Later at hostel meet Owen and friends from Malaysia, nice guys and along with Tina we go out for dinner at Mash where due to teh fact most of the menu is off, we get our own custom made vegetable pasta dishes ! very nice too.
Next day I join a hostel tour to a tunnel built under Sarajevo airport during the war. It facilitated smuggling of arms, weapons, ammo, food and troops into the besieged city. The tunnel was 800m long, 1.6m high and 1m wide. and built in 44 days. Videos showed soldiers carrying heavy packs full of supplies through the tunnel. The tunnel began (or ended) at a farmhouse whose family still live there, the son of the family gave an account of their experiences in the war. The tunnel currently is only open for 25m as much of it has since collapsed. A touching moment was when the father of the family, a gentle smiling man, said to our guide that he hoped to re-open it all one day but sadly did not have the funding from the government. Later he put his hand on my shoulder and added, "When I am president of Serbia, I will make sure the whole tunnel is re-opened". I really hope one day his dream comes true.
Left: Entrance to the tunnel at Sarajevo
Right: The lovely Tina shows off a fantastic looking dinner
Also visited a Jewish cemetry, where the the Serb attacks on Sarajevo began. it was from here snipers fired at residents going about the daily lives, along what became known as "sniper alley".
I walked along there later from the infamous Holiday Inn hotel where the foreign journalists sought refuge, all the way along to the old town, that now is a bustling area of shops and cafes of Turkish origin, reflecting the roots of the mainly muslim population of the city. The Turkish quarter, 'Baščaršija' is an area full of character and life, cobbled streets lined with antique and craft shops and with most of the mosques located in this area is also the centre for many of the local community. The main square here has been nicknamed 'Pigeon Square' and is clear to see why. On the way you also pass the 'Latin Bridge' where on June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot by Gavrilo Princip, sparking a war between the Austro-Hungarians and Serbia, which in turn dveloped into WW1.
Left: A very serious game of chess, lots of shouting and disagreement going on during this game.
Right: One of the Sarajevo Mosques.
World cup started while in Sarajevo and the first day saw a jam-packed hostel common room filed with many nations, many large bottle of beer that could be purchased just a few metres away at a bargain Euro 1.60 for 2 litres and the occassional burek.
Final evening enjoyed a teriffic meal in a 'gezellig' little restaurant with Tina, which we stumbled across while out hunting for food in the pouring rain. Great restaurant, great food and great company (see earlier photo), a fine way to round off a great time in Sarajevo, a city which certainly appealed to me and many others I think. It was a fun 3 days in Sarajevo, good atmosphere in the hostel, great bunch of people, good nights out in the 'City Pub'. Was good to meet and go out with Tina, Dan, James (see also Bosnian pyramid story), Marina, Owen & friends as well as others there and sad when people moved on.
Left: Owen and friends from Sarawak, Malaysia at 'The Latin Bridge' where Franz Ferdinand was shot.
Right: Turkish origin coffee pots in the shops.
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