Road to South-East of Bosnia

I love to travel south-east direction from Sarajevo. Not crowded and not so bad road. Beautiful and interesting in any time and season. Well, maybe not so interesting in the winter time, if you are not prepared and if the road is closed.

I prefer to use it in the summer and autumn. In the summer, in the mountains, air is refreshing and a gentle breeze makes you a good mood. In the fall season, colours are incredible and outstanding. You simple forget anything else and makes so many brakes and stops for shooting photos and sometimes this travel take twice needed time.

My favourite breaks are Tjentiste, national park with a great monument from the second world war, Cemerno, the mountain crossing and natural border between continental and Mediterranean climate with a fantastic view to the highest mountain peaks in Bosnia toward state border with Montenegro and Bileca, with an old medieval necropolis, some 30 kilometres before the final stop in Trebinje.
With all these stops and temporary short brakes, you need about 5 hours of very smooth and relaxing drive.

If you come here, take your time and pass this route. Breakfast in Tjentiste, coffee in Bileca and lunch in Trebinje. Don't hurry and take it easy...

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Travnik

I know, you just hear this water and feel the fresh breath of Bosnian mountain spring. This place is in the heart of Bosnia, in Travnik, Bosnian capital in 18th century.
This corner of the town is called "Blue Water", famous for many hundreds years for anyone who wants to rest his soul for a few hours.
Near is good food, traditional coffee, quiet people and plenty of time for everyone. Nobody is in a hurry, time is slow.

Mostar

I allways ak my self here, what was before? The city or the bridge. City is called Mostar (an old bridge) and you never know. Something like a story about the egg and chicken. You never know...

Absolutely destroyed during war 1992-1995, bridge jumped out of cold river Neretva and make his stand forever on the same place. Sometimes, when I cross over the bridge, think about whether it is a ghost or a real bridge. A good jenny from the bottle came out and playing a bridge, just to makes good for people who sometimes make bad and evil things.

Be happy if you are in a situation to be there, even for a half of an hour. Enough to feel all of the history, forget bad and be ready for good, till the end of time.

 

Sarajevo - Siberian Nights

There is allways some magic in Sarajevo, even if the air is frozen and ice rain is coming down. You can allways enjoy the game of lights and explore new views and scenes.
It happens once and never more. Every moment in such atmosphere is unique and wont come again.
The cathedral is dedicated to the nativity of the Theotokos.  It was build at the request of the Orthodox parish of Sarajevo between 1863 and 1868. The interior walls are decorated by painted ornaments. In the lower zones of the walls the painted ornaments are simulating the marble stone construction look. Arches and vaults are decorated in ornaments only.
 

Visegrad - Once upon a Time

There are thousands old bridges in the world, more or less popular, but only one help a writer to win Nobel Price.
"The Bridge on Drina" is the most popular novel from our country and it's a story about rough times and people inside it. Now we have this monument, almost alive, witness of many occasions in the past, stands to check it in the future.
After almost three hours of driving through nice scenery's of east Bosnia you are on the right place. Quiet and beautiful, thanks to green water of Drina. Visit and feel the history.