Sarajevo

I spent a good 4 days exploring the city of Sarajevo. I met some lovely people (travelers and locals), ate some delicious food, walked the walk, attempted to talk the talk. Now I find myself in Belgrade, Serbia after a 6 hour drive with some wicked awesome boys from New England.

I sat and enjoyed the best Turkish (style) coffee I've ever had with a Bosnian-Muslim woman who decided that I was worthy of looking through her photo albums. She told me in her fabulously broken English that her niece was married in the U.S. recently, and her daughter was at university studying psychology. As our conversation turned (as it does) to the topic of the war, she summed up how she feels about the war, "I know why we fight, but, in the end we are all just the same. Religion? It doesn't matter. Your skin? It doesn't matter. So why kill so many people over this? I never understand. Is so stupid." Truth. It's amazing how a statement can be so simple yet so profound.

I walked around Sarajevo the first day or so and felt like I had a pretty solid understanding of the city. And then I visited the tunnels, starting reading The Bridge Betrayed by Michael Sells and realized that I knew nothing. The tunnel tour was definitely eye opening. There is only 20 meters left of the entire tunnel that was once 960 meters but it was still a powerful and enlightening experience. The tunnel allowed humanitarian aid and food into the city while it was under siege.

Entrance

Bullet holes near the entrance

I never know how to pose for these things

Before making it to Sarajevo I read a book Sarajevo Marlboro by Miljenko Jergovic. It's actually a collection of short stories about the war. I highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in learning more about the war and life in Sarajevo.