Easter Celebrations

This year both Catholic and Orthodox celebrated Easter on the same day. The way that my love and his family and friends celebrated Easter was very lovely:

We prepared the traditional Easter breakfast meal this year to be eaten at the home of his daughter and her family who live in the same building that we do. Because the shops are closed on Sunday...all of them, evidently..we had to buy everything we would need until Monday. That meant extra bread and bottled water (which we usually buy daily)and anything we would need for the breakfast and lunch on Sunday. This is kind of hard to do when you usually just run out and get things as you need them.

On Saturday night, we cooked (boiled) a beautifully lean smoked ham with some sausages and also some boiled eggs in with this (for added flavor - the eggs that is). I made some American style deviled eggs for them to taste as well. We also boiled some eggs to dye and decorate for his grandchildren...just as we do in America. There was alot of activity that night...many cooking pots going at once, his daughter coming by to bring us some vinegar for the egg dyeing and to look at what my love had bought for the children's Easter...it was fun.

Sunday morning we called friends and family to wish them a Happy Easter and to proclaim "Christ is Risen!". Then, we took all of the food downstairs to his daughter's apartment and ate with them. Bread, salad, the meat, eggs, vino, pivo...food was plentiful and very good. His daughter provided two delicious cakes for desert.

The children had lots of chocolate and candy in their baskets, just like in America. It is now almost a week later and they still have chocolate..hahahha.

The eldest grandson made me a little egg holder at school and presented me with a very pretty egg to save until next year. As long as the egg does not get damaged, it is kept out in the home for "good luck".

After breakfast and a very nice visit (both his daughter and son-in-law speak English), we came back to our apartment to rest and prepare lunch. Our plan was to go back downstairs and eat with them. However, the doorbell began to ring and eventually we had 6 guests arrive! All were family and friends and we sat and laughed and joked and drank a little vino. I didn't think that many people could fit in our little attic apartment space, but they did and it was very nice.

One thing they do here is everyone gets a boiled egg and you tap your egg (top or bottom) against another person's egg (top or bottom)...if yours cracks, you lose and the other person taps the next person's egg...and on it goes. So, here we were, all adults doing this...it was funny.

Everyone left after a few hours and we went on downstairs and ate what we had prepared for lunch and visited a little while. Then we came home and watched a little TV before calling it a day.

Overall, a very relaxing, family oriented day.

Sunday at the Flea Market

Yesterday we went to the big flea market here in Novi Sad. It was a beautiful, sunny day and it seemed as if everyone was there. We just hopped on the bus by our apartment, made a quick transfer in the center of town and got off the bus right at the entrance to the flea market.

At this flea market, you can buy everything! Cars, spices, household goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, clothing, shoes, birds, puppies, TV antennas...everything. Many people seemed to be getting ready for fishing...those stands were really busy selling rods and reels, lures, and other supplies.

There is a section where you can buy used things...stuff alot like a US garage sale would have....old books, grandma's old china, etc. It was funny to see all these old LP's from the 70's and 80's. Many of the people I have met here have phonograph record players in their homes, so there is a market for them, I suppose.

When we walked in to the flea market, I could smell the fresh rattan from a vendor who was selling rattan tables and chairs and beautiful baskets. Easter is coming soon and this year the Orthodox holiday and the Catholic holiday are on the same day, so some of the baskets had an Easter basket theme. My friends tell me that children here celebrate Easter much the same as in the US.

We passed an area where food vendors sold sandwiches, coffee and other drinks. There was also grilled food available. Everything smelled very good.

As we left the flea market, an older man played his violin and people dropped a few coins in his empty case. His wife sat nearby and just listened.

As we walked through the market, my companions saw friends and everyone stopped to say "dobar dan" (good day) and to speak for a few minutes before continuing on their way.

It is a great way to spend a Sunday, even if all you do is just "window shop".