Trip report Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia in October 2010
Dec 31st, 2010, 07:25 AM
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Thanks for the encouragement, Stu. I will keep plugging away to finish the report.
My husband and I agree that this trip to BiH and Croatia was one of the most interesting trips we have ever taken. He is currently reading Roger Cohen's Hearts Grown Brutal: Sagas of Sarajevo, an excellent book I mentioned earlier in the thread. He keeps trying to tell me about different parts of the book, even though I have read it myself. It has several powerful stories of families from BiH and how they were affected by both WW II and the recent war.
My husband and I agree that this trip to BiH and Croatia was one of the most interesting trips we have ever taken. He is currently reading Roger Cohen's Hearts Grown Brutal: Sagas of Sarajevo, an excellent book I mentioned earlier in the thread. He keeps trying to tell me about different parts of the book, even though I have read it myself. It has several powerful stories of families from BiH and how they were affected by both WW II and the recent war.
Jan 2nd, 2011, 07:27 AM
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Day 8
Our friend left for work quite early and we lounged around the apartment for several hours before heading to the airport to greet two of our friend's cousins. They had been traveling in Germany and Austria and were planning to see Sarajevo and the Dalmatian coast before returning to the U.S.
We had arranged with our friend's regular taxi driver to go to the airport and from there to the Tunnel museum which is in a nearby suburban neighborhood and relatively far from other tourist sites. The museum includes about 20 meters of the tunnel which was constructed beginning in 1993 to link the city of Sarajevo with the Bosniak-held territory beyond the airport. The Sarajevo Airport itself was a neutral area controlled by the United Nations. The tunnel allowed food and humanitarian aid to come into the city, and people to get out. The tunnel was also a source of weapons for the forces in the city. It is estimated that 20 million tons of food were brought into Sarajevo and 1 million people passed in and out of the city via this route. Our driver explained that most of the people who went out for supplies were men who had wives and children in Sarajevo. He himself made several trips. The museum includes powerful video footage of the siege and of people using the tunnel.
After leaving the Tunnel museum, we stopped briefly at a spa area in the suburb of Ilidza. This area's thermal springs were known to the Romans and there is a lovely park called Vrelo where we wandered for about half an hour. In the summer there are many outdoor restaurants and carriage rides in the park.
On the way back to town, we stopped at our friend's office and picked her up for a late lunch at the Avlija restaurant near her apartment. While her cousins (who had planned their trip before we did and had "dibs" on the apartment guest room) settled in, my husband and I moved our suitcases to the Hotel Michele where we stayed for the last three nights of our visit. This hotel (on Ivana Cankara 27) is an interesting older building in suburban neighborhood close to our friend's apartment and within easy walking distance to the old town. It has a lot of charm but some inconvenient features, notably a small hot water tank that made it difficult for us to take consecutive showers in the morning.
Our friend told us that Morgan Freeman had stayed in the hotel during the film festival last summer. Angelina Jolie was scheduled to stay there later in the fall during the filming of a movie she was directing. I believe that Jolie's stay never happened. She ran into a lot of criticism of her film, a story about a Bosniak woman who falls in love with a Serbian man who is the commander of a war camp. The Women Victims of War opposed the movie because they believed it was not sensitive to the issue of widespread rape during the war. Jolie claimed it was an apolitical love story. In November the time for shooting in BiH was cut back and Jolie herself was not scheduled to be present.
After settling in at the Hotel Michele, my husband and I walked over to the train and bus stations to check out schedules for Mostar. We had planned to go to Mostar and Blagaj on Day 9 before returning to Sarajevo for dinner, but when we looked at the public transit options, we found this would involve getting up very early in the morning to catch the train and lots of time spent in transit. We finally agreed to skip the side trip and spend more time in Sarajevo. (I think the excursion to Mostar is do-able as a day trip especially if you don't need to return to the city by early evening; it just didn't work well for us.)
We hopped a tram from the station to the old town and wandered around. Our friend and her cousins had dinner at a burek restaurant, but we were still full from lunch so we waited for a later meal at the Bambus restaurant. We all spent some time at the lively Zlatna Ribica (Goldfish) bar near the Eternal Flame.
Our friend left for work quite early and we lounged around the apartment for several hours before heading to the airport to greet two of our friend's cousins. They had been traveling in Germany and Austria and were planning to see Sarajevo and the Dalmatian coast before returning to the U.S.
We had arranged with our friend's regular taxi driver to go to the airport and from there to the Tunnel museum which is in a nearby suburban neighborhood and relatively far from other tourist sites. The museum includes about 20 meters of the tunnel which was constructed beginning in 1993 to link the city of Sarajevo with the Bosniak-held territory beyond the airport. The Sarajevo Airport itself was a neutral area controlled by the United Nations. The tunnel allowed food and humanitarian aid to come into the city, and people to get out. The tunnel was also a source of weapons for the forces in the city. It is estimated that 20 million tons of food were brought into Sarajevo and 1 million people passed in and out of the city via this route. Our driver explained that most of the people who went out for supplies were men who had wives and children in Sarajevo. He himself made several trips. The museum includes powerful video footage of the siege and of people using the tunnel.
After leaving the Tunnel museum, we stopped briefly at a spa area in the suburb of Ilidza. This area's thermal springs were known to the Romans and there is a lovely park called Vrelo where we wandered for about half an hour. In the summer there are many outdoor restaurants and carriage rides in the park.
On the way back to town, we stopped at our friend's office and picked her up for a late lunch at the Avlija restaurant near her apartment. While her cousins (who had planned their trip before we did and had "dibs" on the apartment guest room) settled in, my husband and I moved our suitcases to the Hotel Michele where we stayed for the last three nights of our visit. This hotel (on Ivana Cankara 27) is an interesting older building in suburban neighborhood close to our friend's apartment and within easy walking distance to the old town. It has a lot of charm but some inconvenient features, notably a small hot water tank that made it difficult for us to take consecutive showers in the morning.
Our friend told us that Morgan Freeman had stayed in the hotel during the film festival last summer. Angelina Jolie was scheduled to stay there later in the fall during the filming of a movie she was directing. I believe that Jolie's stay never happened. She ran into a lot of criticism of her film, a story about a Bosniak woman who falls in love with a Serbian man who is the commander of a war camp. The Women Victims of War opposed the movie because they believed it was not sensitive to the issue of widespread rape during the war. Jolie claimed it was an apolitical love story. In November the time for shooting in BiH was cut back and Jolie herself was not scheduled to be present.
After settling in at the Hotel Michele, my husband and I walked over to the train and bus stations to check out schedules for Mostar. We had planned to go to Mostar and Blagaj on Day 9 before returning to Sarajevo for dinner, but when we looked at the public transit options, we found this would involve getting up very early in the morning to catch the train and lots of time spent in transit. We finally agreed to skip the side trip and spend more time in Sarajevo. (I think the excursion to Mostar is do-able as a day trip especially if you don't need to return to the city by early evening; it just didn't work well for us.)
We hopped a tram from the station to the old town and wandered around. Our friend and her cousins had dinner at a burek restaurant, but we were still full from lunch so we waited for a later meal at the Bambus restaurant. We all spent some time at the lively Zlatna Ribica (Goldfish) bar near the Eternal Flame.
Jan 2nd, 2011, 08:43 AM
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Goldfish! Of the 8 weeks I spent in Sarajevo we probably went to Goldfish at least 4-5 times a week. Niro and Nikolai (Niro is the older bartender and Nikolai is the kid) were amazing and made great Sangrias every time!
It's too bad you didn't get to Blagaj - it is absolutely gorgeous and well worth the trip from Mostar. But a day trip to Mostar via train or bus is definitely doable and worth it for anyone who is in Sarajevo for a week or so.
Your reports are great VT, thanks!
It's too bad you didn't get to Blagaj - it is absolutely gorgeous and well worth the trip from Mostar. But a day trip to Mostar via train or bus is definitely doable and worth it for anyone who is in Sarajevo for a week or so.
Your reports are great VT, thanks!
Jan 2nd, 2011, 09:43 AM
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The Goldfish bar is hard to describe--very funky decor and a wide range of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Re the missed trip to Blagaj: I was certainly disappointed we never made it there as most people describe it as a magical place. We had originally planned to stop there en route to Croatia but were delayed by our accident in Sarajevo. When we were setting out the morning of our Day 9, we ran into a young man who was looking for the tekija in Sarajevo and he explained that the one at Blagaj was the most wonderful spiritual place in BiH.
Re the missed trip to Blagaj: I was certainly disappointed we never made it there as most people describe it as a magical place. We had originally planned to stop there en route to Croatia but were delayed by our accident in Sarajevo. When we were setting out the morning of our Day 9, we ran into a young man who was looking for the tekija in Sarajevo and he explained that the one at Blagaj was the most wonderful spiritual place in BiH.
Jan 2nd, 2011, 09:50 AM
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I was in Sarajevo in '98 for 4 months while on active duty. The people are fascinating. Also, the best pizza I ever ate was in a "little hole in the wall" restaurant in the old portion of the city. Bruce
Jan 5th, 2011, 09:42 AM
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Vttraveler...
I am still enjoying your report immensely. Please continue!
I have now booked my flights to return to Sarajevo the first week of April 2011 for 5 days. My ex-mother-in-law is coming with me(!). We will be staying in an apartment on Strossmajerova, just off Ferhadija by the Cathedral on the street lined with cafes that runs down to to Zeleni Beretki and then on to the river.
We plan on a day trip to Mostar - I'll probably rent a car to avoid that 7am train. Also, if there is still snow on the mountains at that time, I'm going to take a day out to ski at Jahorina or Beljasnica. I'm already watching the snow forecasts!
In addition I have Kraljeva Sujetska and Lukomir on my 'to see if possible' list. MIL mentioned Lukomir to me after reading my guidebook, but we'll need a car to get there.
I am envious on your introduction to the city via your friend. You are so lucky to have had that opportunity.
katie1884...
I will make a point of visiting Goldfish this time round, it's just round the corner from where we will be staying.
I am still enjoying your report immensely. Please continue!
I have now booked my flights to return to Sarajevo the first week of April 2011 for 5 days. My ex-mother-in-law is coming with me(!). We will be staying in an apartment on Strossmajerova, just off Ferhadija by the Cathedral on the street lined with cafes that runs down to to Zeleni Beretki and then on to the river.
We plan on a day trip to Mostar - I'll probably rent a car to avoid that 7am train. Also, if there is still snow on the mountains at that time, I'm going to take a day out to ski at Jahorina or Beljasnica. I'm already watching the snow forecasts!
In addition I have Kraljeva Sujetska and Lukomir on my 'to see if possible' list. MIL mentioned Lukomir to me after reading my guidebook, but we'll need a car to get there.
I am envious on your introduction to the city via your friend. You are so lucky to have had that opportunity.
katie1884...
I will make a point of visiting Goldfish this time round, it's just round the corner from where we will be staying.
Jan 5th, 2011, 01:11 PM
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Julia--I think a trip to Lukomir would be fascinating. Our friend and her family have gone several times. There are some guided tours you can take as an alternative to car rental.
Jan 8th, 2011, 06:11 AM
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Unfortunately, I somehow managed to lose a more detailed version of Day 9, but here is a re-done abbreviated account:
After a large breakfast buffet at the hotel, my husband and I started out for a day of sightseeing. Our first stop was the nearby Svrzo House, a well-preserved Ottoman House from the 18th century, part of the Museum of Sarajevo.
Next we walked into the old part of the city to explore the 16th century Gazi Husrev-Bey's mosque. Visitors can enter the impressive domed interior at the side between prayer times. As a woman, I felt uncomfortable/conspicuous at other mosques, but this one has quite a few tourists and tour groups. The exterior structures include a fountain, tombs, the large enclosed area for cleansing before prayer and the house where the sun's position was calculated to determine the correct time for prayer (before the age of digital timekeeping), and the clock tower.
We crossed the river to see the emperor's mosque and the
Franciscan monastery then walked along the river to the National Museum. This has an impressive collection including the famous Sarajevo Haggadah (the subject of Geraldine Brooks' People of the Book) and some stecci (tombstones) in the charming courtyard/botanical garden.
In the evening we went to the Sarajevska Pivara brewery restaurant with our friend, her cousins, and a young Bosnian judge. The restaurant has a huge timbered hall and serves specialties like veal shanks and grill plates and some special beers. The brewery has a natural spring which was used for water by many Sarajevo residents during the siege, and drinking the local beer is pretty much required as thanks for this service to the city. We ended the night at a cafe specializing in flavored tobacco smoked with a nagila (hookah).
After a large breakfast buffet at the hotel, my husband and I started out for a day of sightseeing. Our first stop was the nearby Svrzo House, a well-preserved Ottoman House from the 18th century, part of the Museum of Sarajevo.
Next we walked into the old part of the city to explore the 16th century Gazi Husrev-Bey's mosque. Visitors can enter the impressive domed interior at the side between prayer times. As a woman, I felt uncomfortable/conspicuous at other mosques, but this one has quite a few tourists and tour groups. The exterior structures include a fountain, tombs, the large enclosed area for cleansing before prayer and the house where the sun's position was calculated to determine the correct time for prayer (before the age of digital timekeeping), and the clock tower.
We crossed the river to see the emperor's mosque and the
Franciscan monastery then walked along the river to the National Museum. This has an impressive collection including the famous Sarajevo Haggadah (the subject of Geraldine Brooks' People of the Book) and some stecci (tombstones) in the charming courtyard/botanical garden.
In the evening we went to the Sarajevska Pivara brewery restaurant with our friend, her cousins, and a young Bosnian judge. The restaurant has a huge timbered hall and serves specialties like veal shanks and grill plates and some special beers. The brewery has a natural spring which was used for water by many Sarajevo residents during the siege, and drinking the local beer is pretty much required as thanks for this service to the city. We ended the night at a cafe specializing in flavored tobacco smoked with a nagila (hookah).
Jan 8th, 2011, 08:26 AM
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Day 10
We had another big breakfast in the morning then started out to look for the Sarajevo Dervish House (Tekija) which we knew was not far from the hotel. Unfortunately the woman at the hotel desk did not have any detailed information about its location and it was not on our tourist maps. We explored the neighborhood for a while without success. It was interesting to wander a little in the residential section near the hotel. This area of the city was not heavily damaged by shells during the war, so there are more older wooden structures still standing than there are in other neighborhoods.
We arrived at our friend's apartment at 10 for an outing to the local market. This was a huge array of food stalls and a flea market. We bought dried mushrooms, dried cherries, smoked meats and other assorted foods and had some Bosnian coffee. We stopped on the way back to the apartment for some good kebab sandwiches at McDöner, part of a fast food chain with pictures of yellow scimitars mimicking the McDonald golden arches.
Our next destination was the white garrison, the ruins of an old fort at the eastern end of the city overlooking Sarajevo on one side and the river valley beyond on the other side. We took cabs up to the fort then worked our way downhill toward the old city center. We stopped on the way at the Yellow Garrison to listen to the call for prayer as it rose from many of the mosques around the city and suburbs.
As we reached the old town, we saw the actor who had starred in the film we saw earlier in the week. Our friend said both he and the woman star are often out and about in the city on Saturdays.
We took one last walk through the old section of the town and bought a few souvenirs (some beer glasses at the brewery and a hand-hammered copper coffee grinder and coffee pot) before heading back to the hotel. Our last dinner of the trip was a great meal served family style at a restaurant in the hills high above Sarajevo.
We had another big breakfast in the morning then started out to look for the Sarajevo Dervish House (Tekija) which we knew was not far from the hotel. Unfortunately the woman at the hotel desk did not have any detailed information about its location and it was not on our tourist maps. We explored the neighborhood for a while without success. It was interesting to wander a little in the residential section near the hotel. This area of the city was not heavily damaged by shells during the war, so there are more older wooden structures still standing than there are in other neighborhoods.
We arrived at our friend's apartment at 10 for an outing to the local market. This was a huge array of food stalls and a flea market. We bought dried mushrooms, dried cherries, smoked meats and other assorted foods and had some Bosnian coffee. We stopped on the way back to the apartment for some good kebab sandwiches at McDöner, part of a fast food chain with pictures of yellow scimitars mimicking the McDonald golden arches.
Our next destination was the white garrison, the ruins of an old fort at the eastern end of the city overlooking Sarajevo on one side and the river valley beyond on the other side. We took cabs up to the fort then worked our way downhill toward the old city center. We stopped on the way at the Yellow Garrison to listen to the call for prayer as it rose from many of the mosques around the city and suburbs.
As we reached the old town, we saw the actor who had starred in the film we saw earlier in the week. Our friend said both he and the woman star are often out and about in the city on Saturdays.
We took one last walk through the old section of the town and bought a few souvenirs (some beer glasses at the brewery and a hand-hammered copper coffee grinder and coffee pot) before heading back to the hotel. Our last dinner of the trip was a great meal served family style at a restaurant in the hills high above Sarajevo.
Jan 8th, 2011, 03:31 PM
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Keep going - fascinating and helping me prepare. I'm copying and pasting to an open office file - you're now over 9000 words 
My plans for late May are now two nights in Zagreb, three nights in Dubrovnik, one night in Mostar and two nights in Sarajevo. Flying Zagreb-Dubrovnik and bus/train Dubrovnik-Mostar-Sarajevo.
Thanks.
Cheers, Alan
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/
My plans for late May are now two nights in Zagreb, three nights in Dubrovnik, one night in Mostar and two nights in Sarajevo. Flying Zagreb-Dubrovnik and bus/train Dubrovnik-Mostar-Sarajevo.
Thanks.
Cheers, Alan
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/
Jan 9th, 2011, 05:25 AM
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Alan--I am glad you have found the trip report useful in planning your time in Croatia and BiH. Your itinerary sounds good to me. We have never been to Zagreb so I can't provide any insight on that part of the trip.
Unfortunately our trip ended after Day 10 above.
Day 11 was a travel day back to Vermont via Munich and Boston. The trip was pretty uneventful which is always good, and we managed to get some Weisswurst and beer in the Munich airport between flights.
We had better weather from Sarajevo to Munich than we had in the other direction, so we had some great views of the Alps. Then, as we left Munich, we flew over the area in Bavaria where we lived for several years in the 1980's and enjoyed picking out the familiar landmarks.
If you have any specific questions I would be glad to try to answer them.
Unfortunately our trip ended after Day 10 above.
Day 11 was a travel day back to Vermont via Munich and Boston. The trip was pretty uneventful which is always good, and we managed to get some Weisswurst and beer in the Munich airport between flights.
We had better weather from Sarajevo to Munich than we had in the other direction, so we had some great views of the Alps. Then, as we left Munich, we flew over the area in Bavaria where we lived for several years in the 1980's and enjoyed picking out the familiar landmarks.
If you have any specific questions I would be glad to try to answer them.
Jan 9th, 2011, 06:20 AM
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julia_t: I was looking at our guide book again and it says Lukomir is not accessible until late April because of the snow.
For others who don't recognize the name, this is a small very isolated village high (1500 meters) in the mountains of Bosnia. It offers a glimpse of the traditional life style in this area that has disappeared in other villages and cities. Our friend told us that the villagers never even knew that WW II had happened until it was over; this may be apocryphal.
For others who don't recognize the name, this is a small very isolated village high (1500 meters) in the mountains of Bosnia. It offers a glimpse of the traditional life style in this area that has disappeared in other villages and cities. Our friend told us that the villagers never even knew that WW II had happened until it was over; this may be apocryphal.
Jan 10th, 2011, 12:36 AM
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Yes, I've got the same guidebook as you! I read that, but it says the same about the ski resorts - snow until late April. However several people have told me that there has been little or no snow or skiing in April in recent years. So I shall have to wait and see.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a most enjoyable and informative trip report.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a most enjoyable and informative trip report.
Jan 10th, 2011, 01:40 AM
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julia--I will look forward to reading your report when you get back from your trip in April. I hope you make it inside the Gazi Husrev Bey's mosque and Old Orthodox church this time. As I mentioned in my report, the old Jewish synagogue is also well worth a stop and will be near where you are staying.
Jan 17th, 2011, 02:33 AM
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The Washington Post travel section has an article about the Olympic museum in Sarajevo
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...T2011011405106
Another place we missed on our trip. I already have a longish list of things I would like to do on another trip if we make it back.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...T2011011405106
Another place we missed on our trip. I already have a longish list of things I would like to do on another trip if we make it back.
Jan 17th, 2011, 04:42 AM
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That's really interesting, I'd not heard anything about that before though I knew one could visit the old ice skating arena. And it wasn't just Scott Hamilton who won gold there - the British pair Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean won gold with their memorable Bolero routine and a perfect score!
Also, having been to an exhibition of Edin Numankadic's work at the Medressa I should like to see more. On display were some of his paintings and an installation of his 'Boxes' cycle – being boxes of varying size each containing a seemingly randomassortment of objects. the idea being, to quote "..by carefully confronting found objects he registers his reality in times of war and peace.."
So that's another place to visit when I'm back there in April - I'll make sure to post back about it.
Also, having been to an exhibition of Edin Numankadic's work at the Medressa I should like to see more. On display were some of his paintings and an installation of his 'Boxes' cycle – being boxes of varying size each containing a seemingly randomassortment of objects. the idea being, to quote "..by carefully confronting found objects he registers his reality in times of war and peace.."
So that's another place to visit when I'm back there in April - I'll make sure to post back about it.
Jan 17th, 2011, 09:54 AM
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Julia and VT...have either of you come across the work of the artist Jovan Obican...(obi-chan)...we bought some of his whimsical pieces on one of our pre-war visits. While in Croatia in 2004 I heard that both father and son (Lazar) had passed on. I had met with his son in Dubrovnik in the 80's when we did our purchasing. The son had been visiting Florida regularly year showing works of his father and his own, and established a museum in Boca Raton...Don't know if it's still there.
stu
stu
Jan 17th, 2011, 04:20 PM
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