This is a summary of my two week adventure in stunningly beautiful Bosnia Herzegovina. Unlike my usual posts, there are no care package recipes (though I did share a recipe for Bosnian Butter Cookies earlier this week). Instead, I offer a few photos and thoughts from my travels.
For those who don't know the back story to my trip, in June I traveled to Bosnia Herzegovina with a Bosnian friend, Sehada (now a permanent resident of the United States), her husband and their two boys. Most of Sehada’s immediate family still live in Bosnia, but due to financial and health reasons she hadn't been back to visit them for three years. I was offered the amazing opportunity to "immerse" myself in Bosnian culture, language, and the day to day life of a large, loving family.
Our itinerary: We began our trip bright and early at 4 am, driving a rental minivan from St. Louis to Chicago (5 hours). Flight #1, from Chicago to Zurich, Switzerland was 8 hours. We then waited 6 hours for flight #2, while admiring views of the Alps through the airport windows. Flight #2 from Zurich to Sarajevo was less than 2 hours. Family met us at the Sarajevo airport for the two hour trip to their home in Mostar. I was exhausted, but couldn’t sleep and miss all of this beauty flashing by the car window. Trivia fact: Sarajevo is in Bosnia. Mostar is in Herzegovina.
I was warmly welcomed by everyone I met. Hugs and coffee were shared repeatedly. No one spoke English and I, sadly, don’t speak Bosnian. I spent A LOT of time listening and observing. What I saw was a country whose natural beauty is wondrous. The whole country is located on or between mountains, bright green up to the edge of the tree line where amazing rock formations take over. The numerous blue-green rivers are spanned by bridges, some built more than 400 years ago.
In 1992-1995 there was a horrific war in Bosnia (granted, all wars are horrific) which was part of the breakup of Yugoslavia. This conflict included unimaginable crimes against humanity, genocide (Srebrenica), and ethnic cleansing. I knew all of this before visiting Bosnia, but seeing the places where my friends suffered through that conflict made the war and all of its inherent horrors tangible.
A generation of Bosnians spent what would have been their college years in bomb shelters. When the war was over, there was no time for college. There were also no jobs. Industry was gone. The unemployment rate in Bosnia is 43 percent. I knew my friend was bright, talented, and driven. Previously, I thought she hadn’t gone to college for financial reasons. Now, I know better. The people young enough to relocate, left Bosnia because there was no other choice. St. Louis is home to the largest Bosnian population outside of Bosnia Herzegovina itself, with more than 70,000 immigrants. Families also relocated elsewhere in the US, Canada, and Europe (especially Germany and Austria). Every family I met in Bosnia had relatives living far away.
Yet the Bosnians remaining in their homeland are resourceful and hard working. Subsistence farming provides food and the soil is rich. Mostar is surrounded by vineyards. From any available soil around each home sprout potatoes, peppers, onions, carrots, and tomatoes. The trees are heavy with figs, apples, pears, and pomegranates. I saw chamomile and fennel growing wild along the road. The wild flowers were beautiful.
My generous hosts drove me to numerous amazing locations. I saw the famous bridge of Mostar, a Dervish monastery built into a mountain, waterfalls, parks, Sarajevo’s old city, and toured the excavated tunnels under the world’s largest pyramids. (I am sure you didn’t know that trivia! Google it!)
Mostar: Stari Most (Old Bridge)
Blagaj Tekke- Dervish Monastery
Kravica waterfall on the Trebižat River
I was in Bosnia during the month of Ramazan (Bosnian word for Ramadan), the holy month in Islam during which many Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset each day. Dinner each night, after sunset, was a large family potluck with traditional dishes, vegetables from the gardens, and freshly baked bread. I was rarely allowed to help, though I watched the preparation carefully. (Eventually, I got Sehada to let me wash the dishes after breakfast. She said I couldn’t because I was a guest. I said the first week I was a guest. The second week I was family. Family can do the dishes.)
My favorite Bosnian dish is pita. This is not bread pita like middle eastern pita. Bosnian pita (like Greek spanakopita) is a savory phyllo pastry. Most often the filling is rolled into long phyllo snakes, then coiled into individual pastries or coiled into a single large round pita and later sliced into individual servings. The filling determines the name of the pita. Potato pita is “krompirusa”, meat is “burek”, cheese is “sirnica”, and spinach (my favorite) is “zeljanica”. There is a special domed outdoor oven often used to cook pita and other foods in heavy duty enameled round pans. Sehada’s sister kindly showed me how she made “krompirusa” from start to finish.
Before I left for my Bosnian adventure, I mentioned my plans to a friend. Most people were puzzled by my plans. Instead of puzzlement, this friend declared, “How wonderful! This trip is sure to be transformational!” I thought about her statement frequently while in Bosnia. She was correct.
Sue
I loved reading about your Bosnia trip, First I thought, why? But then after reading and looking at the photos I understood. Places where war has been heavy scares me, I’ll be honest. But I’ve always wanted to go to Jerusalem. Maybe one day!
The Monday Box
In all honesty, Sue, I NEVER felt unsafe in any way in Bosnia. The war was a long time ago, so for safety sake, that isn't an issue. However, sadly, the infrastructure never recovered. There are no jobs and what was destroyed two decades ago, remain destroyed. The country in unbelievably beautiful and the people were kind and welcoming. Also, the food was DELICIOUS! 🙂
Lokness @ The Missing Lokness
It's wonderful that you got to travel to another country with a local. Nothing makes a trip better than getting to meet the locals, eating authentic foods and experiencing the cultures. The places look really beautiful. I would to check it out one day!
The Monday Box
I agree, Lokness. Bosnia would be an amazing place to visit even as a tourist, but traveling with locals, offers a completely different perspective. It was a very special trip!
All that's Jas
I got homesick by looking through your pictures. I'm from Banja Luka, a city north from Mostar. Your butter cookies (shape) caught my eye at Throwback Thursday and I like your version a lot. I never thought of changing our traditional recipes and your recipe got my wheels turning, lol. Thank you for the beautiful photos of my country and your story. You truly captured the essence of it. Many blessings!
The Monday Box
Hi, Jas! I am so glad you found The Monday Box! As soon as I read your comment, I clicked right through to read All That's Jas! So many mouth watering recipes! I will be following to see what you come up with next! Thank you for your very kind words about my amazing trip to Bosnia. To capture the wonders of Bosnia in one little post (not to mention on little trip) is impossible. But I hoped to give a taste of your beautiful country. It means so much to me, that you think I accomplished my goal. 🙂 Please do include Bosnia recipes (updated or in their delicious original forms) on your blog! Bosnian food is so delicious and relatively unknown in the US.
All that's Jas
Thanks for visiting my blog! I do share Bosnian recipes occasionally and just recently and finally finished the project of putting the most traditional ones in a published cookbook 🙂
It always makes me happy to hear that someone (non-Bosnian, lol) enjoyed visiting my country. You have major brownie points, ha!
I'll be stalking your blog for sure. XO
The Monday Box
Congratualtions on your book! Does it contain pita recipes? If your book can help me make krompirusa, sirnica, or zeljanica, I am especially interested! Where can I learn more? Amazon?
shannon
You are amazing, Wendy: I always think anyone who is just willing and completely open to travel where they don't speak the language is so brave (because I would be so nervous!). I'm so excited to hear about your trip! Your photographs are incredible, and i'm just totally in awe of you for this. What an unforgettable trip.
The Monday Box
Thank you, Shannon, but I really am not amazing. I just grabbed at an opportunity when my heart said, "DO IT!" and before my head could say, "WHAT?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!!" I am so glad that I did. I think that the older one gets, accumulating negative and positive experiences along the way, the less often we listen and trust what our hearts suggest. Our heads, with the knowledge of what can go wrong, prevail. p.s. Check out the Microsoft Translator app. Its amazing. You download a particular language and don't need the internet to type and translate where ever you are! (It even translates Klingon, should you be traveling to the planet Kronos!)
Susan
Wow! 400 year old bridges, tunnels under pyramids, pita and breathtaking waterfalls...what an incredible journey you had! Thanks for sharing it with us.
The Monday Box
Thank you, Susan! You are right. It was an incredible journey. 🙂 A month later, looking back, it's hard to believe it really all happened. Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment!
Reeni
What a beautiful place! Your pictures are breathtaking. The history is sad - I can't imagine spending all that time in a bomb shelter. How horrific. All the food looks delicious and I'm pretty sure I'd love the pita too! I also love what you said about being a guest the first week and family the second. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us!
The Monday Box
Thank you so much, Reeni! I don't usually share non-recipe posts, but this trip was something special. I agree the realities of living through a war are hard to imagine. I learned so much. !
Monica
What an adventure you had, Wendy, from beginning to end. It's great to read a bit about it and kudos to you for grabbing this amazing opportunity and getting so much out of it!
The Monday Box
Thank you, Monica. I had never done anything like this trip before, but I am so glad that I was able go! It is way too easy to find reasons NOT to do something that pushes the envelope. Luckily I followed my heart. 🙂
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
Your photos and comments are wonderful Wendy. I love that you had this amazing adventure. It is so much more beautiful than I could have imagined!
The Monday Box
Thank you, Tricia! I always LOVE to travel vicariously through your wonderful trip posts.I almost feel like I have been to Ireland! I also never imagined Bosnia would be quite so beautiful and am so glad that my photos were able to convey some of that beauty. 🙂
Ilana
Thanks for this wonderfully informative post. I knew very little about Bosnia and now feel that I know a little bit more. I really enjoyed seeing your photos. Thank you again.
The Monday Box
Thank you so much, Ilana. Though travel isn't what I usually post about, Bosnia was too special not to share! 🙂 I also knew very little about Bosnia before I met my friend. This trip put all I have learned so far, into perspective.