The strong Turkish influence in Sarajevo reminded us a lot of Istanbul, though Sarajevo is tiny in comparison and seemed much more relaxed. Beer, for instance, was sometimes difficult to obtain in Istanbul, but was readily available in Sarajevo. Dress was also much more casual in the Bosnian city, with women baring shoulders and legs even in cafes immediately adjacent to mosques.
Relaxed attitudes towards alcohol and dress are symptoms of a larger culture of tolerance in a city that celebrates its diversity. Sarajevo is one of the only cities in Europe where synagogues, Christian churches, and mosques can be found on a single city block. The harmonious mix made for friendly, good vibes.
Our favorite Sarajevo memories:
- Discovering that there are no Google street maps for the country of Bosnia, and having to rely on an old fashioned paper map to navigate our way through Sarajevo. Other than Bosnia, there are very few places in the world that Google has not street mapped (North Korea, for instance), so this made us feel a bit like travel adventure cowboys.
- Sipping traditional Bosnian - AKA Turkish - coffee in Bascarsija, the beautiful old part of the city. Though served very ceremoniously in special antique-looking serving ware the coffee was as sludge-like and bad as we remembered it to be from Istanbul.
- Skipping the packaged tours and choosing instead to make our own way out to the suburban town of Ilidza, to visit the Sarajevo War Tunnel Museum. Our independent tour involved taking a rickety old tram and walking a few miles but we arrived eventually and got a taste of a bit more of the common man's version of the country along the way. The Tunnel Museum itself showcases part of the secret underground passageway used to move people and supplies between Sarajevo and "free Bosnia" during the four years that Serbian troops surrounded the city. It is a remarkable testiment to the ingenuity and strong will of the citizens of the sieged city.
- Visiting the Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which houses an exhibit on the siege of Sarajevo. Though the museum lacks the funding to properly pay staff or provide heating in the winter, it still manages to give a moving and emotional glimpse into life in wartime Sarajevo.
- Treating ourselves to a fantastic meal at the pescetarian-friendly downtown restaurant, Karuzo. A culinary one-man show, Karuzo does not necessarily serve traditional Bosnian cuisine, but it does serve delicious gourmet faire; we ate mint soup, stuffed squid, smoked tofu with swiss chard, grilled peaches, and olive oil ice cream. Everything was refreshing, creative, well presented, and a fraction of the price it would have been in the US.
Next stop: Belgrade, Serbia
Relaxed attitudes towards alcohol and dress are symptoms of a larger culture of tolerance in a city that celebrates its diversity. Sarajevo is one of the only cities in Europe where synagogues, Christian churches, and mosques can be found on a single city block. The harmonious mix made for friendly, good vibes.
Our favorite Sarajevo memories:
- Discovering that there are no Google street maps for the country of Bosnia, and having to rely on an old fashioned paper map to navigate our way through Sarajevo. Other than Bosnia, there are very few places in the world that Google has not street mapped (North Korea, for instance), so this made us feel a bit like travel adventure cowboys.
- Sipping traditional Bosnian - AKA Turkish - coffee in Bascarsija, the beautiful old part of the city. Though served very ceremoniously in special antique-looking serving ware the coffee was as sludge-like and bad as we remembered it to be from Istanbul.
- Skipping the packaged tours and choosing instead to make our own way out to the suburban town of Ilidza, to visit the Sarajevo War Tunnel Museum. Our independent tour involved taking a rickety old tram and walking a few miles but we arrived eventually and got a taste of a bit more of the common man's version of the country along the way. The Tunnel Museum itself showcases part of the secret underground passageway used to move people and supplies between Sarajevo and "free Bosnia" during the four years that Serbian troops surrounded the city. It is a remarkable testiment to the ingenuity and strong will of the citizens of the sieged city.
- Visiting the Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which houses an exhibit on the siege of Sarajevo. Though the museum lacks the funding to properly pay staff or provide heating in the winter, it still manages to give a moving and emotional glimpse into life in wartime Sarajevo.
- Treating ourselves to a fantastic meal at the pescetarian-friendly downtown restaurant, Karuzo. A culinary one-man show, Karuzo does not necessarily serve traditional Bosnian cuisine, but it does serve delicious gourmet faire; we ate mint soup, stuffed squid, smoked tofu with swiss chard, grilled peaches, and olive oil ice cream. Everything was refreshing, creative, well presented, and a fraction of the price it would have been in the US.
Next stop: Belgrade, Serbia
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