Another day in Cherryland

Vishnitca, or in English, Cherryland, is the part of Beograd that we are staying in. Years ago it was a village but it has since been incorporated into the city. It's a very pretty area and very European. I've enjoyed most mornings with a cup of  Italian coffee while sitting on the porch and looking over the Danube. I don't want to leave this place.

We were planning on spending the last week of our visit back at Yovana's apartment but her kids have had some bad luck and are constantly sick. Also, Boshko (her dad) doesn't want us to leave. I'm all for staying, this place is great, I have easy access to the city by taking a bus and it's very quiet and peaceful here. As much as I loved staying at Yovana's in the heart of the city, I don't mind being away from her kids. She has an adorable girl, Marija (age 2), and she can be sweet as sugar one moment and then have a tantrum the next. Mici and Petar are much older and fun to be around.

On Wednesday night, Boshko took us to "?" (honestly, that's the name). It's the oldest restaurant in Beograd. Apparently, the name kept changing with each owner and it was so confusing that a local preist decided it should be forever called ?. We ate Chevapchiche. It's more or less a sausage, but I'm pretty sure it was a combination of lamb, pork, and veal. I think. I didn't ask because as soon as I know what I'm eating, I usually lose my appetite. They were pretty tasty though. Boshko is a retired teacher and on the side he delivers nice Rakije to local bars and restaurants. Along with this, he plays in a band a few nights a week at local eateries....so he knows the best places to go in town. While at ?, the band came by and played a few songs while he sang along. It was a really fung night.

The cherry on the ? Sundae was the fact that we rode in Boshko's NEW car. I wrote in my last post how Boshko and a city bus got into an accident (boshko claims it wasn't his fault but, with the way he drives, his family is skeptical). Anyways, his car is being worked on and he currently has a 28 year old Yugo. We all say a little prayer before we get into it because we are never sure if it will start. Somehow we have made it were we have needed to go. I will be happy when we can ride Boshko's regular car again.

My cousin Vukasin is back in town and we hung out last night. We met in the city's center, the Trg Republik, and walked around. We went to Kalamegdon and he showed me more of the fortress; we even got into a bit of trouble when we unknowingly did some trespassing and a security gaurd whistled at us. We were living on the edge.

Vukasin took me to have stuffed Palachinkes again at Pinocchio's. They are so tasty. After taking a picture with a spraypainted Vladimir Putin, we decided to see a movie.

We had two hours to kill before it started and decided to do some bowling. Bowling in Beograd is the same as bowling in the States except that it is wicked expensive. It was a little less than $20 for us to play one game and rent the shoes (which to my dissapointment, looked the same as American Bowling shoes).  He was a little jealous of my bowling skills, which weren't awesome, but did win me the game. Vukasin tied it up by winning a game of pool, which again, was really expensive. I'm used to paying 50 cents a game, it's much more than that in Beograd.

It's very convenient for English speakers to see movies here, since they are all in english with Serbian subtitles. We went to see Inglorious Bastards. The movie was awesome. The only downside is that much of the movie is in French or German and when there are already Serbian subtitles for everthing, it leaves zero chance that the French or German will also get translated in English. Vukasin was a good sport and translated everything for me. Thanks again, Vukasin.

When we purchased our tickets we were assigned seat numbers. I guess the theaters fill up so fast that they have to do that...and you can't put your feet on the chair in front of you...my favorite way to watch the movie. Even though there weren't very many people in the theater, and no one was in front of me, I was still instructed byVukasin not to rest my feet on the chair.

Tomorrow is sunday and we are going to go to church. There is local monastery and we will attend church there. After that we will have lunch with yet another cousin, (well, she isn't related, but close enought to call her family) and then I'll hang out with Vukasin again.

I hope everyone has a good Saturday night. I would LOVE to go out but we have to wake up really early for church and I don't want to fall asleep in the pew. People in Beograd go out every night of the week, so I'm sure I'll have another chance soon.

Dobri Vecher (good evening),
Anna