Monday, February 28, 2011

She doesn't mind the cold

As Alexa commented on my recent post in which I also referred to still another post of unclad females, there does seem to be a lot of naked bodies all over Belgrade, despite the cold. This one, discovered (uncovered?) in a downtown shopping mall passageway, seems not at all disturbed by the chilly weather.

You can click on her and check, but I don't see any goosebumps.

February's gone, and the groundhog saw his shadow, so spring, where are you?

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Sunday Bridges--Bridge to the restaurant

Looking west from Kalemegdan Park toward New Belgrade at sunset. See the little bridge leading to the restaurant?

See more bridges, leading who knows where, at Louis La Vache's Sunday Bridges.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

REFLECTIONS WEEKEND--ground chestnuts with whipped cream

Don't these cups of ground chestnut with whipped cream look good? They sell for around $2.00 each. Not a bad cake with peanuts and ground walnuts either....and that chocolate cake would be just the thing for my son's birthday today. Happy Birthday!!!

Check out other reflections on Newtown Daily Photo.

Friday, February 25, 2011

SKYWATCH FRIDAY-The theater in a church

BITEF theater is "... is an avant-garde theatre situated within a picturesque interior of a restructured Evangelistic church in the centre of Belgrade. ... its aim has been to spread Bitef festival influence which is reflected in discovering new theatre trends in Serbia, and in providing space for the artists who break traditional forms of artistic expression."

If you're concerned that a theater should not be on holy ground, this site goes on to say "The building of this edifice, financed and built by the German minority in Serbia, was started in 1940. The seal on a saved document remains as a sole evidence of the original purpose: it was meant to house a German Evangelist-Christian church. The process was brought to a standstill in 1942. As it was never either finished or sanctified, it has never acquired a status of a religious object."

BITEF stands for Belgrade International Theater Festival.

See other skies at SKYWATCH.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Faces Part II

This photo was second runner-up for the ABC WEDNESDAY post yesterday. Some budding sculptor chiseled out a face on a stone wall that I'd passed many times, but never noticed. When I uploaded the photo onto my computer, I found yet a second face.

Can you find it?

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

ABC WEDNESDAY --"F" is for "faces"

You can't make me believe, like some claim, that animals, especially dogs, do not have souls. Look at their expressions here.

This photo was taken when I accompanied a group of sixth-grade girls from the school where I teach for the second time to visit Katja, the valiant woman I wrote about here.

We gathered quite a lot of dog food, personal items for Katja, and some money to help her. But the best help would be if more kind-hearted people would adopt one of her dogs. My heart ached for the one in the middle with the straggly black hair, but Bibi would be insanely jealous.

Bibi grew up until the age of 10 months at Katja's before I adopted her.

See other F's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor dark of night....

The quotation used by the US Postal Service could pretty much apply to these taxi drivers who, while waiting for a fare, relentlessly play chess on the hood or trunk of their cars. In all seasons, too...though I really haven't seen them in the rain, but maybe they sit inside?

Are you a chess player?

Monday, February 21, 2011

Aquarius gone, now Pisces

Aquarius the Water Bearer (my sign) has departed and was replaced by Pisces, the fish. I was going to list a few of Pisces' characteristics, but the ones I read could have easily been mine, too.... This carved fish is one of two on a doorway downtown.

What sign are you, and do you believe in zodiac signs?

Sunday, February 20, 2011

SUNDAY BRIDGES--"If only there were a...."

He: Are you hungry? My treat!
She: Really? Okay! How about that restaurant boat across the river?
He: Uh...it looks kind of expensive...and there's no bridge...
She: We could walk back to the main bridge...
He: Too far. My new shoes hurt.
She: (Sigh) I knew it was too good to be true...

See (really see) more bridges at Louis La Vache's Sunday Bridges.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

REFLECTIONS WEEKEND--Fall/Winter Collection

Times are hard...these ladies are modeling the latest Fall/Winter collection... Let's hope they have central heating, drapes on their windows, and a long coat and shoes when they venture out.

Those of you who read Serbian will be doubly amused, since the sign on the door reads "Laguna Readers Club'. (Laguna is a publishing company.) But the store is now a clothing one...I think...

P.S. These aren't the same naked ladies as the ones I showed you here.

See other reflections at NEWTOWN DAILY PHOTO.

Friday, February 18, 2011

SKYWATCH FRIDAY--winter evening

A later version of my current banner.... A couple enjoys a late evening view of New Belgrade....

See other skies at SKYWATCH.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Colors, patterns, and textures

After the snow melts, a city can look really gray and dismal, especially when the sky is gray, too. A short while back, I was out on such a day, and this splash of color caught my eye. I like the different textures on the walls, too, and the patterns of the windows.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

ABC WEDNESDAY --"E" is for "Exhibit"

Excellent exhibit....a very nostalgic one, of photographs from older Belgrade....

You can see that Branko's Bridge looks pretty much the same right here, but there's no beach now.

See others E's at ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Autumn leaves

I know it isn't autumn, but that's the first thing that came to mind when I saw this lady in Kalemegdan Park. I envy people that can carry this off. People would stare at me if I attempted to go out like this.

I like what she's wearing, though it isn't for me. Do you?

Monday, February 14, 2011

Hug your Valentine today...

Did you say, "Awww..."? Snapped this pink pet in the bus. It was a young girl hugging it, not a child, as you might have thought.

I hope you all have your special Valentine...I lost mine over two years ago...

Sunday, February 13, 2011

SUNDAY BRIDGES--a bridge AND a cow!

Louis, am I the first to post a bridge AND a cow?? This photo of course is not from Belgrade, but from Udaipur, India, that I visited during my recent trip to India. My friend Olya in the background was unsure whether to pass this peaceful bovine, so I went by her first...and took the photo.

See other bridges (but probably not with cows on them) at Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

REFLECTIONS WEEKEND--Moscow today....no...wait....

No, it's not Moscow, as you might think from the red poster behind these members of Belgrade's special forces. The poster is advertising renovations to Hotel Moskva, (Hotel Moscow) which I've shown you several times. These well-padded boys were stationed for possible reactions to a recent political protest meeting. All was peaceful....

Check out more reflections on Newtown Daily Photo.

Friday, February 11, 2011

SKYWATCH FRIDAY--Sky patterns

This dissipated airplane trail resembles knuckle bones, I think, and the reflections from my lens make the photo look like some sort of artwork.

See other skies at SKYWATCH FRIDAY.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

"Death to Fascism, freedom to the people!"

Death to fascism, freedom to the people!” was a Yugoslav Partisan motto, later the official slogan of the entire Resistance movement.

The slogan became popular after death of Croatian Partisan Stjepan Filipović. As he was about to be hanged on May 22, 1942, he defiantly thrust his hands upward and denounced the Germans and their Axis allies as murderers. A subsequently-famous photograph was taken from which a statue was cast.

These busts stand in Kalemegdan Park.


Wednesday, February 9, 2011

ABC WEDNESDAY "D" is for "desire"

Buddha said that the cause of all unhappiness is Desire. If you cannot have something, you become frustrated and unhappy. I desired this lamp when I saw it in the window of an Indian/Asian shop downtown.

I am happy (Yes, I am!) to say that I no longer desire this lamp....because I bought it....

It is true that the lamp itself does not make me happy; my friends and family do.

But I DO enjoy looking at it...

See more d's at ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Boiled young beef with horse radish....

Doesn't this look good? Well, it was! And so were the grilled peppers with chopped garlic you can also see. Not to mention the two glasses of mulled wine I had....it was cold out....

This meal was enjoyed at this kafana that I wrote about a while back.

Apologies to Louis La Vache for having consumed this young beef....

Monday, February 7, 2011

Not dirty, just looks that way....

I was intrigued by these curtains at the the kafana that I showed you a while ago (and where I ate the yummy meal I am going to show you tomorrow). I love their folds, but they do look a bit dirty....but they're not; that's just the color...

Sunday, February 6, 2011

SUNDAY BRIDGES--two in the mist

Two bridges in the mist on a cold, cold day. The darker one in the foreground is Branko's bridge, while the green one (you can tell it's green, right?) in the back is the Sava Bridge.

See other bridges at Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES

Saturday, February 5, 2011

REFLECTIONS WEEKEND--Don't jump...

Sort of does look like the statue of the woman is about to make a fatal leap off of this modern building on Knez Mihailova....but I checked again today and she's still there.

See more reflections at James' Reflection Weekend.

Friday, February 4, 2011

SKYWATCH FRIDAY---three domes

A crisp, black sky for you....with three domes. The one in the foreground is the top of a kiosk, and the other two are domes on Belgrade's Parliament building.

See other skies of all colors at SKYWATCH.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

ABC WEDNESDAY-"C" is for "Chocolate Cake"

....aaannnd "celebration," since today, lest you have forgotten, is my birthday! Enjoy a piece of "cyber cake" (more c's!) Take your pick!

See other c's on
ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

THEME DAY- Fountains...

If they hadn't turned off the water on this fountain for the winter, the lovely beaded drops you see would be icicles. This fountain, across the way from the statue of Vuk Karadzic, a well-known Serbian scholar, is a refreshing sight in the summer, when this photo was taken. If you'd like to read more about Vuk Karadzic, click on his name!

To see other fountains, maybe some frozen ones,Click here to view thumbnails for all participants


MOTHER AND SON PIZZA

When hunger strikes...