Merry Christmas from India

Wishing you readers who celebrate Christmas the very best of holidays. This photo was taken at the Christian church Saint Thomas Mount where the saint was allegedly martyred.

Take my picture, please!

India is a photographer's paradise in more ways than one. Not only could you burn up memory cards taking photos of buildings, fruit, streets, and all kinds of attractions, but people actually love to have their photos taken, especially kids. These youngsters who were traveling in a motorized rickshaw begged me to take their photo, but were whizzed away before I could show it to them!

Bricklayer's helpers

They certainly don't look like they'd be doing a job like helping a bricklayer, but these two ladies were doing just that. Most people I've come across in my two days here LOVE to have their photo taken, and delight in seeing it right away on my camera. The only bad part is that they often pose, whereas I'd prefer a more candid shot. But hey, I'm not complaining.

Pomegranate seeds

Aren't these beautiful? There are pomegranates on Belgrade markets occasionally, but I never think of buying them. Here in Chennai where I am at the moment, our friend's housekeeper made us a yummy spicy lunch on our first day here, and these sweet seeds were perfect as a dessert.

Today we walked through our friend's local neighborhood, and I am soooo enchanted with India...

Radovan on the Road again--India...

Radovan is on the road again, and 'Bibi" is well enough (she hopes...) to accompany him. Radovan has become camera shy and won't feature in all of Bibi's posts, but he'll be with her as she travels through Tamil Nadu and to one other mystery destination Radovan won't allow to be disclosed just yet....stay tuned.

I am going to try to post pretty much live. I've never missed a post, but it may be a bit hard now with sporadic Internet connection...

This post is for Bob of Saint Louis Daily Photo, who traveled to India and Tibet a while back. Tibet's where I'd really like to go (next time, or in another life...), but I am really happy anyway to be going to India. My friend and I will be visiting a Tibetan settlement, and that's about as close as I'll get...hope to find another Buddha for my collection.

Dangerous....Look out below!

Peeked out a friend's window....fortunately below these ice swords there's just a courtyard where few people walk...I hope they walk away from the building...

Saint Nikola's Day--2009

It's that time of year again. Today is our family's patron saint day, Saint Nikola, who watches over fishermen, sailors, and travelers. I fall into the latter category, since I am off in a short while to a destination to be revealed to you on Monday, so check back!

An extra plus this year is that after 20 years, Serbs will again be able to travel visa-free through European Countries starting today! Thank you, Saint Nikola....

On the table above, you can see one of my three pots of beans I made for guests. Behind the pot stand jars of pickles, olives, ajvar , and tins of tuna, all fat-free fare. No meat in the beans either, and we've ordered baked fish.


Read more about this holiday on last year's post.

Snowy lanterns

I don't know what these are. I remember something similar we called 'lanterns' when I was a kid, but those grew on bushes. These go from green to yellow and then to brown...only to be covered by white.

Anyone know what they are?

Great-great grandfather's painting

Am still pretty much housebound, so I decided to copy Chuck in Seattle a bit by photographing a painting, my favorite one from my childhood. This painting, which hung in my grandmother's dining room and now hangs in mine, was painted by my great-great grandfather, Benjamin I. Lingle, around 1860. I have quite a few more of his, but this is my favorite.

ABC Wednesday "V" is for "vespertine"

Yes, here I go again trying to find a word that fits ABC Wednesday, but this one isn't so bad. "Vespertine" means "related to the evening" and this is exactly when I took this photo, last evening. We've had about a foot of snow, and it's still falling lightly.

Have fun and join ABC WEDNESDAY.

Out to lunch?

Slowly getting better, but this is a shot from a couple of weeks ago...now this sidewalk would be covered with snow, since it fell last night.

Anyway, looks like the accordionist stepped out for a bit. Trusting fellow, leaving his instrument behind.