Key terms

Dubrovnik's Key Features

Pigeons
These freaks of nature are everywhere in Dubrovnik. I want to kill them all.


Sea Breeze
Dubrovnik has had the best weather ever. Perfect temperature in the low 70s F/ low 20s C. And the breeze has been fantastic. Couldn't have had a better day for the beach today.

EURO 2008!
As I write the after-parties are just getting started after Croatia just beat Poland to advance as a top seed to the quarterfinals. Europe loves football and it has really added to the atmosphere. Very nice.

Cats
I'm sure this town has more cats per capita than any other town in the world by far. You literally can not take one step without seeing one of the cute skinny bundles of fur lounging around on the floor. Seems to be taking care of the rat problem.


$$$
Compared to Bosnia this place is mad expensive (Disclaimer: this is my first time to Europe so I'm not used to Western Europe prices). Granted some stuff was worth it (i.e. climbing the city walls, a really moving war photography exhibit) but for most of the museums, restaurants, etc... give me a break!

Alright... since I have to get up in 4.5 hours for the flight home it is time for me to sign off. Photos WILL be posted as soon as I return.

Arrived in Dubrovnik

We just got into Dubrovnik along the Adriatic a few hours ago after a full day of travel from Sarajevo. We are staying in a nice apartment right in old town- we actually had to walk a couple blocks because they don't allow any cars into the old town as the streets are just too narrow. Anyway not much to report on Dubrovnik as we haven't explored it too much as of yet. All I can say is that it is NOT Bosnia- it is full of tourists and waaaaaay expensive. I'm glad we're not staying too long.

The last few days in Sarajevo were pretty relaxed. We went to Bledinje Nature Park on Thursday, whose main attraction was two 2,000 meter peaks surrounding a massive, stunning, mostly uninhabited valley. There is a ski area there but practically nobody visits the park in the summer and that's a shame because along with Sutjeska (park I mentioned earlier) this is one of the most beautiful spots in Bosnia.



We were going to go rafting on Friday but decided to cancel due to the cool, rainy weather (it's actually rained all but one day on the twelve days of the trip so far). So we ended up just exploring more of Sarajevo, going to some of the museums we missed on Wednesday. They were mostly not that interesting/lacked good English explanations for their exhibits, but I learned some more great history of Bosnia. Factoid of the day: It was in Sarajevo where Gavrillo Princip shot Franz Ferdinand and his wife in 1914, sparking the First World War (a war which went on to kill 20 million people and indirectly led to World War II as well).

Today we got up early for the long trip to Dubrovnik. We did get to spend a few hours in Mostar, one of the few areas in Bosnia which does get a bunch of tourists. Its main attraction is a beautiful old 450 year-old stone bridge (destroyed in the recent war but rebuilt using the same ancient methods in 2004).



Nearby in Blegaj, where a large river gushes out of a tremendous cliff next to an old Dervish Monastery.


I know I promised photos and I WILL get around to posting a few of them soon, probably tomorrow. It is late now and I need some sleep!

More explorations

So I'm wrapping up my fifth day here in Sarajevo. I now feel like I've basically explored the entire city and it's continued to be a great experience. Monday my Dad and I got a chance to do a challenging hike north of the city. Two incredible waterfalls, a mountain peak, an abandoned village, ancient gravestones, and two friendly Bosnian shepherd dogs were the highlights of the long hike.



Yesterday we got to to see one of the forestry projects my Mom is working on in person. It's been great on this trip to be able to see not just the tourist stuff but also some of the development and progress throughout the country as it recovers from the war.

My Dad and I started today by climbing up the narrow streets above our pension to the side of ancient fort that had protected the city. We had some outstanding views of the entire city below us. Later on we took the tram to the other side of town and walked a ways to the Tunnel Museum.


The 800 meter tunnel under the airport was the only connection Sarajevo's citizens had to the outside world from 1992-1995 when the city was surrounded and under siege by Serbian troops. The Serbian soldiers subjugated the citizens of Sarajevo to daily shelling and sniper fire. 12,000 people were killed and 50,000 were injured during the siege- almost all civilians. The Tunnel Museum, operated by the father and son whose home served as one of the tunnel's entrances, was a grim reminder of the recent horror experienced by the people of Bosnia. Definitely the best place I've been so far in the country. If any of you are interested in learning more about the conflict in Bosnia or general Bosnian history, check out these wikipedia articles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Sarajevo and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_War http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina
I wish I had time to talk more about the country's history but it's really been fascinating learning about it here in person. There's a saying that Bosnia has more history than any other country and I believe it!

In the afternoon my sister arrived to join us for the second half of our trip. My Dad and I, seasoned tourists familiar with the entire city-- showed her around the old city. We got to see an awesome chess game with giant pieces.

Sarajevo

Limited internet here in Sarajevo but I wanted to write a quick update. Bosnia has continued to impress me. It is a clearly a country on the rebound and Sarajevo epitomizes the rich experience it has to offer. We are staying a small pension right near old town. Old Sarajevo is Europe at its finest. Crowded walkways, hundreds of stores and street vendors, rich history and culture everywhere. It is full of life and I'm glad to see the city on the rebound.



It is hard to imagine only 13 years ago the same residents were being shot at and shelled daily. The scars remain everywhere we go- burnt out buildings, bullet holes in walls, and shell markings in the sidewalk.



Yesterday we got a chance to explore parts of Sutjeska National Park near the border with Montenegro. Sutjeska offers some of the best scenery in this part of Europe. The two highest peaks in Bosnia tower over 2300 meters (7,500 feet) and looking at them made me feel like I was in Colorado or Alaska.


Have to head off to dinner now. Updates will probably be rare/brief for the next week as I don't have access to internet that often.

First Impressions

здраво! ('Hello' in Serbian). I've arrived in one piece to the Balkans- was an exhausting trip but it's invigorating to be here. We arrived in Zagreb, Croatia yesterday afternoon and had a chance to explore some of the beautiful old European city before it poured on us later in the evening. After getting a restful night's sleep we set off for the 2-3 hour drive to Banja Luka this morning, crossing the border into Bosnia. (by the way, border crossings/customs in this part of the world are extremely fast and convenient- all they do is stamp your passport and wave you through-- compare that to the U.S.). While my Mom participated in some important meetings with the Bosnian government, my Dad and I got a chance to explore the city with a local guide. So far I actually like Bosnia even more than Croatia. The people, the cities and towns, the mountains... all incredible. Banja Luka is less overwhelming then sprawling Zagreb and there are some nice sights to see including an extensive Roman fort. Also, the history of Bosnia which I've begun to learn over the past few days is fascinating, and although the conflict during the 90's was devastating, the country certainly has the potential for a great future.

I had an adventure seeking out a power adapter for my computer charger earlier tonight, having to go to three stores and desperately asking a dozen employees if they spoke any English or could otherwise help me find the adapter. Thankfully I eventually got the said item and have since promised myself to memorize essential Serbian/Croat phrases for the remainder of the trip. There are very few foreigners and very few English-speakers in this part of the world- at least when I traveled to Latin America I knew the local language...

Now I am sitting in a hotel room which luckily has internet access- not sure how much I'll have when we get to Sarajevo in a few days. Well after spending my first full day in Europe I'm ready to call it a night and crash...I'll close with a few photos and (hopefully) write again soon.



Main Catholic Cathedral in Zagreb (it's under renovation)


The Banja Luka fort.
The connection is pretty limited here so hopefully I can post more later.

Heading Off

After a bit of frantic packing I'm heading off to Croatia and Bosnia today. I will try to update when possible but my internet access is likely to be sketchy.