Mira

Mira's Journal

April 11, 2018

Getting back to Berlin today - some shots from on the way

This is where we stayed, on a boat B&B. It was simply wonderful.

A picture of how much Spring has sprung in Serbia, and of my traveling companion and I. Some of you will know who’s who.

This one when we’re on the way, just because I like it, and it shows the tell “tail” logo of Austrian Airlines

Almost back

April 10, 2018

A beautiful Orthodox church on the way to Belgrade. Only 2 photos today

April 9, 2018

Novi Sad - a new town for me but Ive heard of it all my life

Here is where my mother went to school as a teenager, until she was expelled for not behaving appropriately - she had a boy’s tyrollean hat she would not take off in church - and they kicked her out for it.

Here is the courtyard of her school.

She lived nearby with her grandmother in this street

And now I understand why when I served her corn on the cob she called it “coockooroots”
In Germany corn is fed to animals, people do not usually eat it on the cob

At lunch time we went up these steps

…to sit up here

Then we were back in the streets where much happiness was visible. The Serbian people are absolutely beautiful to look at.

A few more random street views

A bit of the wonderful churches

And that is all she wrote for now.
Tomorrow it’s on to Belgrade, and then back to Berlin. Where we immediately repack and start visiting German friends and relatives, all of the travel except for the short flight from Berlin to Belgrade are by a rental car here in Serbia, or by train and bus in Germany. Getting around has been and will be easy, affordable, and reliable. How much do I wish that infrastructure is not just a word 45 can barely pronounce and definitely not bring about.

The pace will tighten, internet may be hard to access, and I don’t know when I can again lean back and show and tell.
But it will surely happen - your feedback and appreciation has made me very happy and I thank you for caring to look and read. It’s a treat to be away from America and its politics for a while. Almost all my free time is taken up to put these photos together, and that is a really good and welcome respite for me. Thank you all so much for being there.

April 8, 2018

A city I must learn more about. Subatica-Serbia, street views and art deco

First the art deco houses - a bit different from those in Miami

This one is just begging to be restored

Street Views

A monument to a multi-faceted individual with foresight - courage- and knowledge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Sari%C4%87

And the church with a serious flaw that has been visible forever and has never been solidly fixable

My traveling companion said this is what happens when the midieval custom of burying a live animal in the foundation was not followed. Who am I to argue with that?

Look at the gorgeous inside!

April 8, 2018

Easter- not quite over - still beautiful images

Yesterday we were walking the streets In Subotica, Serbia, Easter lingers.
The photos of the breakfast buffet and the courtyard view are from our hotel. In that courtyard is a gurgling fountain and the water is audible all day until they turn it off at night and replace the sound of the water with wonderful etherial soothing music. When you wake up the music is gone.

We are now in Novi Sad, more in the South, and in a hotel where the Danube is right outside our window.
Uploading takes FOREVER, so I wanted to stroll along the Danube while the next set loads, but maybe I can’t. The hotel is like a ghost town. We are possibly the only guests. Could not lock the door so we had to barricade it with trashcans, a chair, and a toilet brush holder. There is nobody here except one person who made us some tea, and does not know a word of English or German - and I only know one word in Serbian: Kwala - thank you.
We are next to a huge brand new bridge over which a train goes as well as cars. I believe the building of the bridge has stopped some streets from leading to the deserted, but not bad, hotel. I believe it has cut off it’s access. We are surely not able to ask, though my traveling companion speaks Russian and that is not so far from Serbian. We could not find the place for an hour and a half - and then a kind woman led us to it by allowing us to follow her.
We’re a little freaked out. But we need to rest we both have caught a cold.
So, onward and upward, enjoy the photos.

April 5, 2018

Traveling with a gravid and emotional goal in mind

Today I show you my path from Berlin through a stop in Vienna airport and descent and arrival in Belgrade.
From there we traveled with a car to a small and ancient Serbian town, Vrbas. It’s where my mother was born in 1923, and a place I have heard about all my life.
She was born to my grandparents who were the ministers in a methodist church there. And she was born in the parsonage right next to the church.

First two Berlin, on departure, I asked if they were selling and was told they are still hot.

The connection to Belgrade was so tight that I almost could not take this photo, but I did, and we were the last ones boarding.

On the descent into Belgrade notice two things: The Danube, and all the windmills in the landscape

The blue Danube again, just because I love it, and because I was on Austrian Airlines, and Strauss Waltzes and Tales from the Vienna Woods were playing on the plane.

Study the half only but pretty real looking car that expels the luggage to the conveyor belt

And then one more - the destination we reached in a driving rain - the house my Mom was born on the right, and the church my grandfather was ministering on the left.

As we arrived a nice youngish man walked up to us, and he spoke German quite well. He turned out to be the minister who now lives in that house with his wife, two small children and two uncaged birds. He was wonderful, warm, welcoming, and immediately took us into his kitchen, introduced us to the wife, and a number of Methodist parishioners sitting at the kitchen table in the house my Mom was born, and they were about to start Bible study.

We sat through all of it in Serbian. At the end I was able to thank them for allowing our presence and revealed I had understood two words: John Wesley.

They were such great people, and here they are: