There really isn’t much that can be said against our time in the region, although I dont think anyone would complain if Croatia either instilled a diet/workout ethic or made some of the beaches a bit more “clothed”…

(Don’t forget to check out the Eastern Europe Photo Gallery here)

Favorite moments:

• Sarajevo
• Seeing Morgan
• Pastries
• Baltic Music
• Movies in Budapest
• Beautiful beaches & coastlines

Not so great:

• Expensive lodging!
• Cold sea water
• Seeing naked people (not of our own free will)

Total Money Spent Per Person: $849.06

Average Per Day Costs Per Person:

• Lodging: $18.89
• Food: $11.04
• Transportation: $12.70
• Misc: $4.54 (movies, wine, park entrance fees, supplies, etc.)

Total Average Per Day, Per Person: $47.17

Number of Days: 18

Well, it was time to leave Bosnia last night on the train. We chose Budapest because we need a good hub to fly into Hong Kong from and this seems to be a good place. It was a long ride and we spent a very frustrating 2 hours trying to find any hostels which at first didn’t seem to exist. Then, once we began to find some, were all fully booked. Finally, we found a seasonal dorm (one of the college dorms that rents out as a hostel in the summer months) for a whopping US$19 for a 4 bed dorm. We got dinner and a large bottle of wine. The plan: Play cards and drink until no longer sober.

Old men are the same universally. They all like to watch other people and tell them how they are doing something wrong. It was no different when we stumbled upon a chess match in the park today and Saben was drawn like an old codger to a construction site.

Saben watching a game in the park

It was an interesting sight and we watched til one man won under the already hot morning sun. We spent the afternoon walking through the outer city hills, searching for a good viewing spot of the city below. Where we went there was no good place to be had and after a few hours, decided to descend and head back into town.

Travel Tip:

There are still unexploded land mines in Bosnia. We walked in paved areas and stayed out of grassy areas since we were alone and obviously do not know the area. If you want to explore the countryside farther away from the city, talk to someone at your hostel about how to do this or hire a taxi to drive you around

Bosnia has one national dish (as far as I know) and it goes down as one of the Top Ten meals of the whole trip.

You can't tell but I'm drooling on the keyboard right now

“Cevapici” is a sandwich of several small sausages on soft fresh pita bread and is served only with diced white onions. It is a heart attack inducing type of sandwich but is definitely worth it, especially if you are even a moderate meat-lover.

Today we walked all over the smallish city and eventually found ourselves standing in the spot where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. Very strange to be standing on the very spot where the beginning of the first World War was begun. There used to also be a sign showing the exact spot where the assassin stood on the river bank but it has long since disappeared

The bridge

Sarajevo is a really surprising city and quite charming. It is scarred and old, unblemished and modern. It is a place worth visiting and the entire country is quite beautiful all on its own.

Dusk in the square

We came here originally to visit a castle that was used as a US military station in the conflict in the early 1990s. Unfortunately, due to a situation with the bus network it is much more difficult and costly to visit than we imagined and instead we are spending a few days in Sarajevo and loving it! Its such an odd balance between Eastern Europe and the huge Turkish influence here. Mosques and the call to prayer along side pork sausage wraps and traditional dancers.

It’s July 4^th and we’re on a train to Sarajevo, Bosnia. At home, our friends and families are celebrating with cookouts and reunions, enjoying a great American day. Today, we feel a bit homesick and definitely out of the loop of the goings-on in our motherland. For us, there will be no grilled burgers, cold beer or fireworks but it was a good reminder of the cost of freedom to experience July 4th in a land where the scars of war are still so evident.

Out the window and into the world

As we roll into town we see the effects of the recent war on everyone: the obviously still shell shocked homeless men wandering around the town square, the leg injuries are constant reminders of the thousands of landmines still in the hills around the city, the sallow faces who look happy today but with memories that cloud their faces when they expect no one to notice. The buildings still hold the bullets and scars from the fighting they stood witness to.

The old tram car

Bullet scars in the streets

But among these blatant scars and holes there is remarkable modernity, obvious signs of forward progress and regaining of financial wealth. Inside the unremarkable store fronts are posh restaurants and chic bars, clothing stores feature the latest styles in their unblemished glass windows.

In the streets

The contrast in this city are overwhelming, curiously inviting. The people we have met even just so far are incredibly kind and helpful, people who are marked with a severely battered, violent past who simply can not stand anymore anger, hatred and fighting. They are tired and ready to keep moving forward. This attitude is largely the reason why Sarajevo is now so safe and crime so low.