Another story from Eggtown - Jajce, Bosnia

I had a trip last week to the west of Bosnia. It's simply unavoidable to pass Jajce and not to take a few photos. My favourite spot is a location with dozens of water mills spread on a small waterfalls of Pliva river, which is actually a lake so green that you ask your self whether some million of smaragd jewels placed at the bottom of that lake.

But, those water mills are really always impressive. Sounds of burbling water is so relaxing and calming so your brain is clear as the water under the mills only after few minutes spent here. Grass and forest a just another part of this symphony. Near is car camping location, and if you like it's possible to stay more and get more of it.
This magic is only few minutes of bicycle drive from the centre of Jajce town. It's an old town with a lot of medieval fragments all around the place. Jajce was the last Bosnian medieval capital before Ottomans captured and killed the last Bosnian king there.

Close to centre is the magnificent waterfall, saved by the recent reconstruction, meant to be there for next few centuries. Here is also a place where was proclaimed ex Yugoslav state, during WW2.

Don't miss to visit, it's only 60km from Banja Luka to the south, and some 170km from Sarajevo.

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! :)

Banja Luka

There a lot of nice stories about Banja Luka. For me the best period to visit it is in April. Then you can be present at nature awaking like nowhere else. In April, grass is really green here. No chance to stare in it more than 5 seconds. Sky is so blue, not to imagine.
People are even better part of the total picture. Nice and comfortable for communication. Always enjoy good company there.

Jezernica

It was just an ordinary day when my friends pick me up for a "short" trip, some 50 kilometres from Sarajevo, to the heart of Bosnia. You pass Fojnica and then up to hill for a few additional miles.
After 15 minutes just turn off the engine, get out of the car and feel the forest silence. No traffic sounds, horns and buzzing of thousands vehicles, with different frequencies and intensities.
A few birds singing and a streamlet jumping over rocks old as time.
Everyone needs at least half an hour of this silence per day. Not possible in these days, but we should be happy that places with natural silence still exist and they are not so far from us.