A Decent Proposal at Petrovaradin Fortress.

A Decent Proposal at Petrovaradin Fortress. Novi Sad, Serbia.

April 2021.

After months of scheming… pondering… second guessing myself and downright worrying the big day had finally come. Yes, for better or for worse this was it. I just had to go with the flow, pick the right moment and let the chips fall where they may.

We’d been having a great time exploring the city of Novi Sad together. So much so that I had almost forgotten about our impending visit to Petrovaradin Fortress. Almost. It was a bright, warm morning as we settled in at Atina (Athens), a concept and lounge bar situated on the pretty and peaceful Katolička Porta Square.

Delightfully, we seemed to have beaten the morning breakfast crowd and had the terrace all to ourselves. Thus we wasted no time in catching the waitress’ attention to order coffee, freshly pressed juices and pastries. While I was doing my best to appear normal, by this point the nerves were starting to kick in a bit. Did Sladja somehow have an inkling of what was in store? I figured probably not.

Fed and watered, we set off on a walking route to the fortress that would take us over Varadin Bridge which holds court over a wide picturesque stretch of the River Danube.

A Decent Proposal at Petrovaradin Fortress.

Photo courtesy of Mister No.

Varadin Bridge opened in 2000 following the destruction of Marshal Tito Bridge (renamed Varadin Bridge in 1991) during NATO’s fierce bombardment of the city on the 1st of April 1999. Because the old bridge was also known as Varadin Bridge many locals refer to today’s structure as New Varadin Bridge.

Tragically, a 29 year old Serbian man by the name of Oleg M. Nasov was cycling over the bridge at the time of the attack. He lost his life in the bombing and is remembered today with a memorial located near the bridge’s entrance as you approach from the old town.

It was quiet on the bridge, with just a handful of fellow pedestrians and the occasional cyclist or two whizzing by. This certainly made for a relaxing stroll as we paused to take in the river views and look at a few of the obligatory love locks.

Dragan and Sophia… Bogdan and Anna… Milan and Jelena. Did any of these couples experience their own decent (or otherwise) proposal up on Petrovaradin Fortress?

Varadin Bridge.

As we progressed Petrovaradin Fortress came more and more into focus from the Danube’s right bank. According to historians the first settlement here sprang up in The Stone Age between 19,000 to 15,000 BC. Later, there was a Roman fort and then a military post operated by The Ottomans.

Work on today’s fortress began in 1692 by The Hapsburgs and lasted for nearly 90 years! Upon its completion it stood as one of Europe’s most formidable fortresses that boasted 16 kilometres of multi-level underground tunnels.

However, in reality the fortress initially stood as something of a white elephant. This was due to the fact that the Turks had been banished from the area, which left the fortress’ 4000 + soldiers with little to do but twiddle their thumbs by day and get drunk at night. It was fun trying to imagine those scenes as we exited the bridge and began the steep albeit not particularly long ascent to the upper walls.

Along the way we stopped to admire the crumbly beauty of Saint George Roman Catholic Church, built in 1714. Constructed in the baroque style, the church houses the remains of local priests and noblemen who were murdered by the invading Turks in the 1690s.

A Decent Proposal at Petrovaradin Fortress.

Before long the fortress’ iconic Clock Tower came into view, which meant we just needed one final push through the short brick tunnel to reach the top.

Constructed in 1750, I guess the clock tower project at least gave those at the fortress something to do. Take a closer look though and you’ll see there’s a major quirk to the clock face. Basically the hands were made in contrast to most clocks in that the hour hand is big, the minute hand small. Apparently this was done to make it easier for fishermen to know what the hour was. Clever.

Moreover, the clock has a reputation for being an unreliable timekeeper as the time it shows can vary wildly depending on the season. Wound by hand every day, the clock’s timing mechanism is sensitive to the rise and fall of temperatures. As a result, it can run slow in the winter and fast in the summer. What was the time that day? It was proposal time, which meant I needed to seek out a quiet spot for us to sit down.

This was easier said than done. A number of cafes operated along the main stretch of the upper walls, with a long row of tables and chairs offering great views of the Danube and the old town. Instinctively, I suggested we head in the opposite direction to a discreet corner bench away from crying babies, smoking couples and twats shouting on phones.

Crunch Time.

Sladja had no idea what was coming. Taking a moment, I encouraged a look back on the time we’d spent together in Serbia, Cambodia and Turkey. All recent adventures in the grand scheme of things but already inducing a heightened sense of nostalgia.

Then I produced the envelope from the front pouch of my backpack. With raised eyebrows she received it from me and took out the handwritten letter that lay within. The magnitude of the moment becoming clearer and clearer, Sladja began to read as per my request.

It took perhaps five minutes and along the way there was laughter, red eyes, a few tears and, most importantly of all, an emphatic “yes!” at the end with hugs and kisses. Phew.

There were going to be a million and one things to sort out that spring and summer. However, now was not the time for such considerations. Instead we simply took some quiet time together to walk along the upper walls hand in hand.

The views were marvellous despite the increasingly overcast sky. Now we could look back over Varadin Bridge and marvel how it looked like one of those home model kits one can buy and construct. Indeed it was hard to imagine bombs once raining down over the Danube. A sole figure frantically pedalling for his life in his last moments.

A Decent Proposal at Petrovaradin Fortress.

Back to the fortress’ history and the old joint did eventually see some acton. It was during the Hungarian Revolution in 1848 when Hungarian soldiers took control of the place and used the guns and cannons on hand to launch a devastating attack on the city. Unfortunately, by the time they were done, most of Novi Sad had been obliterated.

That was the only major action the fortress experienced. Later it became a prison and then a military barracks and storage centre in the days of World War I. In modern times meanwhile it has served as a quite magnificent location for the annual Exit Music Festival which takes place every July.

A short while later we got to the end of the upper wall trail. From here there were gentle, lush green views stretching off into the horizon. No wonder we chose to stand there for a while breathing it all in.

Finally we figured it was time to head down to the bridge and make a return to the city. Picking out a different trail back through the fortress we passed a pretty park where boisterous teens were hanging out on a section of wall under a tree.

A Decent Proposal at Petrovaradin Fortress.

A short while later we made our way past one of the fortress’ many cafes. It was an engaging scene with kids playing in the grass, mums and dads enjoying a tipple, an older man snoozing away on a comfy chair.

Just before heading back through the tunnel I spotted a pair of teenage lovers. My first thought was that I would be capturing a romantic moment, though I now believe the guy has his head in his phone.

Upon our return in Novi Sad’s old town we sought out a place to toast our engagement with some drinks. Luckily, we took a chance on Mamut Pub, located in one of the city’s most beautiful enclosed courtyards off Zmaj Jovina 22 Street.

It was a great evening. Excitedly, we began brainstorming what kind of wedding we might have and where we could head to for our honeymoon.

In truth we had absolutely no idea what the next years would hold. That we would soon leave Serbia and start our own business together. That our new lives as digital nomads would take us to Montenegro, Bosnia, England, Scotland, Georgia, Armenia, Greece, Croatia and beyond.

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