The blonde, the brunette, and you've seen the red-head...

Last December on the same street and in front of the same store but walking in the other direction you saw the red-head. Now I give you the blond and the brunette.

Such beautiful hair!

ABC Wednesday "D" is for "Dalí " look-alike?

Laza Kostić (1841-1910) was a Serbian poet, prose writer, lawyer, philosopher, polyglot, publicist, and politician, considered to be one of the greatest minds of Serbian literature. I do not think he ever picked up a paintbrush, but I do think this bust of him is reminiscent of the eccentric Surrealist Painter, Salvador Dali.

According to Wikipedia, Laza Kostić was characterized as an eccentric but had a spark of genius all his own. His writings abound in coined words, and in devious turns and twists of expression. He was the first to introduce iambic meter into the dramatic poetry, and the first translator of Shakespeare into Serbian. At a European authors' convention at the turn of the century he once tried to explain the relationship between the culture of Serbia and those of major Western European cultures using the scenario of a phone conversation, in which the speaker in Belgrade keeps repeating, “Can you hear us? We hear you. Can you hear us?” with the other end of the line not responding whatsoever. His scenario accurately expressed the frustration the smaller European cultures at not being heard, or not being understood.

There exists a Laza Kostić Fund, with offices in Belgrade and London.

See other D's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Karadjordjeva Schnitzel

Hungry? Not worried about your cholesterol? A famous Serbian specialty is the Karadjordjeva Schnitzel, a rolled veal or pork steak filled with ultra-rich cream cheese (kajmak), then breaded and fried, and if that weren't rich enough, served with fried potatoes and tartar sauce.

This heart-stopper got its name from Prince Djordje Petrović, known as Karadjordje or Black George (1768 –1817), the the founder of modern Serbia, who led the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire (1804-1813) and personally led armies against the Turks in several battles.

I have never ordered one of these. They're just too big.

Come on over, neighbor!

Caught a glimpse of this fellow across the way.... I could use some roof-shoveling, too. Belgrade had a major snowstorm over the weekend....

And here's a fun video you must watch if you've ever had to dig your car out of the snow...

Sunday Bridges: the Siege of Belgrade

Belgrade was besieged many times in its history, as early as 488. In the siege of Belgrade from September 15^th 1789, an army of Hapsburg Austria besieged an Ottoman Turkish forces in Belgrade and three weeks later succeeded in capturing the fortress. Austria held the city until 1791 when it handed Belgrade back to the Ottomans according to the terms of the peace treaty. Serbia remained under Turkish rule until 1878.

How many bridges can you count here?

See more bridges at Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES.

WEEKEND REFLECTION--in the windshield

A reflection in the windshield of a downtown bus.

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

Skywatch Friday--found each other

A reflected blue sky for Skywatch Friday. I watched these two leaves float randomly for a while in this puddle, then as if they'd been seeking one another, finally come together.

Another birthday wish today for a special friend of mine.

See other skies, reflected or not, at SKYWATCH FRIDAY.

Groundhog's Day.....

..and my birthday to boot! Here's a collage of little me, long ago. I wore short dresses and loved dogs, even stuffed ones.

Here's my birthday greeting for you today...how significant. Once-upon-a-time it seemed so long ago....

THEME DAY/ABC WEDNESDAY: Animals and "C" is for "Cat"

A double-header here for ABC WEDNESDAY (C is for Cat) and for Theme Day (animals), so you can Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose

"Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose (The more things change, the more they stay the same)" could perhaps be applied to Belgrade's new "Bus Plus" system, but we'll see.

Most people I've talked to think so. If you're a regular bus user, you have to get a special card with your photo on it, pay a monthly amount, then scan it inside the bus. You can enter from any door.

For people like me, who use the bus once in a blue moon, you can buy a rechargeable card that you scan in the bus, or else buy a ticket from the driver (you used to be able to buy a ticket at a newsstand), then punch it in the little yellow machine you see above. I think the 'entering by the front door and buying a ticket' part is going to slow things down...

And ticket controllers will still be around to check both your pass and individual ticket.

Let's see if this system is an improvement in itself, or if it will need some changes.

Off the wall and on the coat.

Do you do needlepoint? If you do, I bet all your creations are framed and hanging on your wall. Or perhaps they're pillows?

Why not do like this lady, who seems to have one of her creations on her coat. I'm assuming she did t his herself, since I've never seen a needlepoint on clothing before.