finally!
there we are slowly taken over by the drums all over the plac and meet Niko at their improvised camp. On the car park, in a field, they build up their two tents and a shade area between them. We quickly drink a beer, buy a couple more and get into the festival area. No entry fee, no security check, we walk in with our cheap beers.





I am sooooo please to meet Lorin, Pj and Marcel again!! I really missed that crazy band! The music is going, blowing and bangng, the people are crazy, you can smell roasted meet everywhere and the beer and Rakija is flowing in great amounts. But the real madness starts as Boban Markovic comes on the scene and everybody is once again dancing like mad and singing to all the songs! We get to sing a bit as well as him and his brass band plays some of the most famous Balkan songs. The trumpets blow on late into the night and we get to hear them as we exit the festival ground and go into the town where they are playing requests and walking around the place. Soon i loose my friends in this craziness and meet a Serbian bunch. Later i am tired of searching for everybody and pretty tired i head for the tents. I am quite happy to get there as it starts raining right away... good night. Lucky i have nice friend how think abut bringing tents :)