Category: Blog

Sensational Sarajevo

Yes I did some biking today, yes there were hills and beautiful landscapes (and a rather wild pair of dogs). But all that paled into comparison when I reached Sarajevo.

What an incredible place. The melting pot is real. The old town buzzes, smells of grilling meat and perfume billow from side streets. Mosques, Catholic and Orthodox churches mix with synagogues. Metalwork shops repurpose artillery shells as vases, a reminder of the recent history.

Architectural styles butt up against each other. From the fabulous moorish town hall you can spin around to see Ottoman buildings next to brutalist communist tower blocks next to Austro-Hungarian baroque structures. The cable car glides up the hill to the Olympic venues like the bobsled track.

Still on my bike I passed the site of Arch-Duke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination – “the most famous corner in Bosnia.” 

I was later told that the assassin is vilified by some and a hero to others in the country, just one of the fundamental disagreements between those who make up the fragile citizenship.

There is lots of graffiti about calling for peace. I saw many signs saying “Never forget Srebenica.” Scars like that don’t heal, yet there’s a country to build.

I took a walking tour. Our guide made an incredible go of distilling years of conflict, and not just the wars in the 1990s but literally centuries of it, into understandable chunks. She preached a message of peace and tolerance, and was scathing of the men (always men) who still to this day seek to sow discord and incite division and violence.

The tour started at Logavina Street, sniper alley. I’d read a book about the experiences of the residents, who hunkered in one room per household for literally years during the siege of Sarajevo. “Oh, you’ve read about my aunt then” I was told nonchalantly.

She spoke of her mother, 93, who had lived through six different types of regime and several wars. “She is a walking history book.” And of cousins who had been in concentration camps. “They are different now, permanently.”

In between, we heard of the artisans, the unique culinary traditions, the natural produce, and the industrial specialisms. The things to be proud about, of which they’re are many.

At times, the juxtaposition was jarring. “Look over there; a massacre occurred there, 23 people killed. Behind there is the main market, Bosnian plums are the best – buy 200g tomorrow!”

I realised why I had really only seen the Croatian flag on my travels up until today (when the Bosnian flag became more prevalent), and once I start my ride again on Thursday, why I will see the Serbian one. A country split into three, with one, the Republica Sprska, intent on breaking away in contravention of the Dayton accords that brought peace. The messy political system, with three Presidents (one of whom is in jail) was described in a resigned/exasperated manner by our guide.

It was an education alright, even though I’d read about the recent wars here.

The tour was also full of advice on where to eat, so I ended the day with hands down the best burek I’ve had – check out the video.

Tomorrow is a rest day. I’m taking a return train journey to Mostar, so I think I should prepare myself for more sorrowful stories.