DOG TALK

 Not sure why these ladies were holding their pups, but the Yorkie is giving me the evil eye.

A SIGN....

 While walking my dog down by the river last Sunday, I glimpsed a newly mounted pedestal and bust across the vast grassy area. I was drawn to it and came up behind it. Lo and behold, it was the bust of the famous Indian poet, RABINDRANATH TAGORE, who visited Belgrade in 1926. He stayed at the still open PALACE HOTEL, built in 1923, so it was very new when he came. Below are some photos of the poet and his entourage, as well as an old one of the Palace Hotel, which honestly could have been taken yesterday.

I took my attraction to the bust as a sign that India is calling me to visit again....   Next year, I  hope.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

 Today, March 8th, is INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, a holiday created to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women.

This photo may not reflect any of those achievements, but this 'grande dame' exemplifies the elegant older woman, sure of herself, and keeping her sense of chic. 

Animal rights activists will scorn her fur coat and non-smokers her cigarette, but hey.

THE CHESTNUT SELLER

 It's still cold  here and warm chestnuts in your hand are still welcome. I love them. The scent of roasted chestnuts instantly conjures up wintry streets in Paris where I always bought them.

WEEKEND IN BLACK AND WHITE--FACING THE SUN

 True March weather here. Sunny and crisp one day, rain and clouds the next.  This lady needed her sunglasses.

See other black and white photos on the WEEKEND IN BLACK AND WHITE.

WEEKEND REFLECTIONS -- PICK YOUR INSTRUMENT

 There is a reflection here, albeit a tiny one. My dog's head is visible on the black guitar lying in the foreground.  I don't play any instrument, but if I did, I'd  be tempted by the jazzy patchwork guitar on the left.

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTIONS.

FORTY-FIVE YEARS AND COUNTING

 In 1977, I arrived in what was then the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.  From 1945 to 1963 it had been the People's Republic of Serbia.  From 1963 to 1990 it became the Socialist Republic of Serbia, and since 1990 it is simply (?) the Republic of Serbia.  (I've bookmarked that Wiki page...)

Anyway, the names of the country have changed a bit, but not as much as the street around the corner from me.  Above all is written in Cyrillic, but now the street's name is Svetogorska, or Holy Mountain street, or Mount Athos, home to a Serbian monastery in Greece.  Before that, its names varied according to who was in power, disgraced, a national hero, and so on.

Why am I writing this?  Today marks my 45 years in Wherever I Am now. What will the country and/or street be called when I'm not around anymore?

I could hope for the street to be named after the famous blogger, but that probably won't happen!

CULTURE CLASH

 Belgrade is an architectural mishmash. A new shopping center on the left stands next to an early 1900s building.  Sigh. Such is the way of the world.

STALKED?

 The statue of Nikola Spasic, Serbian businessman, benefactor, humanitarian, and one of the leaders of the Serbian Chetnik Organization in Old Serbia and Macedonia, appears to  be stalked by a woman in a burka, but no.  "She" is merely a cafe umbrella all wrapped up.

MARCH THEME DAY: SOLITUDE...not loneliness.

Solitude.  It isn't the same as loneliness, in fact, it is often just the opposite. One can be very happy in solitude, as I often am.  Loneliness is a sad state.

A few years ago I spent two months in a small, remote village in Uttarakhand, India. I was teaching English there in a small school for impoverished children. Of course I had company, but because of communication issues, no real deep conversations for that amount of time.

I was not lonely, nor was I bored. I imagine it was also the case of this man in the photo. If there were no fog, you would be able to see the magnificent mountains beyond.

See other interpretations of solitude on CITY DAILY PHOTO THEME DAY.
 

RAKIJA "Čokanji"

 The Number One drink here in Serbia is plum brandy, "rakija od  šljiva" known as "slivovica" or elsewhere, slivovitz, is a kind of brandy or rakija (RAH-kee-ya).  Rakija can  be made from many fruits, as you can guess from the photo above, and is brought out at any occasion from weddings to funerals.

"Čokanji" is pronounced CHO-kahn-yee.

Cheers!