Could it be....?

No, for sure it isn't Novak Djoković, since I know he wasn't in town when I took this photo, but it reminded me of him, just as this guy reminded me of Bill Clinton.

ABC WEDNESDAY--'K' is for 'kickin' it.'

We've had warm weather a bit and as soon as the temperatures rise, the people are in the park.... Each to his own preferred activity: Kickin' it like the man on the bench, or simply reading like the man in the background. I guess he's kickin' it in his own way.

See other K's at ABC WEDNESDAY.

Pat your head and rub your tummy

Can you pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time? Sometimes I can.

But I can't walk and read the newspaper, like this man.

Happy Valentine's Day from a Book Lover

Time for an updated granddaughter Mila (MEE-la) photo. Here she is at 6 1/2 months. Mila is a great book lover. She squeals and does this funny little excited shake when she gets one. I could even say she gets so excited that her hair stands on end, but it's always like that, since she sleeps first on one side, then the other.

Happy Valentine's Day to all those whom you love!

WEEKEND REFLECTION--the reader in 'purple'

Not too crisp a shot, but it was from far away. Kind of cool how the sides of his head are shaved, all but for some pony tail hair.

See other reflections at James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

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.

Reflections Weekend--reflections at the University

Reflections and a reader in one of the buildings of the University of Belgrade.

Check out other reflections at James'Newtown Daily Photo.

Petar Njegos

Petar II Petrović-Njegoš (NYEH-gush)was a Serbian Orthodox Prince-Bishop and a ruler. However, he is most famous for his poetry. Both my kids had to learn by heart extensive passages from his works in grade school (no, they can't recall much....), but Njegos is still considered to be the best poet in the Serbian language.

The mural behind him has been there for a long time; I'm trying to remember the name of the artist...

All the news that's fit to print

"All the news that's fit to print" is the motto of the New York Times. Not sure if the text on this bra and panties was taken from the NYT, and I wonder if anyone will take the time to read it.

Hey, dude, where are my vowels?

Do you play Scrabble? I do, and sometimes I cart my Scrabble game over to an English friend's house to play. Like many other players, we sometimes draw impossible combinations in English, and I think I will suggest to her next time that we can also use Serbian words, since that's a pretty good way to use those letters that never seem to go together, at least without an a,e,i, o, or u. In Serbian, r's often serve as vowels along with the standard ones, being trilled on the tip of the tongue, not in your throat like the French ones. I've used my American set here, but since letters are given values for their frequency, the values on a Serbian set wouldn't necessarily be the same as the ones you can see here (some have accents on, but of course not here), lying on Morton-Benson's Dictionary.

Here's what they mean:

• trg--a square, open place
• krv--blood
• trk--race, gallop
• grb--a crest, like a family one
• prst--finger
• smrt--death
• cvrst--strong
• srz--marrow
• cilj--a goal
• rdja--rust
• grm--a shrub
• hleb--bread

If you read Serbian, you can read about Mattel's plans for Serbian Scrabble right here, since right now I've only seen 'Skrebl' in what must be a pirated edition.

Flat out.

Since Tuesday evening I have set foot outside just once, and that was yesterday, when I went down to get my visa renewed at the police station. It was pantomime at several points, since I've been laid up (or down, actually) with a major cold, cough, aches, and....laryngitis, and I was and still am to some extent, voiceless! I hurried home and went back to bed. Here is what I've been spending my time with the last few days. I am especially thankful for my little ASUS computer that is so handy. (How did you think I was visiting your blogs?) Only Bibi, who was lying beside me the whole time, is absent from this photo. Thank goodness my son is around to walk her.

Have you been sick this fall?

ABC Wednesday "I" is for "Inspire"

Have to brag a bit on this ABC Wednesday. About a year ago, I got a phone call from a publishing company that was launching the Hyatt Regency's new magazine, Inspire. The editor had seen my articles and some photos in a local newspaper I used to write for, and asked if I was interested in doing a Belgrade Patchwork for the magazine. I was, and I've done a patchwork (10 photos plus text) in each of the Inspires so far, the fourth is due out in a few weeks.

If you click right HERE and click on the second image under Inspire 1, and then click again, you'll see some photos (from my blog, of course!) you might find familiar.

It's been lots of fun...and inspiring, too!

Join ABC WEDNESDAY

ABC Wednesday "O" is for "On Duty"

Here’s a security guard that isn’t exactly sleeping on the job, but he IS reading the newspaper. Mind you, although there have been robberies in broad daylight at the ‘menjacnice’ (exchange offices) around town, there really isn’t a high risk of this happening, and our fellow here probably is aware of that! Wonder if he’d notice if someone quietly slipped out with a big bag…

Join ABC Wednesday here .

ABC Wednesday--"L" is for "Lucky"...maybe

I buy this newspaper 'Blic' (Flash) every day. It's a quick read, and I just don't have time to read a thicker newspaper every morning, which is when I like to read the paper. Blic has been having a give-away contest to the lucky persons who are lucky enough to find the little coupon tucked inside the paper that's marked with a prize. In all, there are more than 23,000 prizes, the top one being a house with a swimming pool. Automobiles, too! (It's a pre-fab house, and you need to have the land, but still!) In every coupon I open, it says, "Better luck in tomorrow's paper," but there never is.... I keep hoping!

Join ABC Wednesday right here .

Reading

I am forever intrigued by figures on facades that tell a story...perhaps one that is now lost to us. This one shows a seated nude lady reading quietly, with a rooster by her side. There seems to be a caduceus behind her, but there's only one snake curling around it, not two. So who knows what all this means or meant once-upon-a-time?

April Theme Day-Yellow/ABC Wednesday "K" is for "Keepsake"

Yes, I know there isn't much yellow on this photo, but I just couldn't resist bragging about how Bibi made this month's cover Belgrade's new English-language publication, Belgrade Mutts. For me, it will be a Keepsake. Created by several ex-pats here who are concerned with Belgrade's stray dog population, the magazine features Mutts of Interest and their stories. In this issue, Bibi tells her heartbreaking story of her life at Katya's (see icon on sidebar) and how she was rescued by the City Daily Photo blogger who uses her name...and photo. Belgrade Mutts is available downtown at your newsstand or to those of you in blogland by subscription. Oh, yes, and by the way....April Fool.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

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At Eye Level

Visitors here are always surprised that quite often it's easy to see hard-core magazines and DVDs displayed right out in the open. At least this vendor has made some sort of effort (?) to arrange his wares at the eye level of the prospective customer. Cartoons are pretty much at the bottom, then come ordinary movies and pop music dvds, then at the top, something for adults like this gentleman who had no idea I was taking his photo.

Cool hair---dreadlocks Serbian-style

This fellow literally has a cool hairstyle: shaved all around, with dreadlocks to require minimal upkeep during a hot Belgrade summer. This post is dedicated to Jilly of Menton Daily Photo, who published some Creole dreadlocks here: http://menton-daily-photo.blogspot.com/2008/08/summertime-in-menton-dreadlocks.html
(And whatever is he reading?!)

ABC Wednesday--"C" is for "Cute and Curled Up in a Coil"

While I was walking downtown the other day, I came across this worker reading the newspaper during his morning break. He happily agreed to let me take his photo of him "curled up chillin' inside a coil." I forgot to ask him, but I think the coils are for electrical insulation. Anybody know for sure?

Read any good books lately?

Here's another way people here avoid paying fees or rent for a real stand or little shop: they lay out all their wares on the hood (bonnet for you Brits!) and roof of their car! This person, who is from out of Belgrade as you can tell by the GL (Gnjilane, a small town in Eastern Kosovo) on his license plate, has quite a selection for young and old. He can also hightail it when the inspectors come, but I think he'd better remove the books from his windshield....