A part of Belgrade, western of the very center of a city (about 700m). It is the oldest part of the city outside of the walls of Kalemegdan fortress. It was named after knight Kosančić Ivan, one of the heroes from Kosovo battle in 1389. (there are two similar named streets in its neighbourghood, Obilićev Venac named after Miloš Obilić – he killed sultan Murat I during the battle – and Topličin Venac named after Milan Toplica).
Kosančićev Venac started its development after 1841. when Serbs decided to make their own town around the church dedicated to Archangel Michael, as a nucleus from which the other parts of town were built later.
a view to a church from Kalemegdan fortress
Today`s shape it has gotten after 1867. Besides Cathedral Church of Archangel Michael, there are few other historically important buildings, most important are Partiarchate and residence of Princess Ljubica.
residence of Princess Ljubica
Also, there are remnants of the old library, destroyed in April 6th, 1941. during bombing by Luftwaffe, when priceless books and manuscripts from medieval times were burnt to ashes.
Across the church there is probably the oldest restaurant in Balkan, "?". This place was built in 1823 and in next 70 years it changed its owners and names. In 1892. it was named "At the Cathedral Church", but this was soon removed, because it neither complied with regulations on restaurants, nor did the Church authorities find it suitable. As a temporary solution, the owner has put up just a question mark, which has remained until today. One day I will go there to have a lunch and will make a post about restaurant itself.
Neglected for decades, especially after the WWII, Kosančićev Venac started to change its grey and ruined face into what it was more than 100 years ago.
Being born across the river Sava, in Zemun, I was never much interested in this part of town. But few of my friends lived there (and still do) so in time, I started to discover it and its history. There are one of the pubs I like to visit during nice summer mornings or sunny winter days, "Skica", to have a cup of tea or coffee.
These and some more photographs are in my Belgrade section.
gdare 
Is it me being more short sighted then usual or there is something wrong in the light of pictures?
I took photos in different times and occasions, so…. probably 😀
What kind of photocam did you use?
It looks very nice :).
Rose – thanks :happy:Lorenzo – well, I needed to reduce quality because of the size of original photographs but the main thing is that I have some of them from last year and some of yesterday; also, the weather was changing from bright sun to cloudy with difuse light;
That's such an alien concept over here. The british don't usually understand that you can go to a pub and not get rat arsed. I'm a coffee fiend so that doesn't really apply to me, but the majority go to pubs with the express purpose of getting so drunk they can't control themselves anymore.:irked:
Canon A710
I thought it was something analogic.It is strange because that cam should automatically adjust the settings to avoid too bright and dark spots and get balanced colors.Do you see any difference between the original pictures you have and the above on MyOpera?
Mik – we have a word that describes a place where you can eat or drink or just have a cup of tea or coffee – it is called "kafana". So, I think this is not a pub in a british sense of that word 😀
Pretty much the same as our cafes then? :coffee:
Here in Italy there were local "pubs" called "osterie" that were places where "common" people spent free days and nights playing cards, discussing, eating and drinking. But traditionally it was considered ashaming to get drunk in public. There were also more elegant places named "caffe" (same as coffee) that were exaclty the same as the places Darko is describing, also used by women and intellectuals.In recent times those places disappeared from bigger towns and cities and you can find "bars" where you can have a quick coffee or drink or "clubs" of different kinds where you go for listening music and socializing. In even more recent times it got more common for youngsters to drink too much and to get drugs when they meet, regardless the place. Back when I was young it was still considered for loosers out of special occasions. But it has changed.
It's always interesting to learn some history about the places you visit. Princess Ljubica is a pretty name. Is she still alive, or is she a historical character?
Interesting post – I agree with Rosie, it looks very nice :up:
This is an example of "osteria", of course a contemporary one:In old times you would have seen farmers, workers, any kind of men from the village, smoking and playing cards. Women owned or worked in those places but usually they weren't customers, they stayed at home.Here a regular coffee (that is known as "espresso") costs from 0.80 to 1 euro. More or less.Darko, I think the coffee they sell in Starbucks are those 1 liter huge cups full of dirty water they call american coffee with all kind of addons and flavours.
Mik – no, more like restaurants; it is pretty close to what Lorenzo have mentioned, "osterie"; although, in towns this spirit of socializing in "kafana" has changed, today people usually go to cafes, pubs or clubs;Lorenzo – Italy is pretty much similar to Serbia when it comes to socializing among people – on the other hand, I think this is the case in almost all European countries, more or less :up: until about a year ago I was going out almost 3-4 times a week, having a good times with friends, drinking beer, listening to music; then I have changed a little bit and my job became a little bit more difficult and little bit less payed, so it is now only occassionally – once a week, sometimes twice;Kimmie – thank you :happy:Tilla – Ljubica Obrenović (born as Vukomanović) was a wife of duke Miloš Obrenović and she lived from 1785 to 1843; they have had two sons, Milan and Mihailo; therefore I think it was just a bad translation of her status, she was never a princess; she was known as very stubborn woman, with her own attitude in politics so she has sometimes very serious arguing with her husband; once, in attack of jealousy, she killed one of her husband`s mistresses; she died in exile in Novi Sad, in Austrian Emipire back then;Angeliki – $5.00 for coffee? :yikes: then, it should be very good for that amount of money 😆 here, I usually drink coffee with a little milk in big cup, it costs about 1.20 eur in ordinary place (cafe or pub); photograph #2 is made last year, during one of my walking tours over Kalemegdan fortress :happy:
Here in America we have Starbucks that charges $5.00 for a coffee.I call then Starsteals :D@ Darko,I love the pictures and the tour you just gave me to Belgrade! Thank you!My favorite picture ?? #2 :up:
@ Darko ~ Cool! I like women with an attitude! :yes:
Actually in Italy you can have the espresso only in places where they have the proper machine. In homes we make coffee with the "moka":The resulting coffee is a little less "creamy" than the espresso. On a side note: there are many variations on the espresso, like "macchiato" (with a little of milk), "corretto" (with a little liquor) etc.
Tilla, I thought you would like her 😀
Lorenzo – thanks for the photos; two years ago when I was in Japan I tried a coffee in a hotel, even though I was warned not to; it tasted like :yuck: I couldn`t believe that in all Japan they have the same tasteless coffee so I tried once more in a train – it was the same; but I have found some pubs with excellent Italian espresso, imported :happy: Later, when I came to Milan airport on my way back home, there was a scent of fresh espresso in the air… I just couldn`t resist 😀
There's no coffee like Italian coffee :happy:.
When I drink a coffe at my home, I usually make it in Turkish/Greek style, grinded coffee put in a boiling water, wait a little, "cook" it, then pour in cups. Then I put a little milk in it. In cafes or pubs I usually order espresso with a little milk, or macchiato. In old times it was served like this:In some places in Bosnia I think this is still usual way of preparing and serving it. In Serbia, it is usually prepared in this:This coffee is stronger than espresso and richer in taste :happy:
Question, how do you remove the grinded coffee from the liquid when you drink it?The "moka" boiler is made by 2 stages, the bottom A contains the water, then there is a little removable container B inside where you put the grinded coffee then there is the empty top stage C with a filter right on top of the container B. The top is screwed on the bottom.When water boils the vapor under rising pressure comes up to the container where the grinded coffee is, then it passes through the filter, reaches the top of the empty stage and falls down inside.The coffee powder stays in the container B because of the filter.On a side note, since the "moka" operates at high pressure, the resulting coffee should be stronger than the one obtained by simply boiling water.In case you wonder, it can't explode because it is opened on top and because of a safety valve in the bottom. But it can burn if you don't pull it from the fire as soon as it starts boiling.
Serbian and Greek coffee are the same ! when young we use to see the foam and count how many bubbles will burst, that's how many boys would have fallen in love with us that night at the party!now I have an American black, no sugar no milk and I love it :)Starbucks coffee is very good (:lol: dirty water ?) I just buy their coffee and make my own. The pack for 8 coffee mugs is 10.00USD.Since I have a small experience in coffees from my traveling I find that each one is special and each one wakes up another flavor in your pallet 🙂
have a Serbian/Greek/Turkish :coffee: instead 🙂
Starbucks here tend to burn the coffee. :irked:
S@@@I men shame on them! :furious:
P.S. most of these pictures were spotlighted by Opera,see Central Park and other sites 🙂http://my.opera.com/ellinidata/albums/show.dml?id=485627
Sorry, I wrote it in wrong way, sometimes I still think in Serbin when writing in English 😆 she was amazed with NYC of course; New Jersey was boring 😛
if New Jersey was impressive wait till you cruise on 5th Avenue /Lex/ and 42nd Street.The pictures can not even come close to reality :)visiting museum and seeing a play on Broadway can last for years to remember :)You have a great plan :up:
😆
NYC is actually one of the places I would like to visit in my future travel there; my friend was there last year, in New Jersey actually and she was amazed with the city 🙂
hey, still what I wrote was correct ! :pSometimes very intelligent Opera members ask me : are you speaking Greek again :lol:I am sure I will be better than them in Greek and you will be better that all of us in Serbian ! :up:
Lorenzo – we don`t remove it 😀 and this is a whole point in this, after you pour coffee, cooked powder stays in bottom;Angeliki – we don`t have Starbucks here but one day, when I am going to travel to USA I will try it :up:Mik – is it possible to buy grinded coffee for making Serbian/Greek/Turkish coffee in England?
:coffee:my treat!I hope you stop in New York City 🙂
Well, I travelled in Yugoslavia (when existed) and in Greece and I could not understand how to drink the coffee without eating the powder.I thought you can wait till the powder goes on the bottom but then, for one, how can you turn the spoon in the coffee without mixing it with the powder? If you wait then it gets cold… 🙂
It never gets cold 😆 Until you reach the bottom of a cup, it is all down there. You just need a little more practice 😛
I think I should move there and sell "mokas"…
Lorenzo,"You just need a little more practice P:"Find yourself a Serbian or a Greek girlfriend!(they will teach you!)
Uhm the good part of the suggestion is about finding the girl.The bad part is about practicing in drinking coffee with powder when I can easily have one without. You know, once upon a time I guess also in Italy people boiled coffee with water the same way but then they probably found it impractical and so they looked for a better way. You stubborn people… :)The above device, called "moka" was invented by Alfonso Bialetti in year 1933.The Story of the Bialetti Moka Express:http://www.ineedcoffee.com/03/mokaexpress/
@ Darko,do you realize that in one post you did cover more than Belgrade and it's beauty??Now you have no reason for a post called "coffee in Europe" 🙂
thanks for the link,my college pal was Italian and "moka" was a prayer to her :)"You stubborn people… :smile:":lol:I wonder if you will be around listening to our silliness if we were "normal"
Lorenzo – Angeliki gave you a good advice :up:Angeliki – we are stubborn indeed :yes: and I think we are proud of it 😛 you are right about "coffee in Europe" post but it would be interesting to read anyway (if someone else decides to write it 😀 )
:whistle: :whistle:
😀
How curious – a restuarant called "?" :eyes: That must be quite a talking point for visitors! Interesting history too – sad about the documents destroyed in the fire.
Adele – I am thinking seriously about making a post about "?" 😀
—-priceless books and manuscripts from medieval times were burnt to ashes.—- that is SO sad!! 😥 :cry:Beautiful place, by the way :up:
Thank you Marina.Yes, it has been done in according to Hitler`s propaganda back in those days: destroy a history of one nation and you will destroy a nation itself. Or something like this, I couldn`t find his exact words… There were kept books from very dawn of Serbian state in 11th and 12th century…
😥 horrible thing to do.