The shoe repair shop

I passed this shop late the other night at an hour when I wouldn't think it would be open. The shoe repairman was nowhere in sight. I liked the way these shoes seem to be waiting, like patients in a doctor's office...or perhaps they've already been "treated," and are waiting for someone to pick them up. I especially like the two shoes in the apparatus on the right, and the photo on the wall of...shoes!

Note to post: Footnotes commented to say there's a 'footwear' post on Saturdays, and I didn't even know! Serendipitous! Check out:

http://footwearfever.blogspot.com

Alien landscape

Yes, this is Belgrade! These alien creatures sprouted on one of my potatoes before I could cook it, so I decided to capture them with my new macro lens. Much produce sold by farmers here on the green market has not been sprayed, or at least sprayed to inhibit or prevent sprouting. You can even find apples with actual spots on them, rather than the picture-perfect ones often sold in chain grocery stores. Last summer in the US I bought a sweet potato to sprout the lovely vines I remembered as a child, but it sat and rotted on my daughter's sill; I imagine it had been sprayed not to sprout.

In any case, though I didn't cook this potato, I still put it to good use in this photo!

Chestnuts!

Over the holidays, I received a request from Teri in the U.S. who said, "... one of the things that I miss about Christmas in Serbia is the roasting chestnuts. If, in your daily travels around town, you run across a vendor with chestnuts roasting, I would love to see it. I can almost smell them now..." I hadn't gone downtown much then, and when I did, it was either too early or too late to find anyone. Last weekend I found this fellow, Aćim (AH-cheem), who let me take his photo.

ABC Wednesday "B" is for 'bouquet'

It's still cold, and the forecast is for colder weather, but that doesn't stop the mimosa sellers. Acacia dealbata, known as Patio Mimosa or Silver Wattle, is not actually a true mimosa. Be that as it may, the plant's feathered foliage with masses of vibrant yellow flowers are a sign of spring for many. Last weekend I saw many happy people buying these bright yellow bouquets.

Join ABC Wednesday at: http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com

Saint Sava Day

Saint Archbishop Sava (1175 - 1235), originally born prince Rastko Nemanjić, son of the ruler and founder of the Serbian medieval state Stefan Nemanja and brother of the first Serbian king, was the first Archbishop of Serbia (1219-1233), the most important saint in the Serbian Orthodox Church, and an important cultural and political worker of his time. The temple stands on the site where the remains of Saint Sava were burned by the Turks in 1595.

Saint Sava is the founder of the independent Serbian Orthodox Church and is celebrated as the patron saint of education and medicine. Today, January 27th, schools all over Serbia celebrate Saint Sava's Day by singing songs and reciting poems in his honor.

In this photo, you can see part of the temple's dome and two crosses behind nearby houses' rooftops.

If you'd like to read more about this temple, see this site .

The thistle seller

Doesn't this lady have the most wonderful face? This photo is actually from a while ago, though I saw her again not long ago on the street. In this photo, she is selling thistles and some pussy willows. It was quite a cold day and I felt sorry for her, so I bought everything she had, and she let me take her picture.

Big Bad Wolf Grill and Wicked Witch Fast Food

Hmmm....what would you rather have to eat? Roast meat from the Big Bad Wolf Grill or a sandwich, crepe, or pizza from Wicked Witch Fast Food? I think I'd opt for the former---at least I'd be fairly sure I'd be eating some sort of roast animal rather than Hansel or Gretel.

Giraffes in the mist

Very foggy yesterday morning up near the school where I work. I pass through this roundabout every day, and managed to snap this photo while approaching. These giraffes are part of a 'green sculpture' movement, set up bu The Topiary Art Trust, a group founded in 2007 for the purpose of offering to Belgrade a number of inventive solutions and contents for the urban core of the city, park areas, green areas and river banks. They were made to serve as trellises for climbing plants, and when covered, would resemble true topiary shapes. The giraffe on the right has been downed twice by a vehicle, either intentionally or unintentionally, and after its second mishap, has not been set up again.

The Tiniest Leaf

A head of cabbage is made from layers of leaves, which form a ball. Here you can see the tiniest leaf inside a head of cabbage that I made a salad out of. Serbs LOVE cabbage in all its forms, but usually use the white cabbages in salads and for sauerkraut and stuffed cabbage rolls, for example. In the winter, it's common to see a huge plastic barrel filled with heads of fermenting cabbage on people's porches. Red cabbage, much higher in antioxidants, is unimaginatively shredded or sliced for slaw. (Sometimes a head is thrown into the barrel to add color, and the sour cabbage juice is a sure cure, so they say, for a hangover.) I like to jazz up my slaw by adding some shredded carrots, walnuts, and dried cranberries, with a vinaigrette dressing.

Branches for sale

This photo was taken just before Serbian New Year's Eve, which was January 13th. I love this little lady's face, with all its wrinkles that reflect her life. She's selling pine branches, which some people decorate instead of a tree. Not a bad idea; I hate to see trees cut down, and the potted ones I used to buy somehow don't survive.

ABC Wednesday "A" is for "art"

The other day on Chuck's blog in Seattle , I saw a photo of a young artist whose work appealed to me. I checked out Joni's blog and left a comment that some of her art reminded me of the self-taught or naive peasant artists here. Joni wrote back to say that a dealer had once told her that her art was naive, and she wasn't too happy, but now she is! Above is one of the paintings in our small collection, depicting, according to the artist, twin brothers who are helped by an angel to marry twin sisters. (And no, they're not conjoined twins, despite the knife....!) We bought this painting in 1974 when my Serbian wasn't so good, but I believe this is some kind of local legend. In any case, the painting is quite detailed, revealing the artist's other talent: embroidery.

Join ABC Wednesday at: http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/

US Presidential Inauguration Day "Burek oboma"

Nope, I haven't misspelled our new president's name. I'm participating in blogger Muse-swings' Inaugural Celebration Events. Each participant is to post something in relation to the US Presidential Inauguration. For a special Serbian something, I consulted my friend Radovan, who accompanied my husband and me on our trip to Greece last summer. When I asked him what I could offer the President and his wife, he replied with a twinkle in his eye, "Burek oboma," which in Serbian means "burek for both of them." I can't think of anything more fitting for Barack Obama and the First Lady!

On this photo you can see Radovan with a plate of the crunchy-outside-but-filled-with-soft-white-cheese-inside burek, which many Serbs eat for breakfast or else late at night...sort of like the French used to do with onion soup at Les Halles. Burek is usually eaten with the fingers or nibbled on in the paper it's wrapped in, but for President Obama, I got out my nicer china and my grandmother's silver!

My bathroom wall; another 'trompe l'oeil'!

Two days ago I posted a photo of a trompe l'oeil mural in Skadarlija, so today I thought I'd give you a view from a "window" I painted about 15 years ago (Oh, my gosh, has it been that long?) on my up-to-then-windowless smaller bathroom wall. Click on both photos to have a closer look at the inhabitants of 'the apartment buildings across the street'.

This post is dedicated to my bloggerfiend, Soulbrush, at: http://soulbrush.blogspot.com/, so please check out her inspiring artwork!

Note: I was awarded the Noblesse Oblige Award by Richies, at http://anarkiesmusings.blogspot.com for a blog that "fosters a better understanding on Social, Political, Economic, the Arts, Cultures and Sciences and Beliefs." Thank you! I'll try to keep living up to it! (Today it's the 'arts,' I guess, though you can see some 'culture' thrown in with some Serbian neighbors across the street! Can you find them?)

The Old Sava Bridge

At the present time, there are six bridges in Belgrade spanning the Sava and Danube rivers, and construction of two more bridges is planned over the next three years. The Old Sava Bridge was built in 1942 for military purposes by Axis occupational forces. Since WWII, it has been used by Belgraders as both a traffic and tram bridge. The bridge had a face lift in December 2007, and you can see that it is now a nice shade of green, reminding us that spring (I am optimistic, I know) isn't really so very far off...sort of. When I took this photo, I was intrigued by the reflection in the water, but now I see there's an Evergreen railroad car/container in the background under the bridge. If you'd like to have a look at the ultra-modern bridge that Belgrade is planning to build in another location, see this site .

Žika Obretković plays the flute

The street in Skadarlija that I posted on January 11th also boasts several trompe l'oeil murals, including this one. In this mural you can see one of Belgrade's popular street figures, Žika Obretković, playing his flute. Žika, who is developmentally challenged, has been playing around the Skadarlija area for at least 15 years, where he entertains passers-by.

Lost in LOST...

So...how does an ex-pat like me spend her spare time? Obviously, I have a blog, and second to that, a full-time job, :<) so I don't have a lot of spare time and don't spend most of it watching television, but when I think there were only two channels when I first came to Belgrade, TV has come a long way. Currently I receive 63 domestic and international channels on my cable installation, plus another 20 local ones on my regular TV set-up. Like a lot of 'entertainment,' not all of it is worth watching. However, I must admit I am addicted to LOST. My son bought me the entire first four seasons, and I am working my way through Season Three at the present time, trying to catch up with Season Three every evening on local TV...I'm almost there....and then it's Season Four. Waiting for Season Five, which you in the US may already be looking at.

Dogs on Thursday: The doggie in the window

Finally: yesterday was Serbian New Year's Day. Here's a pent-up, bored-with-the-holidays pup! Lemme out of here!

ABC Wednesday "Z" is for "Zen"

The simplest definition for Zen is 'contemplation.' I found this quote while searching more about Zen, in order to tie Zen in with my 'ice' photo. (Addendum after posting: I'm always a bit bothered when I believe to have posted something with no direct relation to Belgrade/Serbia. I ran another search about "Buddhist thought in Serbia" and surprisingly, I found this site for you to check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barlaam_and_Josaphat Looks like this goes waaay back.)

"All beings are from the very beginning Buddhas.

It is like water and ice: Apart from water, no ice,

Outside living beings, no Buddhas.

Not knowing it is near, they seek it afar. What a pity!

It is like one in the water who cries out with thirst;

It is like the child of a rich house who has strayed among the poor.

The cause of our circling through the six worlds

Is that we are on the dark paths of ignorance.

Dark path upon dark path treading,

When shall we escape from birth-and-death? "

- Hakuin, 1689-1769

Song of Meditation

Join ABC Wednesday at: http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/

Anybody home?

A very frosty and misty morning along the Sava river. Some of these houseboats may be inhabited throughout the year on a regular basis, but most are summer weekend homes for Belgraders. Mighty chilly now, I bet.

The phantom chimney

Does a smoking shadow contribute to pollution?

Cold morning on Skadarlija street

Skadarlija (skah-DAR-lee-yah) is an area in the Belgrade municipality of Stari Grad (Old town) and generally considered the main bohemian quarter of Belgrade, styled as the Belgrade Montmartre. The history of Skadarlija began in the 1830s with a settlement of gypsies. in the mid-1800's, the gypsy hovels had been replaced by brick buildings into which artisans, caterers, petty clerks and others moved. The whole locality was referred to as the Gypsy Quarter until 1872, when the street was named after the town of Skadar, which was part of the Serbian medieval state (today Shkodër in Albania). Skadarska ulica, Serbian for "Skadar street", is still the official name. Skadarlija began to acquire its bohemian character in the last few decades of the 19th century, and particularly after 1901,when the well-known Dardaneli inn was demolished and its guests, prominent writers and actors, moved to the Skadarlija inns or kafanas. In this photo, the snow covers the original cobblestone streets.

Serbia calling!

What is it they say about fashion? You want something because everybody has it or nobody has it. This cell phone holder in the form of a Serbian 'opanak,' would definitely fall into the latter category. Make yourself the envy of all your Serbian friends with one of these...and if you don't have any Serbian friends, you're bound to make some when you carry your phone like this! (Maybe Maxwell Smart would like one for his collection.)

Burning the Yule branch

The badnjak (BAHD-nyak) is a central feature in the traditional Serbian Christmas celebration. It is the log that a family solemnly brings into the house in the evening of Serbian Christmas Eve (January 6th), and puts on the fire. The tree for the badnjak, preferably a young and straight oak, is felled and stripped of its branches early in the morning of Christmas Eve. The burning of the badnjak is accompanied by prayers so that the coming year may bring plenty of happiness, love, luck, riches, and food. The ideal environment to fully carry out these customs is the traditional multi-generation country household. Since most Serbs live today in towns and cities, the log is symbolically represented by several leaved oak twigs that can be bought at marketplaces or received in churches.

My son and I burned ours on our terrace on Serbian Christmas morning (January 7th), as you can see in the photo above.

Dogs on Thursday: 250+ and counting...

Meet Katja, who lives on a strip of land about 12 x 80 meters (approx. 39 x 263 feet) outside of Belgrade with over 250 dogs that she cares for by herself and with the help of a few occasional volunteers. Katja has a heart of gold, and cannot refuse a dog. Some are left at her gate, some are thrown over the fence (yes...) and some she finds while walking to buy her bread. Conditions are pretty bad, and worse, it's almost impossible for these dogs to find homes, for few people would want to brave entering to choose one. Katja knows all the dogs by name, and they respond to their names. By law, she has to have them vaccinated and neutered, though accidents happen. She feeds them largely through donations of bread, bones, and fat. Believe it or not, this place was Bibi's first home. She was abandoned here with her two sisters as puppies, and an old female developed milk to nurse them. Then along I came, and the rest is history.

Some say these dogs would be better off fending for themselves on the street. (Belgrade has a stray dog problem, and there are many strays.) What do you say?

ABC Wednesday "Y" is for 'yogurt"

Whether you spell it 'yogurt,' 'yoghurt,' or 'jogurt' as they do here, it's good stuff. High in protein, calcium, riboflavin, and vitamin B, the thick kind is good to eat with a spoon by itself or as an accompaniment to certain foods, like cabbage rolls. Yogurt here is available in liquid form (which I can't drink; just not used to that!) natural flavor or with fruit added, and is packaged as you see it here. I like the cute little clay pots. I ate that yogurt after I took the photo...added some honey and nuts.

Join ABC Wednesday at: http://wednesdayabc.blogspot.com/

Merry Christmas again. Srećan Božić!

Today is Serbian Orthodox Christmas Eve. Although I am not particularly religious in the traditional sense, I did/do observe December 25th and this holiday in honor of my husband. In the top photo you can see the traditional dried fruit, nuts, garlic, oak branch, and pot of wheat grass, all holding special significance you can read more about here . The bottom photo is of the wheat grass and candle, with "my" Christmas tree behind it. Serbs don't put up trees for Christmas, but do for New Year's, both January 1st and Serbian New Year's (January 13-14th). Never-ending holiday season! Srećan Božić (SREH-chan BO-zheech) to all of you viewers who celebrate Serbian Christmas.

Frozen...?

For the past three days I've been posting photos with little color; yesterday's and today's are black and white. Perhaps it's because the weather outside has been pretty colorless too, albeit beautiful in its own way. Yesterday Belgrade Daily Photo posted a photo of crows in Kalemegdan, and today I found my own crow, perhaps one that fell victim to our recent low temperatures. But did you know that a group of crows is called a "murder," though this term usually appears in poetry rather than scientific contexts? Not sure if this bird fell victim to some sort of avicide, but I took its photo because I have an artist friend who always wants such photos; beauty in death sort of thing....

Hard times ahead?

Everyone's saying that there's a world financial crisis and that the situation is only going to worsen in 2009, but for some people, like the Roma or gypsy in this photo, nothing much is going to change. He and others like him will continue to forage around the city for necessary items to use or resell.

Birdie tracks

Pigeon tracks, I think. I like the little trail that its back claw makes.

Red Nose Day on Open Heart Street

“Open Heart Street” is a January 1st tourist and art event, which was established in1988, representing one of the most important street events in Belgrade. It is organized by the Tourist Organization of Belgrade, Theater Atelier 212, and the Old Town Municipality, under the auspices of the Assembly of the City of Belgrade. Each year this event focuses on a particular cause and this year funds collected through the sale of red clown noses will go to the Doctors-Clowns project. I got there too late for the noses, but it was so cold, mine was naturally red, and probably got redder after the free mulled wine I sampled. For a photo of mulled wine sellers, see Belgrade Daily Photo's post here .

Happy New Year!

I didn't enter the Theme Day this month, simply because it's so hard to choose a "best" photo, since I couldn't actually decide what "best" means. Best sentiment, best composition, best quick shot, the photo that readers determined best and commented the most on? So I'm simply posting a not-so-original shot taken from my porch. At midnight I stepped out to make this hand-held shot, since there are firecrackers and rockets going off all over the place in my neighborhood, and I didn't want to become an accidental target. This looks a bit like a war zone, I think, since you can see the smoke from some of the city fireworks in the sky on the right.