Sunday, June 12, 2011

Belgrade Spring 2007, revisited













Four years ago, at about the same time of year, I was on my first solo trip in Belgrade, Serbia. During that time, as probably now, the chesnut trees were in bloom, the weather alternated between hot and humid days and rainy, chillier ones, one could buy peonies, strawberries and other goodies at the green market. I also noticed that most apartment buildings in Belgrade, although they could be otherwise somewhat decrepit, had some pretty stunning Art-Deco doors. While on walks exploring the city, I got lost often, trying to reconcile my outdated map of Belgrade with the street names that I could barely read on the street (because most are written in Cyrillic). No matter, I would usually ask for to my way to unfailingly friendly pedestrians and always made it back home to Vasa’s apartment.

On this page I have posted some more pictures from that first trip four years ago. From top to bottom: wildflowers at Topčider Park, the monument to France (by Ivan Mestrović), a view of the
confluence of the Sava and the Danube from Kalemegdan, the Kalemegdan fortress, the greenhouses at the Belgrade Botanical Garden (Botanička Bašta), a blue art shop on Džordža Vašingtona ulica (Georges Washington street), the bank of Danube from New Belgrade, the café ?, a brick wall covered in ivy at Kalemegdan park, Tasmajdan with Sveti Marko church in the distance and the French Cultural Center on Knez Mihajlova street.

High Line (section 2)









The second section of the High Line opened on June 7th. It now extends the length of the park to twice its original length. These pictures were mostly taken on the new section going from 30th street to 21st street.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Auburn, Maine, Memorial Day weekend 2011 (2)







These pictures were taken at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester and in Auburn, Maine.

Auburn, Maine, Memorial Day weekend, 2011








These pictures were taken in the morning on Sunday May 29, 2011 in Auburn, Maine.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

High Line, May 25 2011, evening







West Chelsea, High Line, May 25, 7pm. I realize today (May 26, 2011) that only a few hours after these pictures were taken, Ratko Mladić, the former general of the Bosnian Serb Army and war criminal responsible for the massacre at Srebrenica of thousands of Bosnian Muslims during the Bosnian War of the 1990's was being arrested in Serbia. He will soon be extradited to the Hague where he will face the ICTY for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity committed in Bosnia. This is a great day for Serbia and the Western Balkans. I will take advantage of this occasion to extend a warm greeting to all my Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin and Serbian friends.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Jersey Shore, April 2011









These pictures were taken in Belmar and Avon, on the Jersey shore on April 30th and May 1st, 2011. This was a fun and productive weekend during which I managed to garden, ride my bike, read a few issues of the New Yorker and even get a full eye exam and buy a new pair of eyeglasses.