As some of you might have heard, I have taking up a position with an international cable and satellite comedy channel in Poland.  After the usual congratulatory words and “Can you take me with you”, most people ask if I’ll keep up my blog.  Well, to disappoint my enemies, I’ll keep writing for now.  I mean, a Sumadijan Zet in the Northern Slav lands…  Has potential as a comedy (maybe I should try and pitch it ;).  Any way, there are at least three Serbian restaurants and one Montenegrin (believe it or not), in Warsaw.  So, enough Balkanesque stories to keep me going for now at least.  & I do have years of being an experienced Zet to draw upon.

We were packing up on Saturday morning getting ready for a few days of sun, food, way too beer and partial relaxation at our viked vekendica in Sumadija when Mama got a call from her niece (one of like 200 Mama has)...  Actually, I have this theory that when Marija & I got married in 2000, I immediately became related to half of Sumadija.  Every time we travel around Marija will yell out; "Stop, I see my cousin!  Let's give him/her a ride"...  which of course ends up at four in the morning with me dealing with the previously mentioned; Three Rules of Sumadija.

To slightly “borrow” Mark’s tagline with a North of Sava slant: Only in New Belgrade! This morning I awoke to a pleasant cool breeze (that’s a draft for you Slavs) as the early morning summer shower cooled the Novi Beograd air.  I put my arms behind my head and enjoyed the cool feeling ready to engage in at least another 30 mins of comfortable sleep.  To my shock, I was jolted out of bed due to an annoying buzzing sound.

BACKSTAGE MENU- EXIT’06:

Well, its now a full week since Exit and I still have not recovered.  After packing and cleaning, we left mainstage backstage last Monday morning at 4:30am, slept briefly in the hotel and some how managed to be at work in Beo Land around 11am.  & since then, putting in full daze at work.  I'm sure I'm still a good 20 hours off on my sleeping.  However, taking the family to Malta tomorrow which should allow some "rest" time I'm sure. 

Details of day four and full Exit Festival recap shortly.  The 12 hours of total sleep in the last five days seems to be catching up with me!  I see a hot bath and very non-alcoholic cup of tea in my very near future.

Okey dokey, I'll make this quick as we have the Pet Shop Boys crew showing up at any time...  Just prepping the usual coffee, tea & breakfast.  Actually, breakfast has been rather popular with us.  This Zet, understanding what the usual British stage hand needs/wants at 8am, has sorted out a kind Srpski Breakfast Meza.  I'm talking eggs, potatoes, assorted breads, fruit and the kickers; smoked Zlatibor meat and the king of all things 'Serbo food', Cvepaci.  These little meaty sausages are a massive hit with these Anglo Brit Trash, and I say "Brit Trash" out of love as part of my ancestry have a UKesque vibe to it.

OK, turns out Morrissey was in a pretty decent mode last night. I spoke with his tour manager and he, that be Morrissey, was a bit shocked that all 30,000+ at the gig knew the words to all his songs. The stereotype of playing some backwater former Soviet state*, war torn lands quickly dissipated. In fact, if it s possible, it seemed Morrissey actually enjoyed himself on stage and off. The rest of the artists were cool with yesterday being a meat free feast... that is until Goldie showed up. So, just to paint the picture, Exit booked Goldie only a few days ago. Now this is cool; Reason being was to give people at the festival a little surprise.

Well, here I am, fresh from Sumadija but not back in Belgrade but in Novi Sad for Exit Fest.  This year, like the last couple, my wife and I manage the backstage of the main stage.  As in, make sure the artists, their management and crew are well taken care of, fed and drinked up!  The latter seeming to be the most important;)...  Actually, the food is the most important.  & i can say with a bit of pride, Exit backstage is known for some pretty foody fair.

We're off to enjoy the 30+ degree weather in lovely Sumadija.  Our viked vekendica over looks the peaceful town of Darosava (village formally know as Patizani) with an extremely lovely view of the local valley.  I'm sure I'll have a tale or two to tell after the weekend.  Before I go, I'd like to share my "Three Rules of Sumadija" which I came up with some time ago while my wife and I were on our newlywed tour visiting family:

With the first half of the Serbiacg vs. Dutch Land match in a 15 min recess, I switched over to MTV Adria for a bit of music.  As this weekend is Red Hot Chili Peppers Weekend, caught the last bit of a 2002 concert.  My 20 month old son, proudly watching the game with me, got into the tunes.  When I switched over to check out the half time ads back on rts (of course a big fan of beer makes me a big fan of beer ads...  & the Deer Beer ads target my sport watching beer drinking mentality), Tyler Vuk, that's my son, started to cry.  He totally got into the Chilis and was not happy I switched channels.  I quickly swithched back!

It’s inevitable…  With the Stanley Cup, that’s the NHL hockey final series for you none ice types, looking pretty one side and boring, gotta "go" World Cup.  Actually, rather easy as I just got sent a link by a buddy in New York who has written and produced his own Dance Hall/Floor World Cup single.  Check out www.worldcupman.com and let me know what you think.  Now, off to pick up a two-four* for the weekend of matches.

Winnipeg, Manitoba (undisputed coldest major city*, avg. yearly mean (& the cold does get really mean), in the world): +27

Belgrade, Serbia (in theory southern Europe) +11


*Winnipeg for years was tied for "coldest major city" with a city in Siberia.  Turns out it the city was/is a military base and thus not the real deal...  I mean, people choose to live in Winnipeg right!?!

OK, many thanks for the rather decent response to my initial blog.  I've been getting daily requests by blog, e-mail and even the odd SMS to keep the stories coming.  On top of that, the B92 English news now have a link to my blog on their headlines page http://www.b92.net/eng/news/headlines.php (Remind me to speak to the person that posted my "never to be used" picture dating back to a tooth injury;).  So, I guess I gotta keep writing...

A Quick introduction is in order. My name is Daryl Fidelak, a 34 year-old Canadian based in Belgrade who was once described as a Yugophile! Of course, as all things in this part of the world, that moniker has been widdled down as various bits and pieces of Yugo Land have gone their separate ways. I've been describing myself as Srpski Zet for some time & well, more recently, been sticking with Sumadijski Zet.
Now I have to tell you, "Sumadijski Zet" has been my little "in" with all things, well, "Things"... here in Serbia. When ever in a bit of a tricky spot, whether concerning the renewing of a visa, sorting out a work permit, roadside speed checks or when encountering a group of slightly "Rakijaed Up" young men not too fond of hearing the English language, a quick; "Ja sam Sumadijski Zet!", does the trick!