Belgrade, SERBIA

The Ottomans called Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia, Dar Ul-Jihad, the 'house of war' – and sadly, war has been part of its history for the past few centuries. It is the fourth-largest city in Southeastern Europe and its rich culture, architecture and diverse peoples reflect its complex history and importance. Today, Belgrade is Serbia's most vibrant city and in the early 90s when Madeleine, one of the central characters in Saffron Skies arrives, she is surprised by how normal everything is...

Extract from Saffron Skies:

     Madeléine's first impression of Belgrade was that it appeared astounding normal for a city at war. People on the wide, tree-lined streets, cafes open for business, trams running... it looked much like any other European city. No, the young Serbian interpreter sitting in the front seat corrected her. Belgrade itself isn't at war.
     'For the moment, it's happening elsewhere – almost everywhere else, to be precise. We're very lucky, in some senses, to be stationed here.' Madeleine said nothing. She looked at the city flashing past the windows. Square, imposing concrete bunkers; mass-housing; ornate, classical buildings like the ones she remembered from Budapest; the odd minaret poking up here and there; churches... a strange sandwiching of East and West.