My new neighborhood in Belgrade is called Dorćol.
It is not far from the Danube and it has a kind of "On The Waterfront" quality of old streets and industrial warehouses common to riverside living.
This is my street. What, can't read the cyrillic street sign?
Here's my apartment building. It has a wrought iron gated entrance and the stairway looks a bit industrial/spartan but the place is really nice and light and airy.
This is my corner store of the Mom and Pop variety featured worldwide. Nelson Algren could have written about Lefty Bicek going there to get a "Bottle Of Milk For Mother".
Some buildings remind me of Old Havana with their crumbling facades and interesting architectural details.
There is a green market a few blocks away. It must be radish season as the place was a riot of endless bunches of red radishes. I hear some people like radishes. I am not one of them. But I was glad to wander this farmer's market and find some fresh produce for healthy eating in the new pad.
More importantly, I was glad to discover that my new neighborhood also featured a bookie joint and a strip bar, just in case I was getting too Mr. Natural for what is, after all, Eastern Europe.
At first glance Striptis sounded like a throat lozenge brand, until I was able to translate its neon sign to "striptease".
Back in the '90's NATO bombs fell here, but now there is evidence everywhere of a different kind of "bomber" - the graffiti artists who are tagging the old city. I liked this woman's portrait and the urban landscape it graces.
Today was my first day to wander around after the 24/7 rigors of preparing the movie the last few weeks since I arrived. I feel like I have only barely scratched the surface of my new neighborhood, but so far it reminds me of certain parts of Chicago back in the old days, maybe in the back streets around Goose Island!
No coincidence that Chicago is said to have the second largest Serbian population outside of Belgrade!
Enjoy!
william
I can read Cyrillic. The sign says
Street
Guy it's named for
Neighborhood
I think. It looks like you're having an interesting adventure in Serbia. This is the part of your job that I envy, being able to live in, and see, the life that tourists never get to experience. Keep posting, I'm enjoying this vicariously.
Posted by: Janet M | March 24, 2012 at 09:14 AM
Thanks a lot for the photos Billy.
Now we know how it looks over there.
Missing you a lot!
The team :)
Posted by: Elsita | March 25, 2012 at 01:27 PM
ummm. can't quite make out the sign Striptease? how do you say mark in serbian? xoxox
Posted by: other culprit | March 26, 2012 at 06:38 PM
ah, language barriers. my 17 year old sister walked into a restaurant in paris and very authoritatively announced she was there to inspect the bathrooms. actually, she just wanted to use one....
Posted by: Diane | March 29, 2012 at 06:18 AM