If you find yourself in the Upper Town a little before noon, do not be surprised when you see people with fingers in their ears as they begin the countdown; ten, nine, eight, seven, six... Then BOOM! Smoke rises, pigeons flock for shelter, people clap and you’re wondering if this is madness or reality. Fear not, it’s real and has been every single day for 139 years. It is the Grič Cannon, first fired in 1877 and was used as a sign for the bell-ringers of the city’s churches to head off and do their job. Alem Tutundžić has had this duty for eight years and is the fifth person to carry out the job since it first began; his predecessor did it for thirty-five years. The traditional gun powder method is still used and he often wears a light blue uniform as worn by the first ever Zagreb cannon-firer.