No one I've asked so far seems to know the original purpose for this, but the locals say it is the penis of Grgur Ninski who is the giant statue a stone's throw away-it's his toe that is golden smooth because you must rub it for luck. when a friend was visiting I told him the ritual was to kiss it. oops. And how did the penis fall so far from the statue you might ask? This and other questions I ask myself when encountering life in another country, another culture of tradition and deep history.
But daily life and its details rise to the surface. Like the paint situation. I want to repaint my kitchen and I'd like some gloss so that it's easier to clean. Not wanting to start a thought with "In America" but I must since I was just there and buying paint for a bathroom. "How glossy would you like it-we have 4 choices?" But the local hardware stores have only matte finish paint. Shiny does not exist. At the cafe below my street, well it's more like a tiny alleyway, the young guy who manages it had a paint chip fan in front of him and my pupils dilated. I asked where it was from and if they had shiny paint. "Of course, they have everything!" The store is a few villages away, the next town of size. So I hitched a ride with a neighbor and got a bucket of white for starters. Came home, slapped the creamy glop on the ceiling and voila- matte again. so it's back to the search for any kind of gloss. And a penis that doesn't fall so far from the man.
3 comments:
What an ending! Good luck with both your searches.
some say it was used for tying down donkeys in the old days. hope that helps :)
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