Graffiti Art: a few last photos from Romania and Serbia

Wow, I didn't realize a month has passed since I last added to this blog. The holidays have started to consume my attention.

Before I forget, there is one last batch of photos from my summer trip I wish to share. Usually I am not a huge fan of graffiti, but some I saw in Belgrade and Bucharest really caught my attention. They either caught my eye because they had a real message or were like mural art or both.

The first really made me do a double take. As I looked at it, I thought of my sister's husband and how this would be so his style. It's a thinker.

Building in Belgrade

Belgrade

 

This next batch of graffiti made me smile, as I am a vegetarian and try to be vegan. After spotting the first one from the city tour bus, I started seeing them all over Belgrade written in both English and Serbian.

Belgrade

Bucharest

These next two I spotted connected together along a wall in Bucharest, Romania. I had just exited a city park with my friends, and as we walked we passed by these pieces of graffiti art.

Bucharest

Bucharest

 

Though this giant banner doesn't fall under the true definition of graffiti, I felt like it was. As I was driven through Bucharest many historical buildings were covered with giant banners like this one. As I was into the architecture, I found these banners too modern and frustrating for my taste.

Architecture of Belgrade, Serbia

Since I blogged about the architecture I saw while visiting the city of Bucharest, I thought it only fair to share pictures of the buildings of another capitol city, Belgrade. My first few days of my vacation were spent in Belgrade, thus they were also the days I was recovering from jet-lag. Yet, I managed to tour the Fortress in Belgrade, take a bus tour, see the Millennium Tower, and visit the Tesla Museum. Add in some walks around the city and I collected a few photos. Here are some of my favorites.

Belgrade Fortress

These first photos are of the Fortress in Belgrade. If it has a more official name I don't know it, since I didn't go on any tours. I just walked around the various ramifications. Though there is an outdoor dinosaur replica museum that I did visit.

Belgrade Fotrerss

Millennium Tower

The Millennium Tower is a beautiful structure that is in an area called Zemun. You can take a tour into it, which I did. Once inside you go up a spiral staircase. At the top you can walk around and from there get some great  photos of Belgrade.

Spiral staircase of Millennium Tower

View of Belgrade from Millennium Tower

Throughout the city there are many wonderful looking buildings that solidified for me a that I was in Europe. Here are some of those pictures for you to enjoy.

Belgrade

Church in Belgrade

Church in Belgrade

Belgrade

Belgrade government building

Belgrade

Return from Adventures in Serbia and Romania

My adventures in Serbia and Romania are now in the past. With the exception of a non-working air conditioning in a hotel and the delays on the flight home, the trip went smoothly with many delightful and surprising moments. I never found the Serbia mafia or the Romanian Gypsies, but I did see a hairy Serbian man and say Serbian Gypsy houses.  In fact, based on the Gypsy houses, I think there are more Gypsies in Serbia, then Romania.

Example of Gypsy House

Apparently the Gypsies in Serbia go to countries in the EU, collect money, and then come back to Serbia where it is cheaper to live and build big houses.

Another Gypsy House

The best part of my adventures where all my friends. They made my trip fun and easy. Lots of details I wouldn't have been able to take care of due to the lack of my language skills, they dealt with for me. In fact, I let them set the agenda for most places I visited, and I left impressed with what I was shown.

Milan, Ana, and Adam took me to the Millennium Tower by the Danube in Belgrade

The stocks Adam and Ana put me in at the Belgrade Fortress

Cristina, Adam, Me, and Cristy outside the Parliament Building (The People's House) in Bucharest

As with most trips, I took hundreds of photos. Many more I will share as I expand on my adventures over the next few weeks, but for now, enjoy one more of my most special friend, Crni.

Crni, My Serbian Prince

Planning a Vacation and Others' Fears

After two years or no real vacation, I have finally decided to take a trip. Thanks to several on-line friends I have met I decided on a couple of destinations I might never have picked otherwise. 

I have traveled solo before, and even took a flight to Great Britain on September 23, 2011 with my mother. She had been a afraid to go after the 9/11 attacks, but I told her I was going with or without her, so we went and had a great time.

Anyway, when I mention the places I am visiting I am getting fearful reactions, often that have no basis in reality.  I will be journeying to Belgrade and Bucharest, the capitol cities of Serbia and Romania.

One family member feared ISIS would get me. I think she is confusing Serbia with Syria.  Another also expressed concerns of terrorists (as if we aren't at risk right here in the USA).

Another family member is concerned I will get exposed to the radiation from Chernobyl.  I have been trying to explain that Chernobyl is in Russia and nowhere close, but the person doesn't believe me.

I have been told both that Serbia is in Asia and in the Middle East. For the record it is Europe, and used to be part of Yugoslavia.

Tonight I had a friend tell me that if the Serbia mafia doesn't get me, the Romanian gypsies will. She did reassure me that I am too old to be kidnapped for the slave trade. Is that a compliment or an insult?

Another friend of mine added the fact that Serbian men are hairy, but make great lovers. I never asked how she knew this.

If you check with the US Government they tell you to avoid all large crowds and political areas in both Serbia and Romania. They also add that while in Romania be careful of clubs and bars where Americans are often drugged and robbed.

Thankfully, I have an adventurous spirit, common sense, and a good sense of geography (one useful thing of being a history major).  I know I will see amazing places and make new friends and have fun. I can't think these places are any more dangerous than Oakland and Eureka, California, both of which I have lived within, and both which are listed in the ten most dangerous cities in California.