I went for a short stroll around my local neighbourhood here in Belgrade today – mainly to go to the Speak Easy coffee shop on Sveta gorska ulica and buy some muffins if I’m honest. It was about 3.30pm and it was still relatively sunny but a bit chilly as winter slowly draws in. I had my camera with me so I snapped a few shots – nothing special mind you – so you can get an idea of what Belgrade looks like off the tourist path so to speak.
My neighbourhood is the area around the Bajloni green market, 29 November Street and Tasmajdan stadium – I’m not entirely sure what the official name is as neighbourhood boundaries in Belgrade are sometimes hard to define, and I’m situated near the ‘borders’, but let’s say the Stari Grad (but not the very city centre), Dorcol and Palilula areas (perhaps even venturing into lower Zvezdara at one point!). Perhaps somebody can give me a better idea after looking at the photos?
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on Nov 24th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Would love to help you, if you could explain to me soho/west end (london) distinction.
Belgrade is so small, that using a street name sometimes suffice. For example, the last pic – you just say Palmoticeva (guess that would be Stari grad bordering on Palilula), think it explains it better, as these borders are usually a matter of perception.
My grandparents when they were alive, used to use old “pre-war” names. Imagine a kid trying to find Krunska (Proleterskih brigada) or Makenzijeva (Marsala Tolbuhina): a) nobody would know, b) I think a whole of my family would be reported to the appropriate Communist party body and put on a pillar of shame:)
on Nov 24th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Hmm, not from London myself, so I’d probably be just as confused as you regarding the Soho/West End distinction!
Yeah, street names are normally used by myself and friends, but it can’t hurt to attempt to figure out which ‘neighbourhood’ I’m in.
As you said about borders, my friends say I’m just inside Stari Grad, while my mobile phone says Palilula, yet if I walk to the end of my street I’m in Dorcol!
on Nov 24th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
You’re somewhere on the border of the municipalities, that’s why your cell phone goes crazy. Palilula is huge btw, so don’t use it to explain where you are.
I guess you could also say near Bajloni or near Tasmajdan, some of my friends who live there they refer that to the neighborhood.
It also depends on who you’re talking to, if you’re talking to somebody from Zarkovo, you can just say city center, but it you’re talking to someone from the center, than you’d refer to something more specific.
btw we’re almost neighbors, I’m near the Politika building
on Nov 24th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Gee, I didn’t know cell phones made such a distinction. I don’t think mine shows that, but anyway, the Speak Easy cafe I think would be in Palilula. The little market Palilula is a stone’s throw away. Bajloni is far, I think!
on Nov 24th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
@Viktor
Hi neigbour!
Yeah, generally I say Bajloni or Bitef when people ask where about I am. I think I’m going to give up determining my actual neightbourhood!
@Bibi
Yeah, it’s a 5-10m walk from where I am to the Speak Easy cafe – but not far enough to put me off going on a muffin mission on a cold Sunday afternoon
on Nov 25th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Popkitchen, Soho is north of Great Newport St, south of Oxford St, east of Regent St and west of charing Cross Rod until someone else comes up with a better definition.
Soho’s part of the West End, west of Charing Cross Road/Tottenham Court Rd (perhaps going a bit east to include Covent Garden and the area between the Strand and New Oxford Street), north of Trafalgar Square, up to Oxford Street and on perhaps to Goodge St/Middlesex Street, and west as far as Mayfair/Edgware Road. Sometimes though it’s just shorthand for Oxford Street.
on Nov 25th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
No, no I got that. I was just drawing a parallel between when you do cross from Stari grad into Dorcol (Stari grad is a municipality, Dorcol is an area) in Belgrade (dunno if you know the place).
In London, I grasp the concept, but still, Soho is Soho until you get to Covent Garden, or Soho (west from Shaftsbury Avenue) blends into Mayfair (west of Picadilly, but still south of Oxford Street:). I always have fun with that, the excess of names. Good thing, I am not getting lost, that would be trouble.
on Dec 2nd, 2008 at 3:38 am
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