Sarajevo was founded by the Ottomans in the 15th Century, at a time when Jews, Croats, Serbs, Bosnians and Turks got along. We walked the town with a local guide. Proudly Sarajevo hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics, but since the Yugoslav War of the 1990’s most people have forgotten Sarajevo’s proud moment.

Our local guide talked of the Bosnian Serb artillery pounding this city for 3.5 years in the early 1990’s. We can see buildings that were attacked and so many others either restored or newly rebuilt. We stopped in at a mosque, a church and other historical points.

After a demonstration by a coppersmith and lunch, some of us took a cable car ride up to where the bobsled and luge starts were at the 1984 Winter Olympics. I also got a chance to listen to the birds and may have a couple of new ones for my life list!

Two of us were on our way down and jumped into a cable car with 6 guys. Their teacher was apoplectic at first, speaking a Slavic language we did not understand. After a few minutes, I noticed one young man wearing a New York sweatshirt. We started talking. He knew enough English to then translate to his teacher and peers! The guy next to me asked if he could take a photo with me and that prompted me taking a photo of them and my fellow traveler. Once out of the cable car, we shook hands.

One thing we did agree on was the delicious food, especially the ćevapi.

I visited the Museum of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide, 1992-1995. Conflict/war is horrible, especially when fought with artillery and leaving behind utter destruction of lives and cities. Depressing to see what all the people endured. We’ll learn more tomorrow, but I hope you can read the sign with the statistics on it. 

I’ll be back with part 3 to finish my visit in Sarajevo area.