Entry #6 - Bosnia, Croatia & Türkiye - July 3 -11, 2023

 

Hello and Goodbye to Bosnia, Croatia, & Türkiye

The last bit of travel has been at a faster pace than we are used to.  Typically, we like to linger.  However, in the past week and a half, we have stopped in three different countries and tried our very best to absorb the brief experience of three unique and complex cities.  

Let’s begin with our detour into Bosnia.  Welcome to Sarajevo.

We were compelled to visit Sarajevo after years of hearing consistently positive reviews from travellers who were enamoured with this city. After spending three memorable days there we have also joined the campaign.  We can’t say enough about the profound impact of spending time here.  

I have to start by addressing the army fatigue-wearing elephant in the room.  There is definitely a haunting quality about a city so freshly on the recovery side of war.  Since the majority of the buildings in Sarajevo still bear the gruesome scars of conflict it makes considering the brutality that happened here inescapable.  There is a tension between gaping at the beautifully preserved architecture of the old town, meeting the warm and welcoming residents/survivors, and then dragging your hand along the bullet holes in the building you call your temporary home.  This is a difficult tension - a tension we felt fortunate to learn from.

We took a city tour with a wonderful guide, to get better acquainted with the history and evolution of an area molded by the rule of vastly different empires.  Sarajevo marks the convergence of the East meeting the West.  

The 500 years of Ottoman rule stamped its fingerprint into the domed stone structures around the old bazaar.

These modest buildings collide with the flashy facades of the Austro-Hungarian architecture that spans out over the younger section of the historic centre. 

It is particularly jarring to come across one of the “Sarajevo Roses”, marring the once carefully constructed buildings.  These “roses” are splatters of red paint and resin poured into the gashes made by mortar shells, specifically in places where there were fatalities. 

This one marks the Sacred Heart Cathedral.

The Bosnian War is a living memory etched into the city, but Sarajevo’s connection to war extends to the infamous event that affected the whole world.  It was surreal to stand in the footprints of the assign who shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand and triggered WWI.

Sarajevo is an exceptionally powerful classroom.  We are grateful to have learned about the history of the area, and the cross-section of influences that shaped everything from coffee to crafts to cuisine to conflict.  

Vases made of recovered mortar shells

It wouldn’t be fair to focus only on the carnage that happened here. The Sarajevo of today represents beautiful resilience. This city is enchanting in so many ways.  So much to explore and enjoy.

In the evening Sarajevo’s Old Town has an electric vibe.  The delicious food, the aromatic coffee, and the sweet smell of shisha wafting through the air; altogether it is a seductive mix. Lee and I couldn’t resist a date night.  

We also had an amazing day taking the cablecar up the mountain up to the start of the 1984 Olympics bobsled track.  It was a great vantage point to see the city and an interesting, art-filled walk down the track itself.  

We only scratched the surface of exploring Bosnia, but after three days in Sarajevo, we were heading to the border.  However, we just had to make one more stop.  The city of Mostar has a picture-perfect Old Town that has beautifully retained its original medieval design.  

The famous Mostar Bridge was an exciting place to cool off.  As you dip your toes in the sapphire-coloured water, local adrenaline junkies entertain crowds by diving from the top of the bridge, about 27 metres high.  This place takes busking to another level.

After only a quick peek into this lovely town, we had to say farewell to Bosnia.  It had been such a meaningful and memorable place to visit.  We are certain that the many layers of this experience will continue to reverberate in us for a long time to come.

Continuing this Balkan road trip, Lee drove us to our next home in Croatia.  We settled into a fantastic apartment just outside of Dubrovnik.  

There are several draws to this famous part of the Mediterranean.  People flock here to bask in the gorgeous coastline, flaunt their best outfits in the posh restaurants, soak in the local history, or satisfy their Game of Thrones fandom.  For Jessie and Jamie, the absolute best part of Croatia was… spending the entire day at our pool.  In fact, they saw no reason to leave our new backyard.  

Why fight it?  The truth is, they have been wonderful travellers, and after a month and a half of constantly marvelling at something new every day, these kids needed a break.  

Which gave me a perfect excuse to head to the Old City for a day on my own!!!!!! Thank you Lee for holding down the proverbial fort… while I go visit an actual fort.  Besides.  Lee already had his alone time in Dubrovnik when he visited as a solo traveller 20 years ago.  It was my turn.

Woah!  I mean, seriously… WOAH!  I wish I had a more eloquent way to describe that first impression of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, but that’s really the expression the immense fortress walls inspire.  

This is the super-sized version of ancient towns and it utterly blows you away.  The towering wall that encircles and protects this ancient seaport, offered a brilliant view.  The two-kilometre walk along the wall allows for sweeping vistas of the sparkling Adriatic.  It was also the best place to see the terracotta sea of the city itself.   

Looking out over the setting of the fictional Kings’ Landing, I have to admit to humming the Games of Thrones theme song as I snapped pictures of spots from the show, like Blackwater Bay.  And...there were definitely spots that would evoke the GoT chant, “Shame. Shame. Shame.”  (Okay, okay.  Last bit of fangirl-dom.)

Getting lost in the labyrinth below was just as enthralling as seeing it all from above.  This is a grandiose version of the past; both imposing and ornate, or simple and weathered.  Beautiful stone buildings either stand tall along the wide avenues or create the tight winding tunnels that make up the layout of the city.  

Dubrovnik’s fortress is too special to miss, so it was necessary to drag the kids out of the pool and make an evening visit to see the city lit up and aglow.  We were even lucky enough to catch a summer concert series in the main square.  

Lee’s expert driving was put to the test in these past 5 weeks of traversing through the Balkans.  Here in Croatia, he had his last joyride as we gave up our wheels and boarded a flight to our last European city; Istanbul.

Landing in Türkiye, and driving right into the heart of the historic centre, we were amazed at the density we saw around us.  It’s a whole lotta city.  Istanbul is home to more than 15 million people, and the physical landscape of all that life is a dense, layered, squished, chaotic, and wonderful sprawl.  

We quickly took to the streets to start exploring.  Not since our time in Sri Lanka have the kids been swallowed up in such massive crowds.  

We allowed ourselves to be swept up in the wave of people jostling through the endless maze of market stalls in and around the two famous bazaars.  It was sincerely overwhelming - in the best way.  There is so much to take in.  It's a kaleidoscopic scene full of colour, sound, and flavour.  The kids LOVED the free samples of delicious Turkish treats at the Egyptian Spice Bazaar.  

Jamie was in heaven in the streets outside of the Grand Bazaar, where an entire district of stalls spilled over with high-quality knockoffs of every sneaker imaginable.  Jamie would have given his last dime to bring home a collection of shoes.  However, we travel light, and we’re leaving Türkiye with only pictures and memories.

Our sightseeing took us to several of the cavernous mosques, where we craned our necks to appreciate sculpted courtyards, soaring domes, and decor befitting divinity.  It was breathtaking to sit under the glowing chandeliers of the immense Blue Mosque.

Learning about the evolution of the nearly 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia was absolutely fascinating.  Having once been the grandest church in Christendom, and now officially named the Grand Mosque, it was striking to see the layers of religious iconography.  

Hagia Sophia reveals striking contrast as you walk in under a mosaic of Christ and then sit inside the prayer hall surrounded by Arabic inscriptions referencing Allah.  This beautiful sanctuary, with its layers of contrasting symbols, blanketed on top of each other, told a story of homage and conquest. 

Yet, regardless of who holds the deed, Hagia Sophia welcomed everyone.  We stood there amongst a multicultural, multifaith, multigenerational crowd of people sharing in the awe, all grateful to be visiting this ancient house of worship.

The hidden treasure of the Basilica Cistern was the most incredible surprise.  A relic from the brilliant engineering of the Roman aqueducts, this enormous underground reservoir was magical!  This 2.4-acre subterranean water tank is now a gallery displaying eerie sculptures, which come to life with its shallow pools in shifting angles of light.

Above it all, we loved being in such an energized, story-filled, good-humoured, and DELICIOUS place.  Every meal, every snack, every sip in Türkiye was exceptional!  

And that’s that, for our time in Europe.  We are now at the halfway mark in our trip. The past month and a half have flown by, but we are filled with precious memories we have made so far.