Because I love Serbia...

...I dubbed today ''Serbia day''.

After all, today (February 15th) is the day the nation celebrates its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1804. 

A worthy date to remember, certainly. 

And since Serbia boasts some of my most favorite dances, folk costumes (clothing), songs, language, and scenery, not to mention the food, or the fact that it was my birthday theme two years ago....I tried to celebrate Serbia in my own way today.

 We didn't have an all-day party or time-consuming banquet, but I made crêpes for breakfast (palachinke in Serbian), because they are a favorite Serbian dessert. And we just finished (7 pm) eating a Serbian/Balkan style supper of chicken marinated overnight in lemon/garlic/paprika, with a fresh salad of tomatoes/onion/green peppers/parsley/olive oil/salt/kefir (It was supposed to have cucumbers and yogurt as well, but we ate them yesterday. That always happens.);

with bread and garlicy baked cubed potatoes.  

Of course, we listened to one of my Serbian folk dance music CDs while eating. :)

Since I have each of our favourite countries' biggest national holiday marked on the calendar in my room, I'm hoping to continue doing mini celebrations for each country. Maybe we'll even take some minutes watching our favorite dances from each corresponding country...

My sisters and I have been studying and learning a certain Serbian dance (one of many!) and its so much fun. All these dances from Eastern/Southern Europe are amazing.

Just amazing! (and beautiful, I think)

I hope you enjoy the following two clips which I found.

First video is of a wedding dance, and the second one is an amazing energetic dance typical of Serbian next-to-Bulgaria regions. I know they are different from maybe what you are used to enjoying, but try a little....see what you think! :)

Serbian costume from region of Nisava river valley, next to Bulgaria

The above and following photos are from my Birthday in 2010. :)
My Mum and Nikola had already made me my dream Serbian costume (in pictures) in 2005. But I was able to again fit into it on my 19th birthday. :) (It's a forgiving outfit- the only problem was that I had grown a few inches, and I found to my surprise that the original waistline had between 2007 and 2010 become an untraditional empire waistline! Haha. New Serbian portraits this spring are a must though, as we have since let out the hem quite a bit)

Dancing Serbian dances :)

Ahh...delightful September birthday memories!




Serbian designs on coat

Nikola made all the designs on the back of the coat! She is planning on doing a series of interesting costume posts on her blog soon. Then we will show pictures of the original costume, and our rendition....:)

Serbia=plums!

Young dried cornstalks from my garden add a harvest touch to the Serbian table

Serbia!



My favorite doll in a beautiful costume from the Vlach region (up in the mountains) of Serbia!
My sister Nikola made this as a surprise for my birthday. I love displaying my dolls in the little costumes we make for them, based on traditional clothing! The Vlach costume is one of my favorites.



Nikola posing in her Sumadija costume

Below....pictures of Serbian costumes/dances from the Duquesne University Tamburitzans



(Dances from Sumadija, Serbia. My sister Nikola's costume (see above pictures) is based on this one!)

Nick Jovonovich- a Serbian-American performer

We love Serbian music!



... and Lastly, some pictures which are not taken by us, but which I like :)

Beautiful :)

Serbian flag

....

I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse of ''Serbia''!

(the cultural side, at least! :))

Love from ......MAPЖOЛEHA

(yes! that's my name in Serbian)