Cows and Colors - Bjelasnica

I love October! There is a part of it called Michael's Summer and it lasts ten days of that beautiful month. You have to be prepared and ready for, 'cause it's easy to miss it. Sometimes you are to early and sometimes is late and Michael's Summer is already left.
But, if your timing is well, then the award is special and unrepeatable. Anyone who loves red, yellow blue and brown will enjoy these ten days, of course if hit right place and right part of the day.
We are again on Bjelasnica olympic mountain, some 30 km from Sarajevo. Weather is nice and warm, elevation about 1000 meters. Near small mountain village, two girls are posing just for me.

These girls knows what is healthy life on a clear air and good vegetarian food.

They have a friend who also decided to pose for me. He perfectly fits to the autumn atmosphere.

Winter is close, so the clouds are in scouting mission, low and quiet, searching the best place for their rest and final mission. In just few weeks snow cover will reach about one meter deep. Nature and residents are ready for it.

Lake above the clouds

Have you ever been above the clouds, but still on the ground?
There is a lake named Prokosko, only 60 km from Sarajevo, in the Vranica mountain. It's central Bosnia, heart of the country and old kingdom of Bosnia. Road is not so fine, but that explain why is this place preserved and so natural.
If you decide to visit it, be prepared for wild and beauty forest, with several streams before you reach the lake at the top.

Lake is with clear, drinking water, with a small village around it. Here is possible to eat some domestic food prepared on a traditional way. Altitude is 1.6 km so the appetite is just great. Meat pie is even better if you drink yogurt from the host pantry.

Hiking is possible in any direction, simply choose you way and enjoy variety of pure and unique environment. With enough luck, maybe it's possible to find some endemics of your own. Plant or insect named by you, you never know!

 



Green Beard Town - Počitelj

After a long winter I have a special destination to drink my first outdoor coffee in new spring season. Destination is Počitelj, named as "green beard town" by the famous Bosnian writer, Zuko Džumhur.

It's an old town, and exist more than 650 years. More about it find on UNESCO page.
For me, this is the place where I put my imagination on free will. Real time machine!

It's about 150 kilometres from Sarajevo to the south. Don't stop at Mostar for brake, just take all day for Počitelj. Worth every second of your time spent there.

Town is inspiration for many artists, due to unique architecture.
Full of optimistic atmosphere, full of sun and warm welcome from every corner.

Sarajevo - Love

If you want, Sarajevo is a city where you can enjoy everyday in small things. Walks and views are my favourite.
On the top of the old town there is some remains of an old fortress from ottoman period, a white one. Here you find view, distance from the traffic and green grass under your feet. There is a window here. Sometimes I imagine that whole world, past and the future is visible from there

Down there is an old park from Austria-Hungarian time. Once I've heard that city's chakra is exactly here, in that old park. Some kind of good energy, peace and warm feelings are put there together. In the spring, or summer mornings this is nice place to rest and think of nothing.

Love is maybe middle name of this city. Hard to explain, but every corner of Sarajevo reminds on it. Here is enough love for everyone, but people are busy and in a hurry, and don't recognise it. If they would stop just for a second and look to themselves, this place would be the most beautiful in the world.

 

Sarajevo, different views

You find some beauty in different views on a city of Sarajevo, unusual and kind a funny. For this emotion, you have to be relaxed, maybe a bit sleepy and open with no any idea (open minded :))
An old balcony is not in a sight, but if you are chasing some thoughts and looking for them in highs, here it is!

Drink a coffee nearby, walk on Sunday afternoon, listen for the birds, turn your eyes on the left to check some garden entrances and spot another one: a tree in a walk on the stairways to heaven.

And when you decide to walk for some more, at the end you find a three friends in front of the theatre, waiting for a new show. Don't miss it! :)

The Forest

Ok, we already know that I am big fun of forest of any kind and anywhere. It's not important is it a green one in May or a gray one in November. I like it very much, especially with different collors. But what the most I like about the forest is a peaceful space, full of silence. That's the silence you can feel it almost with your fingers and take it with a breath inside your lungs.

I am not sure when I start to hate noise. Actually, I've never loved it at all.
Natural sounds of birds, streams and leaves on a trees is the only music we shoud listen. Everything else is attack on our senses. Matrix we live makes us indifferent. It's time to wake up.

Deer Lake - somewhere behind the mountain mirror

What is enough to be happy and satisfied in the autumn afternoon? Newspapers, coffee? Or a short trip to Sarajevo's neighbourhood mountain. Come to the end of road, walk a while, enjoy fresh air, smell of late autumn and shoot a few pictures.
First an old forest, stronger than thousand winds and storms. Home of good dwarfs.

Lake is mountain eye, a mirror where this beauty find its place, every day and morning.

I discovered a place for myself when colours left, but still it was a nice and inspiring. Didn't see any of deer (name of the lake). Just one extremely clever dog, came to check us and protect his sheeps.

 



Skies are Limit?

I love to visit different places. Most of all love to come somewhere without a sound nearby. Usually those places are very high, sometimes above clouds.

Lovćen is one of these. It's not in Bosnia, you will have to go more to the south, Montenegro. You can find some snow here even in the May. Remember that Adriatic is only 100 kilometres from there.

European oldtown from 1001 night.

Sarajevo is unique city in Europe and maybe in whole world. Sometimes people call it European Jerusalem, due to magnificent atmosphere, mixed cultures, differences on each corner.
Old Town shows that spirit more than any other part of the city.
Only few hundred meters walk makes you feel like that you sit in a time machine. First you pass modern buildings, tram street and come to Austro-Hungarian part of the city. Here you have sense that you came into one of Budapest or Vienna parts. Walk on and you are suddenly in an Instanbul street with a lot of craftwork shops, small dining restaurants and carpet shops like in any Marrakech quart
Some of churches, mosques or synagogues are older than four hundred years, and even more. All that in a specific "circle of love" how domestic people call this route, which connect these places of worship.
Come and spread a word about it.

Find your good fairy

Some places worth viewing even if you are a few hours driving far away. Jajce (Egg Town) is in the west of Bosnia, the last capital of the medieval Bosnia. Last Bosnian king is beheaded by Ottomans, just nearby. Place is full of legends and old stories, even catacombs are found under the old town.

Behind the Jajce now is beautiful lake, with so many hidden corners, surrounded by forest and sedge. Cherry on the top of this delicious cake is a group of an old, medieval water mills, unique in whole world.

If you want to find your good fairy, this is right place.

 

Forgotten Sea

Today is a story about the ship, abounded and forgotten, somewhere in Bosnian hills. Far away from the sea but close to memories on it.
Some million years ago, we had Panonic Sea in the north, with squids and wales, and all other exotic species. Then sea disappeared and left us tones of salt in the area, and a memory. If you listening enough long, maybe it's possible to hear sound of waves there.

In the winter time, come here and taste some nice fish soup and other delicious food. Come close to water and listen.

Catch the Sun

On a foggy day sun is somewhere high under the fog sea which covers the city and suburban. The only way to catch some of the light is to climb high and higher. When you are enough high, then everything is possible, even to catch the sun.
Cavljak is 15 minutes by car from Sarajevo downtown area. Five minutes walk later and you are witness of spectacular sunset.

Sometimes, when wind has sympathy for us, winter day in Sarajevo is clear and colourful. Those days are also for sun hunters. You only need to wait for right moment, when sun is low and somewhat sleepy. Try to catch it, or wait tomorrow. New day and a new chance.



 



 

 



Mountain Beauty - Bjelasnica

Can you imagine a day with a short drive with car, up to mountain, through forest to outlying godforsaken villages. Looking for some special view, something that you are sure that you will find it on that particular day.
Weather is not so bright, road is wet, and you are not sure if the avalanche could block your way back. On that day, you just stop on the middle of the mountain road, turn on all four winkers and look for best angle to make something good.

You are just medium there, between the mountain beauty and wide world audience.

Search for crystals - Kreševo

When I was a kid, I use to look for small rocks which were different than usual ones, shiny and mysterious. I knew a few spots around where I can find it. Today I know it was calcite mineral, very common in Bosnia.
Last year I was on a fair of crystals in Kreševo, a small town near Sarajevo, with great people and interesting findings on surrounding hills. This area is known for different kind of crystals and beautiful minerals from ancient times, even before old Romans.

Next time I came here and went right on the spot, a small quarry with a lot of rocks, very interesting and exiting. Found some rare minerals, enjoyed fresh air and spend nice time in a mystic forest.

 

Let it snow!

Last winter in Sarajevo was almost disaster. More than one meter of snow and very cold air were there for days. City was blocked, and in moments atmosphere was like in "Day After Tomorrow".
This Picture was taken before, in one wonderful white night in Sarajevo.

Maybe it was Groundhog Day, or not. We didn't want to turn on play station and loose this moment. We just got out, make some fun on empty streets in three o'clock in the morning, shoot some photos and turned back home.
For me, Sarajevo is the most beautiful when we have fresh snow fall here, no traffic, and quiet night. It happens once in ten years and this night was that one occasion. At the end, it depends of you, your mood and just a small touch of happiness.

Magical Hutovo Blato

I was there one early spring, march or even February. Actually, it was a business trip and I was back from Adriatic coast, late that day, tired and in desperately need for some rest. Plan was to stay overnight in Mostar and Hutovo was on the half way there.
Just before Capljina I saw a sign and looks my car turned right by herself. After ten kilometres  found nice parking place and took a walk trough the national park of Hutovo. Two minutes walk and I discovered a space with so much magic for my tired soul and body. Peace and low intensity light. Magical peace, no sounds, nothing...

All tiredness disappeared. I forgot about hard day at work, heavy traffic on the highway, line on the border... This visit was so relaxing and efficient. Kept coming there later and later, years and years, in every season.