We are in for another night of heavy shelling and complete insanity, blackouts and general darkness. There is no trace of light at the end of this mad tunnel. We know that Shakespeare is in love. We have all the top 40 hits. There are hundreds of different restaurants, clubs and bars.
Young people hang out at Internet cafes and surf world news, the latest music and pornography.
Even through the years of Communism, Belgrade was known as the most liberal of cities, providing a whiff of fresh air amid the general stagnation. During the past decade, it somehow managed to remain at peace despite the years of war in neighboring Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. It survived the terrible period of shortages and poverty, international sanctions and the highest inflation rate in the world. Belgrade is a good place to be in the spring. Now, the city feels the war directly, and it is a huge shock for its two million inhabitants.