Belgrade

I received a directive from Rome to stop over in Belgrade to  meet Dr. Yarowhich, a  research scientist.  He was scheduled to see me at 8 a.m. the next day at the hotel where I had made  prior r reservation for that evening.

This required a very early start from Zagreb and travel 365 km to reach Belgrade n time.

It was a long drive along a nearly empty road during mid-ight. We  arrived at the hotel almost an half hour prior to my appointment.

A porter helped carry our luggage from the car after registering at the grand and impressive hotel.

I heard the phone ringing as we entered in our room. When I picked up the receiver, I heard Dr. Yarowhich  introducing himself.

“Dr. Singh, I am here in the hotel lobby and waiting for you.”

I stopped unpacking immediately and rushed to the elevator to reach the hotel lounge to meet him.

After a brief self-introduction Dr. Yarowich guided me to join him at the table where he had been waiting for me.

I was a little surprised to see a glass of brandy in front of him and myself.

“It is rather early to have a drink at this time”, I said.

“ Yes, but I need it to boost confidence for facing the television cameras. I am being interviewed at 9 a.m.,” he replied.

He was in a hurry.  After a quick toast to welcome me, he finished his brandy and left the hotel saying he would be back after lunch to take me to the research station in the outskirts of Belgrade where he has been doing his research with the help of funds received in foreign aid fro USA.

Belgrade was the capital city of Tito’s Yugoslavia and is now of Serbia when the participant  republics started breaking away after his death.

It is located at the confluence of  Danube and Sava  rivers and had different names historically, which nearly always were translated as "the white city".

Belgrade  had turbulent times in the past that included conquest by Turks to become  part of Ottoman empire and occupation by Austrians. It was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt.

During World War II it came under German occupation and was liberated by the Red Army and the Communist Yugoslav Partisans.

On November 29, 1945 Marshall Tito proclaimed Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia in Belgrade.