Keychains!

I've posted this photo sideways so you won't get a crooked neck or have to tilt your computer screen! These are keychains with some Serbian guy/girl first names or nicknames. Some aren't so popular, like Glorija, but others like Katarina and Dejan are. Girls' names are often for (sweet!) fruits, like "Jagoda," (YAH-go-da) which means "strawberry." "Joca" ( YOHT-sa) is short for "Jovan," "Gaga" is short for "Dragana," and "Goca" (GOHT-sa) is short for Gordana," also pictured here. I could buy the "David" one for my cousin and the "Dejan" one for my son. My daughter and I, who have Latin-based names, can never find ours here.

Serbia moves forward!

Yesterday Serbia's parliamentary elections took place, and it had all come down to a very simple choice: forwards or backwards, i.e. forward toward the European Union or back to the isolationism of the '90's. This little Belgrade sparrow, complete with his little šajkača (SHY-kah-cha) a typical Serbian hat, is pleased to announce that citizens voted to move forward. I took this photo fairly early this a.m., as a new day dawned on Serbia.

Passing the time

Caught these two young Serbian Orthodox priests the other day not far from Belgrade's large park, Kalemegdan, and the capital's busy walking street, Knez Mihailova. The one closest to us was passing the time in a traditional fashion, deeply absorbed in a book, while the other was text-messaging, possibly even to his wife, for except for bishops who are required to remain celibate, the Orthodox Church has always allowed priests and deacons to be married, provided the marriage takes place before ordination. In general it is preferable for parish priests to be married as they often act as council to married couples and thus can draw on their own experience. NOTE!! Thanks to Abe of http://brookvilledailyphoto.blogspot.com, who noticed that BOTH priests are using cell phones. I guess the reader is either intentionally hiding his phone to appear more "serious," or else he's just answering or texting like anyone else!

Pump 'em up!

Buildings (see yesterday's post) aren't the only things that need a lift sometimes. The sign above this bra says, "with a pump," and sure enough, if you click on the photo, you'll see the little pump that comes with this piece of lingerie. It's an imported item, or so it seems, since the instructions are in English...

Traces of the past

Belgrade's face bears the traces of its history, just as wrinkles on our faces reveal much about our lives. Though proud of its past, it's apparent from building and renovation going on all over that the city wants to give itself a face lift, a little nip/tuck here and there. In this photo you can see three different styles. Modern may be functional and slick, but I still like the detail that used to be given to facades, and the flowers that were added here as a bit of "make-up."

Sister soul

While out walking the dog and scouting for photos yesterday, I came across this lady walking through a field in New Belgrade. Veronika explained that she photographs "everything," and is especially interested in graffiti, which unfortunately covers just about anything here that doesn't move. Yesterday though, she was photographing wildflowers and taking home the small bouquet that you see here. I told her about my blog and all of our blogs, so she may be checking you out. How nice for me---she let me take her photo without my having to resort to a "belly shot." Thank you, Veronika!

Still good for more kilometers

It's the shoes, I think, that are still good for some more kilometers, not the baby carriage that's seen better days. See anything you like? :<)

Two for one today!

I just had to post both these photos today. The first one is one of my "belly shots," taken waist level so the subject won't know I'm snapping away. This little lady is selling violets and a vegetable that I don't know the name of in English, so if anyone does, please tell me! (It's not spinach and it isn't chard.) The poster reads, "Kosovo is Serbia." I bought all her violets and all of the "zelje," (ZEL-yay) as it's known here, which is good steamed, and then you add crushed garlic and sour cream; yum. I persuaded her to let me take her portrait, but as soon as I pointed the camera at her, she put on her mug shot expression. The man selling shoelaces next to her managed to tease her so I could get a smile! (I took his photo a bit earlier on through another "belly shot"!)

"I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do......"

Who doesn't love to see a happy bride? Yesterday in Belgrade you could have seen 400 happy brides (and grooms) at the capital's 10th Collective Wedding Ceremony, a tradition started during the 1999 NATO bombing as a message to young people that love can triumph over hate. During the last 10 years, couples from Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Canada, the USA, Sweden, Denmark, and China have exchanged their vows together. If you're planning a wedding, you have time to sign up for next year! (Notice the gypsy trumpeters in the background. No wedding should be without a gypsy brass band; they're great.)

Some "doo" and some "doo" not.

Belgrade has a number of really beautiful parks, large and small. Retired people on benches soak up the sun, lovers kiss in the shade of a tree, mothers keep a watchful eye on their children playing nearby. You can walk or sit on the grass too, if you dare. Up until fairly recently, there was no scoop law, and even now, strolling over the grass requires as much concentration as making your way through a mine field. You're more liable to soil your shoes in a small park; less grass for dogs to go on... The girl on the left is "doo-ing" her duty by picking up after her dog. Some "doo" not, as seen on the right.

Sign? I didn't see any sign!

This is the side entrance to the market where I took the "Treasures..." photo posted April 29th. Aside from the obvious "No dogs allowed," this sign reads "No selling of old things," which is exactly what the men on the other side of the fence are doing, laying their wares out on newspaper or just on the stones. In this way they avoid paying a fee for a real stand, like the one where my treasures were offered for sale, but they risk a fine if the inspectors come along.