ABC Wednesday "M" is for 'mural'

Did you do a double-take on this one? It's on the side of a building downtown!

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The Other Side of the Tracks

These two photos, showing you a view in two opposite directions, represent a hot social issue in Belgrade. Just a little over a year ago, I showed you this photo regarding an international sport competition organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) under the sponsorship of the International Olympic Committee. From July 1st to the 12th, this competition brings together student sportsmen and sportswomen. The second photo shows only part of the many new apartment buildings going up to house the competitors. These apartments will then be sold, and actually quite a few of them already have.

So that the competitors (and future occupants) won't have to look out on the huts of several hundred gypsy and refugee families who are living in the unhygienic conditions you can see in the first photo, the City has razed their homes, forcing them to the streets. The City has promised new housing to those squatters who have national identity cards, but only a tiny percent do. These are primarily Serbs who have escaped from Kosovo, and not the gypsies.

The sign you see on both photos reads, "No one is worried about Belgrade's citizens. They're only interested in refugees. They get everything, and Belgrade's children get nothing, and must go on the street. We are praying for help."

This is an eternal problem for Belgrade's gypsy population. In the past, they have been promised resettlement, but residents near possible relocation sites have staged protests to keep them out.

What's your view?

One More Redhead

I just couldn't resist showing you one more redhead. I've shown you one here and here , so no more this month, I promise! This lady's hair is two-tone, and the pink blossoms set it off!

Happy Easter

Wishing you in the western world a Happy Easter. Serbian Orthodox Easter falls on April 19th this year, and since I only 'do' one Easter, I haven't colored my eggs yet. Here's a photo of a display of Easter candles in a shop window downtown. Which one would you buy?

Another photo request

Recently I had a request from 'Melrose' at Achtung, Baby! to photograph #31 Visokoga Stevana Street in Belgrade. For those of you who read Serbian, she has a fantastically delicious blog, full of Serbian recipes! 'Melrose' wanted me to photograph this address for her, but did not say why. I can only assume it holds memories of her time in Belgrade. 'Melrose,' here's to you!

Those Who Sell Me Flowers

Meet Mr. and Mrs. Gavrilović (Gah-VREEL-o-veetch), This pleasant couple parks their Yugo, full of flowers from their little weekend house not far from Belgrade, on a street corner near where I live nearly every weekend beginning right now to around the end of September. This photo is from last fall, but they're back now with spring flowers! Last weekend I bought lots of daffodils, and am waiting for their fresh basil....

Black Horses Playing

This is one of a pair of statues in front of the National Assembly of Serbia and is entitled Black Horses Playing, though I don't think I'd like to play with a horse this way. The National Assembly's construction was started in 1907, with the cornerstone being laid by King Petar I. The sculpture was placed in front of the building in 1939.

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!

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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?

One Year Later and Still There...

This photo is genuinely a déjà vu, since one year ago I published an almost identical photo of this unfortunate fellow who is still waiting by the highway. Please check it out. I have learned that he was apparently dumped here by someone who just stopped his car and shoved him out. This faithful dog has never given up hope that his owner will return. I sometimes walk Bibi this way, but it makes me so sad to see him there, day and night, in fair and foul weather. I'd love to get my hands on the person who did this. I should add that people who live close by feed him on a regular basis, but he won't come to anyone.

Tea and Cake Time at Hotel Moskva

Some of you asked to see more of Hotel Moskva , so here is a view looking down on part of the hotel's tea room. It's a comfortable place to enjoy a piece of cake and coffee like this one . Some of you also asked about the hotel's rates. A double goes for about $146.00. Check out www.hotelmoskva.rs for more information.