(icon of western hedonism against backdrop of nationalist feeling, dorćol)
(for dp weekly photo challenge – inspiration)
(also for luciles’ s photo 101rehab)
*shot with nikon d700 and nikkor 70-200mm f/4 lens at ISO200, 70mm, 1/125s and f/5, edited in aperture 3 and analog ex pro with wet plate filter 9 applied, not taking sides*
belgradestreets 
A nice ‘connection’ in human culture and history Andy!
Contrasting reality. Inspiration in all formats and colors.
Interesting (in a good way) interpretation, Andy.
janet
THAT’s a very interesting photo. And I love the bike.
Thank you Chris!
Thank you Lucile, from my trip just over a week ago.
Thank you Janet, each day I try to find something ordinary that may puzzle…
My pleasure Andy! Thank you for your unique photography. That is quite inspirational.
I really appreciate that Chris, thank you again!
Did you notice many differences from the time you were there?
There were some differences, I felt there were more tourists, a few more shops / cafes open, the waterfront area has benefitted from some investment (although there are questions over the substance of the longer term plan) but on the other hand there is a big issue with refugees in parts of the city and the economy remains challenging. The city and its people excel at putting on a brave and joyous face even when the face challenges most of us in the West would find too much to bear.
That’s what I had guessed that the investment money of the capitalists would cross the gates…it is needed for development but you have a point, it must be for a longer term.
Yet again, you touched upon a bizarre behavior, which is typical to developed societies. Those who never experienced the lack of the minimal infrastructure cannot bear its absence and have no imagination on how to find alternative ways to overcome it.
In principle the idea seems a good one but there are multiple fears, ranging from the destruction of the “character” of the city, to the risk of corruption and a feeling that such projects have been touted before and never materialised – and to see all this money being pumped into real estate jars with the site of many many homeless refugees sleeping in the park outside the bus station only a couple of hundred meters away from the “head office” of the Eagle Hills project http://www.belgradewaterfront.com/en/
And on the behavioural point I couldn’t agree with you more, what also struck me recently (a different point) was how the debate about the Eurotunnel “crisis” at present has been focused by the media on the “plight” of lorry drivers and local businesses in Kent with precious little attention given to the lives of the migrants and the underlying reason why they are in such desperate circumstances…
It’s always a good idea but..it’s the execution that often gets harmed.
How sad to hear about the state of affairs with refugees there and all over Europe. It’s a walking bomb about to explode, because these measures are Ill conceived, short term thinking, and not humanitarian.
Throwing dust under the carpet has never been a solution.
This problem is growing like a snow ball and I hate to say this, but an avalanche is on its way, with the birth of a new layer in our society with characteristics that the west attributes to the underdeveloped world. It’s in our faces, and it doesn’t help to turn our faces to the other side. We’d better face the issue and act with civility and humanity.
Yes, I agree, and I think the interesting thing about the UK is that the tunnel issue is increasingly making people think (some people anyway), it’s all too easy to ignore such matters as someone else’s problem – my view is that has always been at the heart of the UK’s on / off relationship with Europe, fault lines are developing and the politicians would do well to notice and work together to solve the root causes which are those which face us all whichever country, race or creed we are aligned with.
That’s a cool motorcycle!
In the coolest city…