One last stab

From early fall to late spring and sometimes like now a bit beyond, villagers come to Belgrade to sell wool sweaters, socks, and caps. They're wonderfully warm, and generally not so expensive. They make great souvenirs. This man is trying one last time, or so I imagine, to sell his wares rather than keep them for next year.

The town of Sirogojno (SEE-ro-goy-no) is famous for its fabulous sweaters. Unlike this man's, they're quite pricey, but just about everyone I know who lives here for a while has splurged on one, this writer included. Here's a link.

International Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day and if you are of the 'weaker sex' (ha), you may get flowers or a present today. This is a woman who works at an open market near me selling plastic products and clothes 'dryers' like I showed you before and that you can see partially behind her.

And while she's taking a break, she's reading a recipe magazine.

Theme Day: Electricity--the building behind....

A while ago it was too cold, too snowy, too wet to tromp around at night for photos, so I played Peeping Tom. Was thwarted, though, since no one was around. But I wonder who lives in this apartment with the (seemingly) yellow terrace?

And are they keeping their lights on for someone to come home? Someone who'd have to climb up the side of the building?

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

The Yugo is alive and well...and cold, but running.

Don't laugh anymore at the Yugo automobile, which was the brunt of many a joke (even here) a short while back. This one is still willing to venture out on the streets, unlike its companions on this snowy Belgrade street. Once more, this is a scheduled post, and I sure hope that Yugo is now cruising along a dry street.

SKYWATCH FRIDAY--frozen...and a very gray sky.

I've used scheduled posting for this photo...I sure hope all this white stuff is gone by the time it appears. Here is the Sava River partially frozen...and a very gray sky.

Don't want any more snow...

See other skies at SKYWATCH FRIDAY.

Look both ways.

Not easy for old people around town, but the city is slowly adding sloped sidewalks for easier ascent/descent of wheelchairs and carts. This elderly lady never looked right or left as she crossed the street and despite a bus's (after this one) loud honking.

She seems to have a load of firewood in her little cart. Again, this photo was taken before our big snow. I'm sure her firewood came in handy.

SKYWATCH--"rooftops"

Fog, pale sky, rooftops, chimneys, lots of antennas (antennae!), but no satellite dishes visible. Everybody's on cable, I guess.

See other skies at SKYWATCH.

The Rapunzel building....

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair," cried the prince in the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale.
Rapunzel did let down her long golden braid and up climbed the prince.

Had she been in this building and not a tower, he could have surprised her by climbing up this vine. Or maybe he'd have just taken the elevator inside.

Weekend Reflection: Sit a while...

It may be a cold sit on this park bench, but sometimes it's good to listen to the Buddhist advice: "Don't just do something; sit there."

Today is Serbian New Year. Perhaps the time to make a resolution to slow down and just sit?

See other reflections at James' Weekend Reflection.

SKYWATCH--street ends, sky begins

Hard to tell where the street ends and the sky begins on this view of a very foggy Knez Mihailova, Belgrade's pedestrian street.

Srećno Badnje veče to all you Serbian Orthodox readers, since tonight is your Christmas Eve.

See other skies (and probably not so much fog) on SKYWATCH.

Icy blue...

Zipping along on an ice rink of one of Belgrade's squares, set up for the holidays. Remember which square? It's this one, although the larger figure is gone....

Do you ice skate? I don't....

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.

Knock 'em off...

Drab is this scene, except for the 'pretty' icicles. They are pretty, but dangerous as well. Several people in Belgrade have been injured by falling snow or icicles in the last couple of weeks. As I type this, we still have about 8 inches of snow, and some more fell today. By law, tenants or owners must clean the sidewalks in front of their buildings and knock off icicles (I hope they look first...) before they grow too long. I helped a friend get rid of these...and we looked down first....

Cold, but happy.

When there's snow and ice, I am not a brave walker. I gingerly walk along on my porcelain legs, avoiding any kind of slippery surface when possible. Sometimes it's not, and just when I'm really grumbling about winter, I come upon something cute like this happy face, with little footprints on the right of its maker, no doubt.

Lemme in!

This pigeon has been hanging around my window ever since the snow fell....I think he wants in, but sorry, no chance.

Frosty

Last weekend we had about 9 inches of snow, leaving the city all pretty...until it starts to melt. This is a view across the Sava toward New Belgrade. Pretty, frosty trees!

Too late for mistletoe?

Mistletoe is really hard to get, since it grows so high up in the trees. Place your orders with these birds for next Christmas now!

SKYWATCH FRIDAY-sunrise near Uzice

Yes, it is SUNRISE not sunset, and I have my good friend Nena, whom you may remember for her hospitality, to thank for this photo. I went over to her place the other day and she showed me many photos taken at and around her sister's place in Uzice (OOO-zheet-seh), about 3+ hours south of Belgrade. When I saw this one, I just HAD to have it! Thanks, Nena, and keep snapping.

See other skies at SKYWATCH FRIDAY.

Sunday Bridges---desperate...

Back from India and things look awfully bleak here, after the colors of Rajasthan. I was also desperate to find a bridge post for today, and there is at least one bridge in this photo....see it? Apart from the obvious definition of bridge, the dictionary also states that a bridge is "an upper deck where a ship is steered and the captain stands". So there you go.

I say 'at least one bridge' because some of the ships featured are floating restaurants and aren't going anywhere. But they have a bridge if they do decide to launch!

See other bridges of all kinds at Louis' Sunday Bridges.

SUNDAY BRIDGES--Yellow Transport

No, it's not a Yellow Cab, but on the other hand it sort of is. This bridge leads to a platform from which depart yellow shuttle boats, taking passengers from one part of New Belgrade to an island in the Sava River. It's cold, and there are no takers....

See more bridges at LOUIS LA VACHE'S SUNDAY BRIDGES.