Wednesday, June 30, 2010

ABC Wednesday "X" is for "xenial"

"Xenial" means "hospitable, especially to visiting strangers or foreigners." The other day I visited my friend, Olja (OHL-ya), who had traveled with me to India last December. Like all Serbs, she's definitely hospitable, or xenial. For my visit she'd prepared Serbian plum dumplings, which I hadn't eaten for a long time.

I think I'll pay Olja another visit soon....

See what other bloggers have done with the letter X at ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Hold still!

Hold still is what I wanted this dragonfly (I think it is, but it may be something else....) to do. It flitted all around, hardly touching down for a second. But I got him...and he's looking at the camera, too.

(And yes, that's sunlight you see, finally! I hope it sticks around.)

Monday, June 28, 2010

This little piggy...

At the end of the school year a short while back there was a garage sale. I cannot resist garage sales. I bought the 'waiter and customer at the table' salt and pepper shakers, which I of course do not need. I brought them home to join some other pigs I remembered I had.

Perhaps these will all end up one day at another garage sale, if I decide to part with them.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

SUNDAY BRIDGES: the bridges of my noses

I'm counting on our blogger friend's sense of humor to allow me to post these two 'bridges' upon which I rest my reading glasses. They're called Picasso's Noses. Click on that link to see many more! I think the one on the left looks more like Picasso's real nose, while the one on the right looks like Salvador Dali's. Or maybe Mrs. Dali's, given the lips. The National Museum of Serbia houses two of Picasso's works, 'Interior with Three Figures' (1929) and 'Head of a Woman' (1909).



This post is part of our fun-loving Louis La Vache's Sunday Bridges.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

REFLECTIONS WEEKEND: Floodwaters still

We've had so much rain recently....nearly all spring was rainy and the first few days of summer, well, ditto.... All this makes for flooding. Above you see the reflection of a houseboat/cafe. The two cement structures in the foreground are the backs of benches, which of course are too wet to sit on.... If I were to stand in the water, the tops of the bench would reach my waist, and I'm about 5'7" (170 cm.) The whole lower sidewalk between the benches and the usually short bridge to the houseboat has been flooded.

This post is for James'Reflections Weekend.

Friday, June 25, 2010

SKYWATCH FRIDAY-painting between storms

They say it's summer, but I'm not sure. Aside from a few days recently, it's been rain and clouds. This fellow along the Danube in Zemun (ZAY-moon) is risking painting his boat between storms...

Check out other skies at SKYWATCH.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Raspberries....

Yum. I love raspberries, and Serbian raspberries are the best. They're exported far and wide. To read more, have a look at this site. Currently, they're about $1.70 a pound.

Do you eat your berries with or without sugar?

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

ABC Wednesday 'W' is for 'Wow!'

I have to admit I hesitated before posting this, but this girl looked so fantastic in her bikini I had to 'treat' you to her. I don't think, no, I know I never looked even half this good. I'm glad the girl on the bike can't see her boyfriend's expression. "Wow" is the word.

Check out other "W's" on ABC Wednesday.

Addendum: Just to clarify--I snapped this photo from the hip at a safe distance, then cropped it. Her feet (she was wearing flip-flops) were not in the original photo; that's the down-side of hip-shooting! She IS near a beach of sorts, albeit grass, along the Sava River where many people go to sunbathe.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Functional

This is certainly not one of Belgrade's more attractive fountains (or even one of its more refreshing ones like this one, but it IS doing its duty as a fountain by spouting water.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Cactus flowers

I have no green thumb. The only plants that do well for me are those that need either a lot of water or no water. I am always pleased when one of my cacti blooms like this one did. If you remember, I 'deflowered' one of my cacti last year when my tripod fell over on it. I took no chances with this one; used a long lens and no tripod.

Today is my mother's 86th birthday! Happy Birthday, Mother! Beginning of summer, too!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sunday Bridges: "Roll out the barrel...or roll it in..."

The old drinking song goes "Roll out the barrel, we'll have a barrel of fun...." Here is a delivery man carrying out a barrel while another one rolls one in. Imagine the diners on the floating restaurants had a barrel of fun anyway, if in no other way than crossing these impromptu bridges, since recent high waters on both the Danube and the Sava rivers have caused some flooding.

Enjoy your Sunday.... This photo is part of Louis La Vache's Sunday Bridges.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Reflections weekend--Little girl in pink

Sneaked a photo (a hip shot) of this little girl down by the Sava River where she was waiting for the shuttle boat to the island in the river.

This post is for James' REFLECTIONS WEEKEND.

Friday, June 18, 2010

SKYWATCH--The BIG setting sun

This huge sun said 'Good night' to me when I went out the other evening to take Bibi for her walk.

See other skies at SKYWATCH FRIDAY.

P.S. Changed my banner today. I think this is the family of geese you saw here , almost all grown up.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Pesky and useful

When I was growing up in Pennsylvania, this plant was considered a weed. We kids used to make a loop of them stem and shoot the tops off at each other. However, plantago lanceolata , also called ribwort plantain, is a plant often used in herbal remedies.

Maybe. But I still think it's fun to shoot the tops off.

P.S. I'm adding this at 9 p.m. my time since Chuck and Louis were interested in how to pop the heads off this weed! Well, just to show you that you can find EVERYTHING on the Internet, have a look HERE.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

ABC Wednesday "V" is for "variegated"

I don't collect rocks...or then again, perhaps I do. I have two baskets full of stones I've picked up here and there during my travels. Variegated they are, or at least most of them.

Do you collect anything?

Visit other V's at ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

It's hot.....

This past weekend the men were all watching the World Cup, so if ladies wanted anything handy done, it was do-it-yourself time. This young woman is assembling a fan, a much-needed item to ease the heat we've been having.

Monday, June 14, 2010

CUPCAKES!!!

Yes, these are cupcakes, or rather 'cup cakes,' since the World Cup started this past weekend in South Africa. This post goes out for all cake lovers and especially for Marie-Noyale of Larchmont Daily Photo, who posted mouthwatering cupcakes last Saturday.


Sunday, June 13, 2010

SUNDAY BRIDGES-- The Goose Bridge

A family of geese has temporarily taken over this dilapidated bridge that once led to a platform in the Sava River. The gander was quite concerned when I took his photo....

This post is for Louis La Vache's Sunday Bridges meme.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Reflections Weekend "Upside-down"

This post is for James' Reflections Weekend. Last March I took this photo of a flooded bench, which is now dry and usable. The above photo shows an upside-down metal something-or-other that someone junked...in the river....oh.

Friday, June 11, 2010

SKYWATCH --shades of deja vu


I must admit: I cheated. This is a photo I posted on my third day of blogging back in March 2008. It didn't attract any comments, but I like this photo and so I'm reposting it. Plus, the scene has not changed at all anyway...same beautiful sunsets and little boats. Here's what I wrote back then:

"Here's another one of Belgrade's 17 municipalities, situated along the right bank of the Danube on marshy land, with its main settlements built further from the river. Zemun (ZAY-moon) itself was built right on the bank, 100 meters above sea level. It's wonderful to walk in just about any season along the river (sidewalks being upgraded into an even lovelier riverside walk). You can enjoy the view, have coffee, a drink, lunch or dinner at one of numerous cafes and restaurants (outdoor terraces are open as much as possible!) There are several great fish restaurants in particular."

Check out other bloggers' skies at SKYWATCH.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Al Capone lives...sort of.


Al Capone, the notorious American gangster, would have been 111 this year. This mural is one of many murals (not all of gangsters!) that adorn a number of Belgrade walls. Is it art or defacement? You decide.
By the way, the writing around him says the following:
We change years, we change our dreams, we change pens, we change weapons,we change our minds, we change our racketeering, we change girlfriends, we change money; but never our friends!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

ABC Wednesday 'U' is for 'Uninterrupted'

I've seen 0-24 hour signs indicating that businesses work round the clock, but this car wash in New Belgrade really does offer uninterrupted service, even adding an extra hour for you! You get an extra U here with 'ulaz,' which means 'entrance.'

See what other U's bloggers have come up with on ABC WEDNESDAY.



Tuesday, June 8, 2010

I'm watching you...

For the most part, cats make me nervous. This is my friend's cat, and I think it knows I prefer dogs...gosh, I don't even know if it is a he or a she...

Monday, June 7, 2010

The wedding dress race

Yesterday on Nikola Pasic square a wedding dress race was held. Although these three girls look like they could be off to the church, they were actually three of the 120 participants ready to compete in the what-will-probably-turn-out-to-be annual 'Wedding Dress Race." Wedding dresses were supplied by the race's organizers. The lucky first-prize winner won a trip for two to Slovenia and a subscription to
"Venčanje" (Wedding) magazine. The second-place winner won a trip for two to Serbia's mountain resort, Zlatibor, while the participant chosen at the end of the race as 'Miss Wedding Dress Race" won two tickets for last night's Bob Dylan concert at the Belgrade Arena. And by the way, did you know Bob Dylan wrote a song called "Wedding Song?" I didn't. You can read the lyrics right here.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Bridges Sava Center and the two bridges


With all this stolen photo business, I've been attempting to resize my photos. I cropped this one beforehand anyway, and resized it and it turned out tiny and pixellated. I will get better. Here you see Sava Center, a conference hall complex with two bridges. The one with the cars links part of the old city with New Belgrade and I cross it every day.

Check out other bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Reflections Weekend - Mineral Water with Lemon

While waiting for my friend and while sitting upwind of the two smoking gentlemen the other day, I snapped this photo for James' Reflections Weekend. Notice how there's an ashtray on every table, no matter what.... I like how they put the receipt for the mineral water in a little glass so it won't blow away.

Friday, June 4, 2010

SKYWATCH--the heating plant towers


In New Belgrade there is a heating plant with two tall and two medium-sized red and white towers. Here they are under a dramatic sky. Sorry to say our rain continues, but it does yield some great skies and clouds.

See other skies at SKYWATCH FRIDAY.

Notice the warning above the photo? Many CDP photobloggers are having their photos stolen by that site. Support us and help bring them down by flying the banner, too! See the CDP forum or write to a blogger displaying that banner.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Green leaves and fly


It was only after I enlarged this photo to make a more attractive composition that I noticed the fly!

Notice the banner above my photo? Many CDP bloggers have had their work stolen by that site. Check the CDP forum for details or write to me or another blogger who features this banner.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

ABC Wednesday "T" is for "'Tunnel"


Belgrade's main downtown tunnel is often really, really crowded and stinky and I hold my breath when I go through, if possible. There wasn't much traffic when I passed through the other day, and while waiting for the light to change at the other end, I snapped this photo of a motorcyclist in her high heels.

Check out other T's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

THEME DAY--Funny Signs "Falsies"


I wear Falsies! Maybelline Falsies, that is. This mascara is a far cry from what falsies were when I was growing up. Some have chosen to replace those by silicon implants...

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Note: Did you notice the banner above my photo? Many CDP photobloggers' photos are being stolen. If you're a photoblogger, you could be next. Check the CDP forum for the banner, or write me and I will send it to you.

MOTHER AND SON PIZZA

When hunger strikes...