The Trumpet Madness!

One might say that Gucha is just another Serbian village in the middle of nowhere. 

Except for its worldwide reputation for...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV6HrABMXak&feature=related

From August 14th to 18th, all roads lead to Gucha!

http://www.saborguca.com/en.html

Check out a clip from a couple of years ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9veoDZta_JY

This photo sums it all: the trumpets, the girls, the roast pork and the "wedding cabbage"  (in the big earthenware pots in the bottom right corner in the photo)

For an American's account, go to this link

http://ruckusworld.net/guca/

For the wedding cabbage recipe and a horrendous translation thereof, go to this link:

http://billysbestfood.blogspot.com/2010/03/wedding-cabbage-500-g-pork-500-g-beef.html

For everything else:

GO TO GUCHA!!!!

The Sound of Pliva

 One fine morning I woke up to the sound of the Pliva River. I cannot convey the sound of Pliva but here are a few pics of the view from my balcony that morning. 

 I had to snap out of my zen moment and go off to tackle my daily chores and help organize a big family reunion so I did not have the time to go down to the river front. It also looked a bit overgrown with grass and bushes, I am not sure I would have found the trail. The last time I was here was over a decade ago.

 Yes, this house comes with its own patch of the Pliva river bank in the backyard.
My cousin promised to cut the high grass and clean the trail that leads down to the beach before my next visit. Hope it will not take me another ten years. 

Sledgehammer!

I have no idea who Macola is (or Мацола in Cyrillic script) or what he has in common with Apple company but I cannot imagine somebody called Sledgehammer discussing business with late Mr. Steve Jobs. I'll let you know once I find out. 

And speaking of funny company names on building banner, how about an insurance company called Arkan I caught on camera near one of Moscow's metro stations?!

"Safety as a lifestyle!" That's the company motto. LOL

TeaM

We love to work and we love to play, 

Sometimes in color and sometimes in gray...

At times moody and at times gay...

                                               Oftentimes casual, 

but true to ourselves we stay... 

...and always sexy in our own way! 

We Love Smallwood!

For those who are not familiar with my 'hood, Šumice is the biggest park in the Municipality of Voždovac, and the most inspiring area in this part of town. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0umice_(Belgrade)

It is also a home to a sports hall that nobody ever had a problem with until somebody decided that it was perfectly OK to issue a permit to a company to cut down Šumice's sycamore trees and erect a sports tent instead!

We protested, signed petitions, held vigils for the dead trees, organized peaceful rallies and even opened a Facebook page.

Peaceful protests were held every day at 5 p.m. and mothers with their babies guarded the trees for hours on end side by side with the Community Police. 

Alas, it was too late for this guy.

The children kept playing in the park just the same and somewhat alleviated the somber mood that prevailed in the park that day. The earth was still scarred from deep tire marks from the heavy machines. 

Finally, the building permit was revoked!

Though nothing can bring back the hour of 
splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower, 
we will grieve not, rather find
strength in what remains behind. 

Couple of weeks later, I snapped a photo of these newly planted trees. 

"This is not the end. It is not event he beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

Winston Churchill

People from bus no. 17

Every morning I ride bus No.17 from my home in Konjarnik to my office in Novi Belgrade. 

Most of the time I spend my 20 minute long ride reading (this morning it was Murakami's "1Q84", 3rd book), but sometimes I secretly snap photos of some great-looking people on the bus. 

 I kept waiting and waiting but this Eminem lookalike wouldn't turn around...

Loved his bad-ass attitude!

Another fine example of male species... but tranquil and pensive.

And that Indian chief tattoo that you can make out under his white T-shirt, compounded by our bus driver's  maneuvering wizardry, had a knee-weakening effect on me... 

I held on to the bars for dear life though I felt more like holding on to him with no holds barred... 

Saw this girl this morning in Konjarnik. 

Entirely oblivious to my stalking, she kept walking up and down this stretch of Ustanička Street, waiting for the No. 17. 

Some No. 17 buses are just as great-looking like this new bus I rode yesterday, complete with AC and a TV screen. 

I love seeing good-looking strangers but nothing beats familiar smiling faces.

It's great to share small, everyday, seemingly insignificant moments in your life, like riding bus No.17, with people you love.