October 2023. Sarajevo. Bosnia Herzegovina.
I really wanted to fit that song about Bono saving Bosnia into a blog title,
but I couldn’t, and it’s probably best not too joke about wars at the moment.
Looking at the map I’ve only just noticed how much of Bosnia Herzegovina (wish they’d shorten their name to Bosgov) lies west of the capital. Banja Luka is a real party city, apparently.
Tuzla wasn’t quite a party city, the locals wouldn’t even let us into their homes and serve us craft beer, but the advertising hoardings on the walk to the station told of huge ambition for rapid growth,
though the reality looked a bit different.
The bus station was tiny and neat, with a smoke-filled cafe at least serving the strong Viennese Julius Meinl brand espresso I came to love. It’s the Bass of coffee.
Our wait for the 10am bus to Sarajevo was punctuated by a chap telling us confidently we needed to take the 10:30 departure (we didn’t) and the minor trauma of discovering that the back of Mrs RM’s necklace read “today I am pregnant” (she’s not).
Once more the bus left promptly, this one had a working loo with a bowl that seemingly emptied on to the highway, and we were glad to be deposited just outside the snappily named Ćevabdžinica “Zmaj “ stanica,(trans “lots of meat, a tiny by bit of salad”), the main restaurant for the coach and train terminus.
Mrs RM wanted something “authentically Bosnian” but I was past caring; I’d have eaten a horse by then.
Don’t say it.
The cevap (kebab) with fluffy bread is ubiquitous in Sarajevo. I didn’t think this was that great, compared with, say, a Tandoori mixed grill in Bradford. And the “shop salad” was virtually tasteless. Cheap. mind.
But. hey ho, there’d be baklava to come, and probably crisps, so our culinary adventure could only improve.
We walked a mile and a half east to our family hotel Konak in the old town, resisting the temptation to take the tram.
Only on foot will you be able to see at close quarters the net curtained boozers lining Mula Mustafe Bašeskije.
At the hotel, our host kindly requested payment in euros, which tells you much about Bosnia’s ambitions these days (it’s a candidate for EU membership).
Mrs RM had again delivered the goods with the hotel.
Down there beyond the kebabs & baklava lay one of the great European old towns a bona fide craft beer bar.
retiredmartin 
Were the sausages quite different than Nuremburg sausages? They look somewhat similar.
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They look the same but these ones are mini kebabs (beef). I miss those Nuremberg sausages.
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But are they worth me renewing my passport before the spring ?
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No.
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A nice reminder of breakfast with you in the Lost Dene.
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You had more than that, Paul !
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Yes, but it was a cold morning, and a busy day scheduled.
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Unlike some of your followers,I am enjoying every edition of your holiday blog (going there so we don’t have to ) particularly enjoyed the private house mistake. You are way more adventurous than us,although we did explore a dodgy area of Ibiza last week where guide book advised was not safe after dark -Needle Park was particularly enchanting .Keep on travelling whilst you are still young (which you are compared to me )
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Likewise, Pauline. Martin’s travel posts are always interesting, informative, and a source of inspiration.
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Thank you Paul, and I’m enjoying your travels too !
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Pauline,
Yes indeed, very enjoyable reports.
“Going there so we don’t have to” especially as the Channel seems much wider since Brexit ( but that was probably the intention ).
“Way more adventurous than” one who’s not ventured beyond Eastbourne last year and Brighton this year.
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Eastbourne is a death trap, particularly if you fall down that well in the Lamb (or am I getting confused ?).
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I stayed my two nights in the Lamb and survived.
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How much was that?
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£64 a night I think.
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Sounds very good value.
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For “adventurous” some would say “reckless” Pauline ! Nearly got bayoneted by Mugabe’s private guard in Zimbabwe once because I confused the presidential palace for the cricket ground.
Coming up is an encounter with a fellow traveller that made us look like we never left home. Never heard of Needle Park but would feel tempted to visit now.
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I’m sitting in the smaj Cavapi joint as I write eating the beef finger kebabs and lamb kidneys with the fluffy bread and Yoghurt drink
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I’m very jealous, Alan !
Would like to think you were guided to that kebab place by my post !
But it’s hard to avoid near the bus station.
Have a great trip and tell us about it here.
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We flew in yesterday and I went to.bus station to scout it s location as going to Mostar tomorrow by bus as scenic rail.line closed due to landslip. City is covered in deep snow and s thick fog that hardly lifts it the day which means you can’t see the mountains but is very atmospheric especially at night
Off to find the celtic pub and see if it has that hard to find Guiness or Sarajevska dark on tap which is lovely in bottles and a perfect accompaniment to the food
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The minibus route we took was scenic enough and more reliable for our return to Sarajevo than the train, though the guide cut us short in Mostar.
Had you been to Sarajevo before ?
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That’s a nice reminder of the Lost Dene six years ago this morning.
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If I recall New Year’s Day had been a disappointment, the Southworths kicked out of the Wetherspoons at 6pm.
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Yes, that’s what tends to happen in Tim’s venues around the winter.
I didn’t arrive until early on Wednesday 2nd and so missed all the excitement.
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Manchester was very quiet. We went in the Lord Abercrombie.
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