The plane dipped below the dark clouds and a mountainous terrain revealed itself below us, blanketed in a dense fog. Dariece and I both peered out the window and to our surprise (and dismay) we saw a light skiff of snow painting the hilltops that surrounded Sarajevo.
The capital of Bosnia & Herzegovina was where we were going to spend the next 5 nights and we were thrilled to learn about the history, taste new food and experience a new culture.
Embarrassingly, only small fragments of what we discovered about the city stayed in our heads from our days in school. There was a war here we knew, but that was about it. We were about to be vividly shown just how tragic and triumphant the city’s history had been.
When we inspected into our house we were still shaking off the enjoyment and combating off hangovers from our time at the world tourism Forum in Istanbul. The modern, one bedroom flat with and LCD TV and a good view over the city only cost us around $30 / night. Mikä sopimus!
We dropped off our bags and headed out on the city. right away we were impressed at the old town of Sarajevo and it’s fascinating architecture.
Familiar Ottoman elements were visible around the east end of town, while the west showcased unique Bosnian / Austria-Hungary architecture. The symbolism of east meeting West at this war-torn crossroads was obvious.
East satisfies West in Sarajevo. This sign is on the main Pedestrian street in the Old Town.
Already we identified a few small craters in the sides of buildings and on the sidewalks. These red-painted holes were the markings of the tumultuous past that Dariece and I were vaguely aware of. We felt as though we weren’t giving Sarajevo and it’s people any justice without right away learning about what happened here.
We hopped on the number 3 tram and headed out towards the tunnel Museum. The name reminded us of the Củ Chi war Tunnels in Vietnam, and soon we would realize that the experience of trudging through the dark caverns was going to be an equally eerie and visceral experience.
The friendly tram driver told us exactly where to get off in seemingly ideal English. He directed us towards the taxis which charged us the proper price of 8 BAM to get to the museum. As we pulled up, we were slightly underwhelmed by the outside facade of the building.
It was just a house. A bullet hole ridden, shell-shocked house in the middle of some farm lands. It turns out that this house was where the take on and resiliant citizens of Sarajevo started to build an underground tunnel to bring supplies into the city while it was under siege from Serbian forces.
The Unassuming Facade of the tunnel museum outside of Sarajevo
For three years, the Serbian forces completely surrounded the city of Sarajevo and bombed it relentlessly, efficiently cutting it off from the outside world. The attacks started on April 5th 1992 and didn’t end until February 29th 1996, during which time fatalities totalled over 11,000 Bosnians and 2,400 Serbians.
The people of Sarajevo secretely built this 800 meter long tunnel by hand and used it to deliver goods, supplies, medicine and wounded citizens in and out of the city.
The fact that Sarajevans came out of this horrific war and are still the friendly, hospitable, kind people that they are today is amazing.
After walking through the cramped confines of the tunnel myself, listening to the audio guide and taking a look at the numerous pictures in the tunnel museum, I could in no way fully comprehend what happened here, but I could begin to try and understand it.
After leaving the museum, I looked at the people of Bosnia & Herzegovina in a different way. With respect and admiration, but also with a bit of shock. It impressed me to think that when I was talking to a Bosnian person my age, they had lived through this awful war.
Nick Explores The Tunnels of Sarajevo
When I was playing hockey and getting into fights with my parents over dumb shit, they were trying to survive over 330 blasts shelling their city every day. When I was complaining that there was no meat in my spaghetti, they were trying to survive off of military rations, cooked over open fires burning scavenged wood and old shoes.
When we got back to the city, we both looked at it differently as well. What a resilient place this should be. how can so numerous old buildings still stand after over 320,000 shells ricocheted off of their walls?
A Blast mark painted Red By Sarajevan People. These pertained to be known as Sarajevo Roses because of Their Shape.
The people still smiling. The sun now shining. Church bells and the Imam’s call to prayer all ringiKivikatujen läpi rauhassa ja harmoniassa. Sarajevo on käynyt läpi paljon, ja silti se on edelleen yksi upeimmista ja kiehtovimmista paikoista, joissa olemme koskaan käyneet.
Päätimme liittyä jonain päivänä täysin ilmaiseen Sarajevo -kävelymatkalle saadaksesi paremman tunteen siitä, mitä kaupungissa tapahtui ja sen aiheuttamista arkkitehtonisista vaurioista. Rakastamme näitä täysin ilmaisia kävelyretkiä ja suosittelemme niitä kaikille Balkanilla matkustaville. Heillä on heidät melkein kaikissa alueen suurissa kaupungissa.
Pyhä sydämen katedraali
Loput päivät vietettiin vaeltamalla mukulakivikatuja katsomalla upeaa arkkitehtuuria ja odottaen asunnomme sadetta. Täältä sateet alkoivat matkoillamme ja he eivät vieläkään ole jättäneet meitä tänään.
Käytimme huonoa säätä tekosyynä saadaksemme kiinni työstä ja katsomaan joitain Game of Thronesia (olimme matkalla paikkaan, jossa se on kuvattu).
Meillä on aikamme Istanbulissa ja Sarajevon historiassa ja viidentenä päivänä kaupungissa katsomme ja suuntasimme Split, Kroatiaa, jossa vuokrasimme talon 2 viikkoa.
Pysy kuulolla lisää…
Sarajevon ehdotukset ja neuvoja
Tunnelimuseo:
Päästäksesi kaupungista Tunnel -museoon, ottamalla länteen suuntautuva #3 -raitiovaunu (1,80 bam / henkilö) ja nouse viimeiseen pysäkkiin, joka on linja -autoasemalla.
Aseman vieressä näet takseja ja ne yleensä veloittavat noin 8 bamia matkustamisesta tunnelimuseoon.
Palataksesi takaisin siellä on joissain tapauksissa takseja museossa tai voit saada matkan yhden muiden vierailijoiden kanssa takaisin asemalle.
Ilmainen kävelykierros
Retket lähtevät satunnaisesti koko päivän sesongin ulkopuolella. Opas Ervin puhuu paljon, mutta hän on erittäin informatiivinen. Voit tarkistaa Tooricon Facebook -sivun tai lähettää hänelle sähköpostia kirjautuaksesi retkiin.
Joka päivä on tyypillisesti kaksi retkiä ja kokouspiste on vanhassakaupungissa iankaikkisessa liekissä.
Missä syödä
Sarajevossa on paljon loistavia ravintoloita, mutta pari, joka erottui meille, sisältää:
Morica Han on viihtyisä paikka, jolla on suuri tavanomainen bosnialainen keittiö.
Barhanalla on myös maukkaita pastoja, pizzoja ja joitain bosnialaisia erikoisuuksia. Se on kiinnitetty takakadulla vanhassakaupungissa.
Kolobara Hanilla on maukkaita keittoja ja erinomaista tuoretta bosnialaista keittiötä, mutta jotkut epätavalliset odotushenkilöt. Kokeile maukasta klepeä ja kanakeittoa.
Zeljo on yksi kaupungin suosituimmista pikaruokapaikoista. Kaikki tilaavat maukkaan cevapin täällä (jauhetut lihamakkarat leivällä smetanalla ja sipulilla). Pieni on paljon enemmän kuin tarpeeksi lounaalle.
Tämä on Klepe, ja sen pitäisi kokeilla Bosniassa ja Hertsegovinassa!
Things To See around Town:
Emme tehneet lukuisia näistä sateen takia, mutta jos olet menossa Sarajevoon, et halua missata Mostarin, Višegradin ja Travnikin vanhaa kaupunkia.
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