Swans and Popcorn

Today I spent my afternoon hanging around... with ... swans. Yup, you heard it well. They are such a great company, I gotta tell you. When I just arrived, they were floating in their beauty, looking calm. And I got the idea of feeding them, people usually do that, right? They must have been hungry.

I got some popcorn, went down the rocky stairs to be as close as I could, but not to fall into the river. Ha, my sneakers were wet, but nevermind...I know I'm a bit crazy... And then...

Wow, they looked right at me. And they're big, real big. With big mouths. I look at them, they look at my popcorn. Should I just throw it or..thinking: „C'mon, they're just birds, they don't bite“.. and the next thought was: „I know how geese bite, those are daaangerous animals“ ... „Well, swans are not geese, they are not like that, they are well-mannered, unlike those angry geese at my grandmother's village that run after me whenever I vist; they can't be that bad. And they like to swim. No way they would get out of the water just to chew my finger. I guess they are not that hungry.“

„Ok. I Hope they are not.“

At first I took a piece of popcorn and threw it in the air. „Jump, jump, lil' one, get it“. My contribution to zoology, remember my words. Swans don't jump. I have a dog, so you can understand my enthusiasm.

So, I stretched my arm real close and dropped the popcorn.

The last time I counted, I still had ten fingers. Although I am not sure how much of the feathers had left on the swan next to the one who grabbed the food. I guess he was the gang's leader. Nobody gets his stuff, unless it is some real pretty chick.

Joking, I wasn't afraid. Not joking for the „ jump“ thing, though.

I took some photos (Zemun quay, Belgrade). If I were a skilled photographer, you would see those big mouths opening. I leave that to the professionals.. I wonder if they still have their fingers.

• Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Have a nice day! And don't forget to feed the swans!