And now, by special request...

This isn't a photo that will probably attract a lot of attention from most of you in Bloggerland, but I received a request from a Serbian gentleman in the U.S. for a " view from center of sidewalk in front of Albania building toward London intersection - sort of a wide angle view of both sides of the street," so here it is. Terazije is Belgrade's designated center, and derives its name from when the Turks had water brought in from the springs from a nearby community. A water tower was erected on the location of the present fountain at Terazije and the square was named after the Turkish word for water tower, terazi (literally, water scales). On this photo you can just make out the green-tiled pointed spires of Hotel Moskva.

I hope you like the photo....

I finally found some mailboxes!

This post is for Marie at Vintage Postcards, who wanted me to show her what Serbian mailboxes looked like. The more I thought about, I realized I hadn't seen a mailbox on the street/wall for a long, long time, so I went hunting. These are two that I found, but they are right smack in front of post offices. This got me thinking of my experiences when I first came here 32 years ago when you could actually find mailboxes all over. However, most people I knew then preferred to take their letters directly to the post office, since they said the wall boxes weren't reliable, i.e. the mailman never picked up the contents or else did so very sporadically. I guess it must have been true, for the only ones I've seen now are right in front of post offices...but then why bother putting your mail in when you can be sure it gets picked up if you take it inside? Hmmm. Point to ponder.

Like my new banner? Thanks goes to Adam from Balkan File for resizing my photo!

Happy Birthday to my Baby Boy

At 31, my son is hardly a baby anymore, but as all mothers who read this know, we always tend to think of them as "baby boy" and 'baby girl". Above is an arrangement I made for my son's birthday, similar to the one I made for my daughter last October. You can see his first bunny, tiny moccasins, a cat/fox (never could tell), his much-loved Curious George (original nose was chewed off), a soap carving, a carved owl, a dragster, a Swiss Army knife, and a little Serbian boy candle, all arranged on his first knitted blanket. Gosh, how time flies. Happy Birthday, "Baby Boy," and many, many more. Your sister and I love you, and I know your father is with us all today.

ABC Wednesday "F" is for "Fruška Gora Feline"

Fruška Gora (FROOSH-kah GORE-ah) is a mountain in the north of Serbia, sometimes also called the Jewel of Vojvodina, for its beautiful landscapes, nature and countryside. It's not a full-blown mountain, but rather a mount whose name derives from the old Serbian name for the Frankish people: Fruzi. The full translation of "Fruška Gora" would be "Frankish Mountain," and it received this name due to its function as a natural border during Frankish campaigns. During the time of the Roman Empire, its name was Alma Mons "Fertile Mount". Today this mount is best known for its wonderful fruit, nuts, and honey, and is also home to over 12 Orthodox Monasteries.

My photo wasn't taken on Fruška Gora, but rather on Fruška Gora Street in Belgrade, where the other 'f,' the feline, happened to pose nicely for me.

Join ABC Wednesday right here .

Waiting for the water taxi

In the top photo, a man awaits the arrival of the yellow water taxi, which arrived a few moments later, and he hopped on. He'll be transported across to the river island you see in the background, where he may have a houseboat, or might just be visiting friends. The cat didn't go with him...

Note the killer icicle in the bottom photo. Though this one doesn't pose any clear danger*, there have been a couple of cases of icicles falling on passers-by downtown.

*Although in the photo it appears likely to fall on boats passing by, the icicle is hanging too close to the deck's outer side to be of any real danger.

Beware of the crows!

Life is tough for Belgrade's street dogs, especially in the winter. This fellow is holding tight to his bone that the crows seem to be attracted to...unless they want the dog himself. I've seen crows dive-bomb dogs to divert them from their food, then snatch it.

In Austria and on the Titanic

Bermet (BEAR-met) is an elegant dessert wine, produced according to recipes held secret by a handful of families in the town of Sremski Karlovci (see the sign on the van) in Vojvodina, Serbia, about 50 kilometers north of Belgrade. The red or white wine is sweet, usually between 16 and 18% alcohol, with a pleasant mixture of spices and herbs. Every family has its own recipe, so you won’t find two Bermet that are the same.

Bermet but can also be served as an aperitif. In the old days, Bermet was very popular among the aristocracy of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and the Viennese court purchased it in large quantities. Several varieties of Bermet were found on the Titanic's wine list on its maiden and ill-fated journey.

This lady has saved her customers the trouble by coming to Belgrade in her van and setting up a street stand.

Africa in Belgrade

Located in Senjak (SEN-yak), one of Belgrade's most beautiful residential areas, the Museum of African Art is the only museum in the country dedicated entirely to the culture and arts of the African continent. After many years of having acquired art throughout West Africa, Veda and Dr. Zdravko Pečar formed an extraordinary collection, which they donated to the City of Belgrade, and in 1977 the Museum of African Art was established. The collection now consists of over 1700 authentic objects of art from Mali, Senegal, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Togo, Cameroon, and Congo. Along with numerous masks and wooden sculptures, the Museum's permanent exhibit displays other objects made of various media for magical or decorative purpose.

This photo shows a typical West African dwelling, which stands on the grounds of the Museum.

Read more about the Museum here

P.S. I would like to thank Jacob of FloridaFotos for the Creative Blogger Award on the sidebar!

Two walkers in the snow

I'm always intrigued by people using umbrellas when it snows. For me, umbrellas are just for rain, but then a bumbershoot IS perhaps practical for snow. Try as I might, I just can't get the smaller walker shown here to carry an umbrella.

Through my windshield

It's snowing, snowing, snowing, and it's the wet kind. This photo was taken a couple of days ago when I ventured out by car with Bibi to the river park along the Danube. This is a view through my windshield, but of course I was parked....otherwise you'd have gotten a close-up of tree bark.

ABC Wednesday "E" is for "expectations"

These workmen are looking at a billboard of the complex that will occupy the plot in front of them where one building is already going up. After many years of stagnancy, new buildings are mushrooming all over Belgrade. Some are locally financed, while others like the one you see her, are from foreign investments.

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

Big, broad Branko's Bridge

This is such a classic shot, but I couldn't resist snapping away. Branko's Bridge that you can read about in my very posting here is the main bridge that links the older part of the city with New Belgrade, from where I took this photo.

An upcoming celebration....

My daughter got engaged this past weekend to a great guy she's been seeing for some time now. Her brother and I are so happy for her, and we know her father is somehow watching over her, too. In this photo along with the champagne bottle and glasses is my husband's wedding ring, which I keep where I can see it every day. May she and her future husband have many, many happy years together, as her father and I did. Stay tuned for a wedding photo sometime this year. (Most Serbs celebrate a happy occasion with rakija (RAH-kee-yuh), a strong brandy made usually from plums, but I find it too strong, and prefer champagne.)

My photo in a museum...sort of.

Snow has recently fallen quite heavily on Belgrade, making driving (at least for me) quite difficult. This weekend is part of a three-day one, Monday being a holiday (40 days after Serbian Orthodox Christmas.) Except for some long dog walks, I plan mainly to just squirrel up and look at the snow outside, sort of like the folks in this photo are doing. They're gazing at the same scene I have from my kitchen window. If you'd like to create your own museum photos and some other fun ones, see here .

I need a Valentine!!!

People who wear their heart on their sleeve do not hold back their emotions, for good or for bad. It is clear how they feel in each moment. I don't see a heart on this young man's sleeve, but he's sure got one on his left cheek, and he's obviously looking for a Valentine! This is an on-the-sly photo, and I left a bit later without seeing if he had a matching heart on the other cheek. I wonder if he had any luck in finding a girl!

Friday the 13th!

"Don't walk under a ladder" is a superstition that has a base in reality, for something from above could fall on your head. I wouldn't be so worried about anything falling from above this ladder, but you needn't be superstitious to realize you probably shouldn't climb on it.

This photo was taken last summer in the town of Vranje in southern Serbia, but I thought it was appropriate for today. Note the wall behind and its various layers--paint, plaster, and a kind of adobe (mud with straw.)

Note that today is the first of three Friday the 13ths this year, the other two being in March and November. If you are paraskavedekatriaphobic, you'll be watching out for those days.

Silhouette of spring

It's been warm and cold off and on, and on Tuesday when I took this photo, it was cold and gray. But you can see that new buds are bursting out, while there's still a dead leaf hanging on. Symbolic.

ABC Wednesday "D" is for 'dangerous'

Isn't this a lethal-looking display? I took this photo on a Sunday when this "oštrač" (sharpener's) shop was closed. I love the sign that reads (literally translated) "Sharpener of tailor's and hairdresser's scissors." Just below that it reads "manicure." Hmm.... I think I'd prefer to go to the salon a few doors down.

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

Snowdrops

Snowdrops are known here as 'visibabe' (VEE-see-bah-bay) and are among the first bulbs to bloom in spring, although certain species flower in late autumn and winter. I didn't find these growing in the woods, but bought them on the green market, roots and all. I think the little peasant lady who sold them hadn't dug them up either (or at least I hope not,) but had grown them herself.

Sava River line-up

Last Friday we had some very early and very warm weather. I liked the way the boats in the foreground were lined up, just as are the houseboats, the trees on a river island, and even the buildings visible in the background.

Home Sweet Home

Most street dogs here live a really rough life. The lucky ones are fed by kind people, but often have to resort to finding shelter where they can during cold and inclement weather. I've followed this little guy's life over the past year. As a puppy, he was cared for by the construction workers from the apartment complex in the background, sleeping wherever he could find a place. Now the workers have gone, and it seems someone else has made an elaborate home for him. He's got a waterproof house with a terrace, two doors, comfy blanketing inside, and a roof decorated with a dog motif! A dog's life indeed!

Almost symmetrical

I waited for another passer-by to walk in from the left, but no one ever did. It was cold, so I just snapped this lone walker and settled for 'almost symmetrical.'

Remember Yugoslavia?

I promised Marie of Vintage Postcards (http://www.cpaphilblog.com--her link is on my sidebar) that I'd participate in her postcard Friday, so here's my contribution. She said the post need not necessarily be a postcard, so I'm showing you two letters with stamps from the former Yugoslavia, the country to which I arrived nearly 32 years ago. The one on top dates from 1982, and the other from 1977. You can see a bit of artwork on both, and many heads of Josip Broz Tito.

Boom!

How's this for wall art? This is one of the more elaborate ones I've seen.

ABC Wednesday "C" is for "catastrophe"

Belgrade has quite a number of 'floating restaurants,' which are especially popular in nicer weather when you can sit outside on their outdoor decks. This one, by the name of Argument, sprang a leak, and this may be one business that won't manage to stay afloat.... Sorry---couldn't resist the bad pun.

Join ABC Wednesday here

Guard that barge!

Cold and lonely, but on duty. This Rottweiler stands guard on a barge on the Danube. From what I could see on the rest of the barge (not shown here), there doesn't seem to be much to stand watch over.

"Bibi" is older today than yesterday....

...but then, who isn't? Today though, I would have to add a new digit when writing my age. It's Groundhog's day, too. Behind this scrumptious chocolate cake I made (to be eaten later on with friends, plus a generous serving of vanilla ice cream), is me when I was one, and in front is a stuffed groundhog given to me by a friend.

I'd been tagged by Therese in Chandler and Soulbrush, so I am writing with some delay six random things about me:

1. I love to shop at thrift shops and garage sales;
2. I open books to smell the paper;
3. When I'm feeling under the weather, I eat plain spaghetti with lots of garlic and olive oil;
4. My favorite weather is autumn, cool and crisp, with the smell of burning leaves;
5. I can be a long time alone, but not lonely;
6. When I find a lost item, I go to great lengths to find its owner, much like Amelie Poulain.

So there you have it! Enjoy a piece of cybercake; wish you could really try some!

Theme Day: Paths--Does a dog have a Buddha nature?

The Noble Eightfold Path describes the way to the end of suffering, as it was laid out by Siddhartha Gautama, later known as Buddha. It is a practical guideline to ethical and mental development with the goal of freeing the individual from attachments and delusions; and it finally leads to understanding the truth about all things. The eight aspects of the path are highly interdependent principles that have to be seen in relationship with each other. The eighth principle of the path is Right Concentration. Right Concentration means concentration on wholesome thoughts and actions through meditation.

This is my old dog Daisy, who passed away two years ago at the ripe old age of 15 1/2. Toward the end she would get tired on our walks and just sit, and oddly enough, with her eyes closed. I had my friend Melissa collage a photo of her that I'd taken with one of a Buddha statue. Do dogs have a Buddha nature? For a surprising answer to this koan, check this site: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/2000/07/Does-A-Dog-Have-Buddha-Nature.aspx

Even more important, it's Bibi's birthday tomorrow, so drop by for a piece of cake!!

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