Thursday, January 31, 2013

Tito's Moon rock


Yes, it's a piece of moon rock, presented by the crew of Apollo 17 when they visited Belgrade in 1973, not long after that mission.  The little flag, like those of many other nations, was carried aboard the spaceship and given to Marshal Josip Broz Tito along with the small piece of rock. That's Marhsal Tito in the lower photo, second from the right, and his wife, Jovanka on the left of the astronaut.

Took those photos during a visit to an excellent exhibit on Yugoslavia....a country which of course has disintegrated. 

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

ABC Wednesday C" is for "cold"

And cold it was on my bus ride up to Kopaonik Mountain during the winter holidays.  Snapped this photo through the bus window.

See other C's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

My laundry fetish

I have shown you laundry so many times I don't dare add all the links. Love these towels. It's courageous to hang laundry out in the winter. I wonder when they'll dry.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Guarding the gallery




A rainy evening out and I didn't bring my big camera. A cell phone photo. Sure wish I'd had the biggie for this one.  I guess the dog is guarding the gallery, not that this lady couldn't fend anyone off by herself.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Sunday Bridges--Under the bridge

Another Minox Classic Digital Camera 5.1 shot.  Its photos give sort of a retro look.

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

Saturday, January 26, 2013

WEEKEND REFLECTION---classic cookware updated


Metal enamel cookware, made in Gornji Milanovac, Serbia, has been around for a long time. I still have an old red pot with white polka dots that reminds me of the old Yugoslavia....I saw one in a museum recently.


Metalac even has a Facebook page for those of you can read Serbian.

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

Friday, January 25, 2013

SKYWATCH--the path

Playing with my little MINOX camera, which I often carry with me in inclement weather.  The sun was slowly coming out, no one was around except me and my dog.

See other skies on SKYWATCH.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

A Taste of India...

Found these little dancing Ganeshes stenciled on a metal wall.

And guess where I'm going again on March 2nd?

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

ABC WEDNESDAY ' "B" is for "Bumbershoot"

A photo from my phone on a rainy day when I didn't take my big camera.

People like this make me feel guilty!  I always think I should do some sort of exercise rather than major walking, but I don't.

This man, in the rain and under his umbrella or bumbershoot, seems to be enjoying his exercise.  And he's been to the market, too.

BTW, BUMBERSHOOT is also an annual international music festival held in Seattle over Labor Day.

See other B's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

What once was and what will be....




This facade of this small pink building is charming, though probably not something most people want nowadays.  But it has so much more character than what seems to be going to take its place.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Back in the driver's seat

Not that I was ever out of the driver's seat.  My driver's license expired on January 8th, so I had to renew it. Not only that, but this is the year that I turn into what society deems 'an older person', so I had to have a physical to see if I'm fit to get behind the wheel. Mind you, there are some much younger people out there driving on the streets that would turn your hair white, but I digress.

I had to have my eyes and reflexes checked, and should have had an EKG, but the doctor asked, "Do you have any health problems?" and I said no, which is true, but still....  With the results in hand, along with a bundle of dinars and my old license (the pink one, which folds out in three sections), I headed to the motor vehicles department and turned it all in.  I now possess a state-of-the-art snazzy license with a photo that looks like I am asleep.

Set for five years...

Saturday, January 19, 2013

REFLECTION WEEKEND--back-to-back walkers

Back-to-back walkers with me, once again, reflected in the glass window of what was once the Australian Embassy on Cika Ljubina Street.  The Embassy is still around, but in another location.

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Victor

I've shown you this statue in Kalemegdan many times. Here he is again from behind, and he seems quite a bit closer to the building across the river (Usce Tower).  That's the perspective a long lens gives you!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

ABC WEDNESDAY--"A" is for "art"

Sometimes Mother Nature tries her hand at abstracts, like the arrangement in this frozen puddle.

See other A's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Classic fun

Nothing better than a ride on grandpa's back.  I'm sorry I didn't get this man's name and contact so I could give him a photo.

But perhaps I'll see him again....

Monday, January 14, 2013

Trompe l'oeil

 A deserted Skadarlija street photographed a few days ago.  Imagine it looked like this this morning, too, since today is Serbian New Year's, and many restaurants on this street were full of people enjoying 'another' New Year's celebration.

The trompe l'oeil wall looks pretty good here, but is actually in need of a lot of touching up.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Sunday Bridges....from higher up.



Same bridges as before, but seen from very high this time, thanks to a friend who let me go up on her roof.

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

Saturday, January 12, 2013

REFLECTION WEEKEND--"Harmonika" shop


Don't strain your eyes looking for a mouth organ, or harmonica. There aren't any in this photo. "Harmonika" here means "accordion" and an old-fashioned one is seen under that great big drum, while a more colorful version is beside the drum.

This shop, called Harmonika, is located on Belgrade's Kralja Aleksandra boulevard.

Is that a no-smoking sticker on the guitar...?

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTION

Friday, January 11, 2013

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Baptismal

 On Dec. 29th my daughter's son Luka was baptized here in Belgrade.  He's being held by his godmother, while his mother holds a candle and looks on.  (No, it's not a custom to have babies barefoot, but Luka always kicks off his socks...."

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

ABC WEDNESDAY "Z" is for "zaftig"

The dictionary defines 'zaftig' as a 'woman having a fully rounded figure,' and the woman represented by this statue does.

Hey--we're at the end of the alphabet.  See other Z's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

101 years old...

Discovered this bakery the other day when out for a walk.  It's been working since 1912.  I went in, and although they were almost out of loaves of bread by the time I got there, I managed to buy two buns, which were still warm.  Tasted good!

Monday, January 7, 2013

Merry Christmas again....

Today is Serbian Orthodox Christmas.  It's a very traditional family holiday, and usually presents aren't exchanged.  Here we see my granddaughter, Mila, with a present her father got for himself (and for us, he says!)

You can see that Mila is using an application to reinforce her English with simple words such as cow, duck, pencil, book....and of course, the word for that thing Grandma always has in front of her face.


Sunday, January 6, 2013

SUNDAY BRIDGES--A bridge, dunno where Part II

I am back in Belgrade now, but out of bridges.  Like December 30th's post, I don't remember where this bridge was, but it's somewhere between Kopaonik Mountain and Belgrade...

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

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Friday, January 4, 2013

SKYWATCH--corn stalks

Another 'through the window of the bus' photo on the way back from Kopaonik mountain. I hope to  be posting photos from Belgrade soon....

See other skies at SKYWATCH.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Slow down....

My daughter and her family have left for the US, after a three-week stay.  I miss them already.

I always wax nostalgic around New Year's. I try to remind myself to focus on what is important, like what's said in this Calvin and Hobbs cartoon.

Not a photo of mine, of course, but I've been so busy it's all I can do to get a photo.  Hope to be back on track soon and back visiting blogs.


Wednesday, January 2, 2013

ABC WEDNESDAY--"Y" is for "Yuletide"


No, not late on these photos of Santa Claus, or Deda Mraz (Grandfather Frost), as he is known here. The Yuletide continues!  In Serbia, Deda Mraz makes his appearance on New Year's Day, when these photos were taken. I'd organized a small party for my 'older' friends to meet my grandchildren. Among the guests was a good friend who is an actor and who recently filmed a commercial as Santa.  He got to keep the suit, so...

Mila wasn't too thrilled about sitting in his lap, but her cousin Luka didn't bat an eye.

See other Y's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

A New Year's Kiss



 Constantin Brancusi's sculpture The Kiss has been one of my favorites for a long time, and last May I purchased two reproductions; one for me, and one for an old friend whom I haven't been able to see yet, but hope I will this year. That's what New Years are for, too....hope.

 Happy New Year to all my readers.  I wish you all a Happy and Healthy 2013.  Be thankful for what you have and for those you have.

Have a look at others' January 1st photos at CDPB January lst photos.

CROSS-CULTURE BREAKFAST

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