The wounds are still open

What an amazing journey through this craggy beautiful land that is Bosnia Herzegovina.

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This beautiful landscape is compensating for the shitty bus journey we are having to Sarajevo.

We like planning the logistics of our travels far in advance, so we bought the tickets to Sarajevo once we arrived at Niksic, a couple of days ago. We arrived at the bus station this morning with plenty of time to get nice seats.

As soon as the bus arrived, we ran to put the luggage away and got on the bus. To our surprise, all seats had already been taken, there was only one seat left at the back. This meant one of us had to stand up all the way, and it is a five hour journey. This would be illegal in the UK!

But we didn’t worry too much. Our tickets clearly showed the seats numbers, surely this had only been a misunderstanding, Mr. Bus Driver will sort this out for us. So, we approached him and politely asked him to remove the people who took our seats. We don’t speak Montenegrin but there was no need. His body language showed that he didn’t want to have anything to do with it. He, basically, ignored us.

An American woman, fluent in Montenegrin, translated for us. There was nothing we could do. The ticket officer would sometimes sale more tickets than seats available. So if you weren’t quick, you would miss your seat. So the seats numbers printed on the tickets were basically useless.

Gary continuously asked the bus driver what the complains procedure was. Locals advised we’d be better to leave it and take the available seat, we would go nowhere with complaining because there was no complaining system in place. These things you have to put up with when you go to other countries, even though you know you are right, you have to play by their rules. So next time, we will be the first ones in the queue to get on the bus, stepping on anybody’s head if we need to.

So we reluctantly shut up so the bus could leave. Gary let me sit first. He would stand up for the first half of the journey, we would then swap.

Anyway, the beautiful Bosnian countryside has made us forget our little disagreement.

We knew nothing about Bosnia, it was the only Balkan country we were going to leave out of our itinerary. Mainly because Dora is not insured and it was going to be expensive to get here by public transport. But as we were so close from Montenegro, we have decided to visit it on our way back to Split.

We are so glad we did. This country is predominately mountainous. If only we could have planned to stay here a bit longer, we would have loved it.

The road from Montenegro to the north of Bosnia runs along a deep canyon.

The vertigo feeling every time the bus crosses the river is overwhelming.

The landscape becomes increasingly forested with dramatic alpine valleys, barren, wild, unspoilt.

After 2.5 hours we cross the border. Gary and I swap, I now stand up and he sits. Are you going to be okay? Gary asks. Sure, I’ll be entertained enough admiring this wonder of nature.

Anyway, I don’t have to stand up very long. Half an hour later, somebody gets off the bus and I take his seat.

We arrive at Sarajevo at 17.00. We suspect that getting to our accommodation will be a challenge. According to our host’s instructions, we have to go somewhere else first, and then text him so that he can come and pick us up. He strongly advises us not to take a taxi in Sarajevo, taxi drivers tend to take tourists to the middle of nowhere and ask them for money. But then, you can only get there by taxi, he ends up saying

We have been dropped by the bus outside town, we are miles away from where this place is. I think we will take the risk and take a taxi, wouldn’t you?

We drag ourselves along the road looking for an ATM. We find one in a shopping centre, where there is also a taxi rank. We approach the first taxi in the queue. He doesn’t know where the place is. He takes our map from us and asks the other taxi driver. What is it with us that we always choose the dumbest taxi drivers in town!

Surely this is not such a large town, and we are showing him where it is on a map, is this his first day of being a cabbie! GDR

We are taking to this first place safely. A seventy years old guy receives us warmly. He serves us a couple of sickly sweet drinks (again, mine for Gary thanks) and calls our host, who happens to be his son. Now we understand.

His son comes with another friend. We register, we pay and we have a chat; where do you come from, is it your first time here, etc. Suddenly we ended up talking about the political situation in Bosnia. They say that a referendum has been called by the Serbian part of the population on annexing the north of Bosnia. This is where the Bosnian Serbians live. The referendum will take place in September and it is supported by Russia.

It seems strange that a minority can force a referendum on the whole country, but maybe this was a result of the negotiations that occurred to secure peace after the war. GDR

We haven’t heard about this in the news. In western Europe, we believe that, finally, Bosnia lives in peace. But it seems like this region will never stop being a hornets nest. The war was heart-breaking. Everybody suffered too much. You can tell with these guys. Their hatred and resentment is palpable. Although they were kids when the war started, they have not forgotten.

He takes us to the accommodation and continues to talk about how people live in Sarajevo. Following the first 10 years after the war, Sarajevo achieved true peace mainly because the western representatives occupied the city to keep things under control. But after they left, loathing resurfaced, the loathing that had never gone away. Too many cultures, races and religions living in a confined space. “Things are still very sensitive. Light a lighter and the bomb will explode” our host says.

As soon as we arrive at our accommodation, we have a quick shower and head off to the history museum. It closes in 45 minutes although it is only 10 minutes down the road.

On the way to the museum we pass the hotel where journalists used to stay and report from during the war.

The museum is all about the war. They have several sections; about the suffering of the victims, the daily lives of people in Sarajevo, the trial of the perpetrators… It is very comprehensive. I feel incredibly moved by going through the text, probably because the war happened during my life time. I remember the conflict, the bombing of the market, the massacre at Srebrenica.

Luckily we’ve had time to go around the whole museum before they close. It seems the time we were given was last entry, so we had plenty of time to see everything. GDR We now head off to the centre. A tram takes us to Bascarsija, the main square, in under 20 minutes. Locals come and offer their help when they see us looking at the map. They are so nice.

The modern part of the town has been completely rebuilt.

A funky tower, probably a Telecommunication company’s headquarters. The tram is going too quick for us to spot the company’s name.

We get off at the Latin Bridge, which acquired world fame for the infamous Sarajevo Assassination, which triggered WWI. I feel sorry for Sarajevo. Conflict is what seems to be famous for.

We continue our walk along the river

until we get to the Bazaar. Bosnia is predominately a Muslim country.

It is so different from other capitals of the other Balkan countries, despite being so close.

The Ottoman cultural footprints are still vivid in its architecture, people, shops, food…

But inevitably, the young generations are transforming the place. The turbulent past counterpoints fashionable bars and wi-fi equipped cafes.

It is hard to believe that the hatred and resentment is still latent.

Sarajevo is not a big place, you can walk around the centre in an hour. It has been a quick visit but incredibly worth it. We are now looking for our restaurant to have dinner.

Of course, we have chosen a Bosnian restaurant. They look busy but they can accommodate us in a small table with lovely views of the river, perfect.

I go for one of my favourite vegetables, aubergine, grilled and topped with béchamel sauce.

Gary has chosen well. He orders a local dish; Bosanski Lonac, slow-cooked meat-and-veg hotpot.

We share a local salad topped with local sheep cheese.

All delicious and very good value; €20, bottle of wine included.

At the back of us stands the City Hall. It became the National Library after the WWII. The library was bombed heavily during the war, most of the books got burnt. It has taken more than twenty years to renovate the building, it only opens its doors last year.

We don’t bother to take the tram back to the hotel. We want to know Sarajevo at night.

Still buzzy, still lively, still happy.

A street concert is taking place tonight. I like the music, it is quite funky. We stop to listen to a couple of songs.

Good night Sarajevo. We really hope that you can heal your wounds at last and live in peace forever.

SM