Smile...you're on Candid Camera!

I have been practicing photographing people with what I call "belly shots." I hang my camera around my neck, and when I see someone I'd like to capture, I act nonchalant, look the other way, more or less aim, then press the shutter furtively with my thumb, hoping that the angle from my midriff will be a good one. That's what I did with these three ladies, but I think they suspected something. Oh, well. Practice makes perfect.

Happy Easter again!

Happy Serbian Orthodox Easter! I only color eggs for one Easter and this is it. Last night my son and I painted some "family eggs," one for each member of our family or boyfriend/girlfriend, and one for a friend who is coming to dinner. See if you can find me. (Hint: I have a hairline crack on my chin, or rather my egg does!) The blue egg in the front with a leaf pattern is made by putting a leaf on the egg, wrapping it tightly in cheesecloth, and dropping it in the dye. The brownish one with tiny leaf patterns is made in the same way, and boiled with a lot of onion skins to obtain the pretty color. Serbs polish their eggs with a bit of cooking oil to make them shine, and have a fun custom of tapping eggs. If you're interested, drop me a note on the comments and I'll tell you what they do.

Pots and pans

The company Metalac (May-TAHL-ahts), located about 120 kilometers from Belgrade in Gornji Milanovac (GOR-nyee Me-LAHN-oh-vahts), is one of the most successful producers of enameled, teflonized, and Inox kitchenware in Europe. The 46 year-old company exports 70% of its production to France, England, Spain, Germany, Italy, Russia, USA, and Australia. Recently this year Metalac participated in the Housewares Show in Chicago. My guess is that this lady on one of Belgrade's large green markets is reselling some mismatched pieces of enameled pots and pans she may have purchased at the factory. She's even offering some carrots and parsley to cook in them!

Close encounters of the canine kind

This photo is not quite in focus, but I'm sure you'll understand why. Here in Belgrade there is a leash law, as well as a law that larger dogs must wear a muzzle (logical or not; little ones bite, too). I must admit I regularly violate the former, but I really have a problem with when it comes to potentially aggressive dogs that run unsupervised and out of the owner's control. The owner of this male pit bull didn't seem to be too concerned when it came over to check out Bibi (female) that I had picked up. I can't help wonder what would have happened if our visitor had taken a dislike to her. (At least I'd have had a photo of the aggressor....)

Kitty on Cobblestones

In Belgrade you can still find lots of streets paved with cobblestones. Unfortunately, most of them are are also lined with cars, which often park half-way or more on the sidewalk as in this photo. This kitty posed perfectly for me under a sign advertising a doctor's office. On the wall on the left someone has spray-painted a hammer and sickle. Although Yugoslavia (and the names that followed!) was never under the rule of the Soviet Union, socialists/communists were in power for a long time until the fall of Milosevic. Perhaps this person would like a return? Some think he may get his wish in the upcoming parliamentary elections....

"This is dedicated to the one I love...."

So goes the hit song made famous by The Shirelles in 1961 and later by The Mamas and the Papas. This is not a photo of me with my husband, but I posted it for all lovers out there, because today marks my 31st wedding anniversary...and as many years in Belgrade. In 1977 Belgrade was in the Socialist Federal Republic of Jugoslavia (SFRJ), then the country became the Federal Republic of Jugoslavia (SFR), then Serbia and Montenegro, and now it's just Serbia. Names come and go, but I don't, so I am dedicating this photo to my husband, who has weathered storm after storm with his/our country and with me! (The photo was taken in January at Grinet, one of Belgrade's coffeeshops that is like Starbucks.)

Earth Day

Today is Earth Day, and recycling plays a large part in taking care of poor Mother Earth. Here in Belgrade you won't see hardly any recycle bins for glass, paper, or plastic, and convenient recycling isn't made easy for those who want to. Many less fortunate people earn some extra dinars by recycling paper, as this fellow is doing, by either rummaging through dumpsters or picking up discarded boxes beside them.

Reluctantly into spring...

Yesterday morning my husband and I were driving along the main street in Zemun (see March 16, 17, and 22 posts), and I took this photo out the car window. Serbs are really careful not to catch cold. It was early, but already reasonably warm. This girl wasn't taking any chances in her boots, tights, and jacket....but her skirt was ready for spring, and I wonder what kind of ice cream she bought.

Easter bells and willow branches

Since Serbian Orthodox Easter falls on April 27th this year, today is Palm Sunday or Vrbice, the last Sunday before Easter when willow branches (vrbica=Vur-BEET-sa) are carried or worn as wreaths by little children, who hang little bells with Serbian tricolor ribbons—red, blue, and white—around their necks and parade three times around the church.

Ouch!!!

It started out as a gray day here today, so to brighten things up, I couldn't help but post this amusing (at least for the viewer) billboard advertising an alum spray for cuts. Poor guy. Looks like he needs to change his razor--his wife probably has been using it, or at least that's what my husband says if his razor is dull.

"Belgrade is the world!"

From April 16th to the 19th Belgrade is holding its annual celebration "Days of Belgrade." This year, the theme is "Belgrade is the World," and so the city has been divided into four compass points, each celebrating in a different way on one of the four days. For example, the western part of the city (New Belgrade) has been deemed "California/Hollywood," and the Faculty of Drama there organized a day-long film program. There was a best Hollywood star look-alike competition, and the winner won win a trip to Hollywood for two. Not sure yet who it was!

This big globe floats over Slavija Circle downtown. The Circle is home to the first McDonald's ever built in Eastern Europe, which was behind me in this photo. You've seen one anyway, right?