Wednesday Wonderings Pt. 2

1. Do they have Walmart?

           No. They don't have Walmart, but they do have something that is eerily similar. Idea (sort of like e-day-a) is chock full of all sorts of wonderful things. Jen and I just went this afternoon and I was once again coerced into buying a lot of deliciousness that my life clearly doesn't need. They have the grocery section, but they aren't limited to goodies for your belly. You can get all sorts of household items as well: pots and pans, sheets, curtains, TVs, stereos, DVD players, hair dryers, etc. They also have a ton of school supplies. The best part by far is that they periodically run promotions that reward you for spending money. You get tiny little stickers that you collect on a reward card, once you get enough you can cash them in for different things like a percentage off your bill or lower prices on cookware. Putting the stickers on the card is almost more satisfying that filling your refrigerator.

This is a photo of some Idea, somewhere. As you can see its just as overwhelming as Walmart. Just in a different color scheme.

     2. Do people drive or do they have public transportation?

That really depends. Most students don't have vehicles. A lot of people rely on Belgrade's public transport system which, despite its problems, is fairly extensive and somewhat reliable. You can usually catch a bus, tram or trolley to anywhere you need to go. I just recently read an article that estimates almost 50% of those riding are doing so without paying...which is illegal. They have monitors that will show up out of the blue to check whether you actually have a ticket, but the whole process is a bit ridiculous and has many loopholes. Suffice to say most get around at least part of the time on public transport. For those who do drive, they have a crazy time trying to find places to park usually and the streets are very narrow in City Center leading to some harrowing face offs. I, personally, have a bus pass and therefore ride a lot of public transportation...unless I'm mooching off the Stevens or Israels, both of whom drive pretty sweet mini vans. 

This is a photo of the older trams. I've been stuck on these before because you have to push a button to open the doors, obviously nobody tells you that the first time you ride.

   

    3. Are there Vampires in Serbia?

 No. Mostly just Serbs in Serbia, with a few other random nationalities mixed in. I think Romania is a better bet for Vampire seeking. They actually have Vampire tours, especially in Transylvania.

The only other relevant information to this question is the fact that our company actually had me vaccinated against rabies, because of the possibility of infection by wild animal bites or saliva, including that of bats. 

Vampire Abode?