Saturday, December 31, 2011

WEEKEND REFLECTION--A Dentist's Dream Part II

How's this for red? You may remember my other post from last October, which was also a dentist's dream. I think these are even stickier.

These tooth and filling-tuggers are for sale on Belgrade's Republic Square, which is all ready for New Year's Eve celebrations.

What are you doing tonight?

See other reflections at James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

Friday, December 30, 2011

SKYWATCH--The Avala Tower

In the background on the hill stands the newly-constructed Avala Tower that was leveled during the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999. If you want a little souvenir of it, you can buy one of these.

See other skies at SKYWATCH.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Won't you please buy my flowers?

It was just above freezing late the other night when I walked with my friend downtown. We passed this elderly man selling flowers and couldn't resist. She bought one of his fresh bouquets and I bought a dried arrangement.

Doesn't he have the sweetest face?

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

ABC WEDNESDAY--"x" is for "Xerasia"

"Xerasia" is defined as a 'condition of the hair characterized by dryness and brittleness.'

This girl's lovely red hair is definitely not brittle and dry, and that's why I whirled around to take her photo. However, it looks like the mannequin observing her doesn't have to worry about suffering from xerasia....

See other X's at ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Keep an eye on that guy

Former president of Yugoslavia Jospi Broz Tito keeps a close eye on this electrician climbing his ladder to change a light bulb.

Tito's photograph, with the Parliament building behind it, was part of an outdoor exhibit of excellent photos by Belgian photographer Jim Sumkay in Kalemegdan a few weeks ago.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to many of you. My little traveling companion, Radovan, picked some words from my mixed-up assortment of Magnetic Poetry to make a message for today. Enjoy the moment. Must say that I bought the arrangement in the basket from a lady on the market whose son is now making them...he lost his job as an electrical engineer, and jobs are scarce...

Saturday, December 24, 2011

WEEKEND REFLECTION--from us to you!

On the street Bibi and I discovered these red ornaments and are sending our photo to you.

Christmas Eve for many of you; enjoy, be at peace.


See others at James' Weekend Reflection.

Friday, December 23, 2011

SKYWATCH FRIDAY--Modern Art Museum

Misty sky over the Modern Art Museum in New Belgrade, seen from Kalemegdan Park.

See other skies at SKYWATCH FRIDAY.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Please hurry.....!

I'm always amused by creative bathroom signs, and these figures on port-a-potties on Belgrade's Republic Square to accomodate New Year's crowds caught my eye. If you click on this link, you'll find two other amusing signs.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

ABC WEDNESDAY--"W" is for "women workers"

Women workers....and winter, too. Those are my W's. This photo was actually taken last year, but it reminds me of a scene that was common when I first came here 35 years ago when you saw lots of field work by hand and horse, and few machines and tractors.

See other W's at ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Devil's Town

In an earlier post, I showed you some snow globes, one of which contained a tiny version of these pinnacles at Djavolja Varoš (DJAH vole-yuh VAH-rush) or "Devil's Town" in Southern Serbia. I have visited this place twice, and am looking forward to returning. It's hard to tell the scale here, but the 'towers' are anywhere from 6-30 feet tall.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Just me and my bunny

While walking Bibi downtown the other day, I ran into this sweet man who was walking his bunny.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Sunday Bridges--just for kids

There's always a bridge to be found if one looks hard enough. Here is a piece of playground equipment that I'd overlooked before...a bridge, but I guess not really just for kids. I went up to see if I could get a shot of something.

See other bridges at Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Weekend Reflection--the walker

These reflective walls are located in Tasmajdan Park downtown....they can throw you off a bit if you're not careful, or if you are a dog. Bibi barked and chased herself for a minute before she realized what was going on.... and that bird on the right looks like it may have had a close call, too.

See other reflections at James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Change some money to buy a tie....

Times are hard, and some people can't get by with just one job. This tie shop that I showed you couple of years back is now also an exchange office!

Change some money and buy yourself a tie, too.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

ABC Wednesday--"V" is for "very visible"

There are some days when I can do hip shots and not be seen, and others where I'm certain I might have been seen. I was far away from these ladies and this is a cropped photo taken with a wide angle, so I'm not sure they're really looking at me...or maybe they are. But how about that guy and the lady in the background? I think they may be looking at these fashionably dressed ladies...

Maybe I was Very Visible.

See other V's at ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Laundry day

I'm always looking for open doorways that lead into courtyards and unexpected finds. I like the colors on this laundry. For those of you who may not know, the 'sheet' in the middle with a diamond shape cut out is a quilt cover...just push the quilt through and adjust!

Monday, December 12, 2011

This is MY space!

Parking spaces are precious in a big city, and although it's not permitted to park on 'green areas', some do... This space is far from green, but it's been staked out and locked up. Who's got the key?

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Sunday Bridges--again, but different...

It's this same bridge again, but from a different angle down Pariska Street. On the left you see part of the French Embassy, and the aqua roof belongs to the Austrian Embassy. The spires of the new bridge are so large, it's hard to escape them.

See other bridges on Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Weekend Reflection--'snow'balls

Holiday time is approaching, as is obvious from the little Santa ball and the manger scene behind it. Also visible is the new Avala Tower that replaced the one destroyed during the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia, Saint Sava's cathedral, and the stone formations at Djavolja Varos in southern Serbia, a place I've been to, but haven't posted photos...I will.

See other reflections at James'WEEKEND REFLECTION.

Friday, December 9, 2011

SKYWATCH--so similar...

While waiting for my friend the other night, I snapped this photo of some clouds, which remind me very much of these clouds that I photographed in my friend's home town of New York City two years ago.

See other skies at SKYWATCH.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

A nun

Draped in her classic habit plus a winter coat, this nun tackles Belgrade's streets.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

ABC Wednesday--"U" is for "Underworld"

And here you thought the entrance to the Underworld existed only in mythology; the departed descend to meet Charon, who is waiting down there to ferry them across the Styx.

Not so....we have our own version of the Underworld right here in Belgrade, as do many cities like London, Paris, Moscow....you'll only find trains, crowds of people, and who knows, perhaps someone from another kind of Underworld...

See other U's at ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

A potato by any other name....

...is still a potato.... I was excited a few days ago to hear from Jelena, author of Food for Thought, a mouth-watering food blog in English and Serbian, that they're now selling sweet potatoes/yams in local markets! Off I set in hot pursuit...found the potatoes in the photo at a local supermarket. They're called batati and are grown here. They look like sweet potatoes, but....they're not. Even though their form is almost identical and their skin a bit reddish, they're a type of white potato that is sweeter in taste than a regular potato.

But I ate them, and they're good! Thanks anyway, Jelena!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Dreaming...

...of fame and fortune, or simply dreaming? This young boy was playing along with two of his friends on Belgrade's pedestrian street, Knez Mihailova.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Sunday Bridges--Prague

Short of a Belgrade bridge this week, so here is a view from a bridge of St. Vitus' Cathedral in Prague, where I was in early November for a wedding.

See other bridges at Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Weekend Reflection "Outside of a dog..."

American comedian Groucho Marx (1895-1977) once said, "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."

Perhaps this stray dog outside Belgrade's City Library is waiting to be someone's best friend...if that person doesn't pick a book instead.

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

Friday, December 2, 2011

SKYWATCH..."Om..."

...or maybe it's "Mo" in this photo, since the "Om", the sacred/mystical symbol in Indian religions, appears backwards in this photo taken through my kitchen window...foggy sky with a rosy tint.

See other skies at SKYWATCH.

CROSS-CULTURE BREAKFAST

  Have been in India one week. I brought my hostess some ajvar, which she found goes very well on a chapati.