A Travelogue to an Extraneous, Though Familiar Country.

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Serbia and its Pride! The first Attitude!

Let’s take a break, me included!!

This year, we planned to spend our holidays in the summer instead of spring or autumn like in previous years. Due to my limited budget, we aimed to make the trip as inexpensive as possible. However, a significant reason for undertaking this journey was to visit our daughter-in-law’s birthplace and meet her family. First, we rented an apartment for just under three hundred euros a week to not burden our new family, and then we moved into their house.

Although Serbia is not the great country it once was, which we know as Yugoslavia, nevertheless, it has its quiet, beautiful corners with proudly reserved people. I believe the EU would rather have it apart because it fears the mighty military of the big country!

I know these people well because I worked with some colleagues during those years and found them intelligent, honourable, and insightful.

So! I am splitting this post in two because I have some nice pictures of the prominent Church in Belgrad, The Temple of Saint Sava, which I would like to make a separate post about. Have a lovely weekend, everybody, and thanks to all.

The father of my son’s bride and me; two unconventional individuals! He is some years younger than me!!

“Diamonds & Rust”

Joan Baez

Well I’ll be damned
Here comes your ghost again
But that’s not unusual
It’s just that the moon is full
And you happened to call
And here I sit
Hand on the telephone
Hearing a voice I’d known
A couple of light years ago
Heading straight for a fall

As I remember your eyes
Were bluer than robin’s eggs
My poetry was lousy you said
Where are you calling from?
A booth in the midwest
Ten years ago
I bought you some cufflinks
You brought me something
We both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust

Well you burst on the scene
Already a legend
The unwashed phenomenon
The original vagabond
You strayed into my arms
And there you stayed
Temporarily lost at sea
The Madonna was yours for free
Yes the girl on the half-shell
Would keep you unharmed

Now I see you standing
With brown leaves falling around
And snow in your hair
Now you’re smiling out the window
Of that crummy hotel
Over Washington Square
Our breath comes out white clouds
Mingles and hangs in the air
Speaking strictly for me
We both could have died then and there

Now you’re telling me
You’re not nostalgic
Then give me another word for it
You who are so good with words
And at keeping things vague
Because I need some of that vagueness now
It’s all come back too clearly
Yes I loved you dearly
And if you’re offering me diamonds and rust
I’ve already paid

27 thoughts on “A Travelogue to an Extraneous, Though Familiar Country.”

  1. These are wonderful photos, music and stories, thank you for sharing them Aladin. Today you remind me of older friends who many decades ago, would regularly holiday in Yugoslavia. I remember how beautiful they described the landscapes there back in the 1970’s and how they sadly had to stop visiting when the Yugoslav wars started in the early nineties. So it’s great to hear that tourism has been slowly rebuilding ever since then. I shall look forward to part two in the weeks to come. Hope you’re having a peaceful, restful weekend without too much work. Love and light, Deborah.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Oh, yes; the devil named war! I heard there must be a monument or memorial to the Atpur or Akpur peaceful movement by students during 1996โ€“1997 against President Slobodan Miloลกevic, a dictator! However, I couldn’t find it. Thank you, my lovely Deborah: love and peace.๐ŸŒน๐Ÿ’–

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you very much, dear Sir. I have learned a lot from you about allowing my thoughts to roam freely, and I am grateful for that as much as I consider you to be like an elder brother to me. I am sending immense gratitude. Sincerely yours, Aladin.

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  6. Serbia looks such a beautiful country, it’s so sad that war tore through Yugoslavia with so many factions dividing the country, lives lost and families forever traumatised. It’s good to see it recovering, hopefully bringing the people a sense of peace and safety now. I hope you’ve had a good weekend Aladin, sending love and light.

    Liked by 2 people

    • It’s all true, my dear Lin. I pray for more understanding and open-hearted people who speak the same language and have primarily similar cultures to live in harmony and peace. Thank you and blessing, my lovely friend.๐Ÿ’–๐ŸŒท๐Ÿ™

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Sounds like a wonderful vaycay, Aladin.

    The pictures show a lovely country. I look forward to the next post, withe the church and the temple.!

    Thank you!

    ๐Ÿซถ๐ŸŒนโฆ๐Ÿซถ

    Liked by 1 person

  11. elainemansfield's avatar elainemansfield

    Wonderful photos and you look comfortable standing with the man who you will soon call family. Thanks for sharing the good fortune. I wish I could listen to music, but my body forbids it. Blessings to all

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Pingback: A Travelogue to an Extraneous, Though Familiarย Country; An Addition (The Prayers!) – lampmagician

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