Today was a pretty interesting day. We started out having breakfast at the hotel. We missed the breakfast that we had at the hotel in Dubrovnik. Although it had many of the same things it was not as fresh or is plentiful. I suspect we will manage to survive.
After breakfast we met our local guide, Layla. She is one of the best local guides I have ever had. Although she was only two or three during the time of the war, she had a very good understanding of the issues that caused the conflict. The first place she showed us which was right near our hotel was the spot where Archduke Frans Ferdinand was assassinated. It was his assassination and that of his wife, Sophie, That was the Trigger that started World War I. There was merely a small plaque which notified people that this was the spot. They had been a monument which was be taken down during the time of the communist rule. She explained how the driver of the car had not been told sufficiently that the plans have changed and he drove right into an ambush. Initially the assassins tried to bomb the car but that was unsuccessful and when they made their way back to this corner, there was an assassin waiting in a café right there on the corner. He shot the archduke and his wife and they both died before reaching the hospital. She explain that World War I would’ve started anyways but this is responsible because you gave the ottoman empire a reason to go to war.
After World War I and World War II the regional Republics banded together to form Yugoslavia. She discussed infrastructure in the advancements that were made under the communist regime. She also addressed the Muslim majority that lives in Sarajevo. She explained that women for the most part did not wear the headscarf and if we saw people who were wearing hijabs, they were probably tourists. The city is certainly full of tourists. She took us to local mask and spent time talking about Islam and how it affects the area. She talked about religion not being the reason for the war that the politicians used it as an excuse for the war . She had a very even view of both sides.
Her last stop of the day was at the Jewish synagogue. At one point in time there were seven synagogues operating in Sarajevo. There were Jews who would come from Spain during the inquisition and those that had come from northern Europe and places like Germany. They live there very peacefully until 1940 when Yugoslavia Was occupied by the Germans. At that point most of the Jews were sent to concentration camps in Yugoslavia. Most of them did not return. It was very sad. Tomorrow she will be our guide at the tunnels that were built during the war.
After the tour we got tickets to the museum which talks about the horrors at Scbrienca. All of the men and boys in this village were killed in 1993 by the Yugoslav army and the Serbian army. The museum had pictures of each of them. It had video testimony from many of their parents and wives and there is a Movie showing the horrors of the war. I can honestly say I found it very depressing and I chose not to stay for very long. I took it vantage of the 12 o’clock mass at the Local cathedral. I was lucky the mass was in English. I was really glad that I caught it. The cathedral is beautiful and it’s always nice going to mass and beautiful surroundings.
After mass I met the rest of the group and we went to a wonderful lunch at a small restaurant recommended by the guide. The food was positively out of this world. I had stuffed eggplant with the seasonal salad and it was fantastic. About 12 of us went. It was a nice size group and we enjoyed it. After that I went back to my room and took a nap. I have been up very late the night before as the discotheque next to my hotel went very late and my room overlooks it. I walked around the rest of the evening and had a little dinner. I went to another great restaurant. The weather is just beautiful and the temperature is in the mid 60s. Perfect traveling weather let’s hope it stays this way.
Until tomorrow!
After breakfast we met our local guide, Layla. She is one of the best local guides I have ever had. Although she was only two or three during the time of the war, she had a very good understanding of the issues that caused the conflict. The first place she showed us which was right near our hotel was the spot where Archduke Frans Ferdinand was assassinated. It was his assassination and that of his wife, Sophie, That was the Trigger that started World War I. There was merely a small plaque which notified people that this was the spot. They had been a monument which was be taken down during the time of the communist rule. She explained how the driver of the car had not been told sufficiently that the plans have changed and he drove right into an ambush. Initially the assassins tried to bomb the car but that was unsuccessful and when they made their way back to this corner, there was an assassin waiting in a café right there on the corner. He shot the archduke and his wife and they both died before reaching the hospital. She explain that World War I would’ve started anyways but this is responsible because you gave the ottoman empire a reason to go to war.
After World War I and World War II the regional Republics banded together to form Yugoslavia. She discussed infrastructure in the advancements that were made under the communist regime. She also addressed the Muslim majority that lives in Sarajevo. She explained that women for the most part did not wear the headscarf and if we saw people who were wearing hijabs, they were probably tourists. The city is certainly full of tourists. She took us to local mask and spent time talking about Islam and how it affects the area. She talked about religion not being the reason for the war that the politicians used it as an excuse for the war . She had a very even view of both sides.
Her last stop of the day was at the Jewish synagogue. At one point in time there were seven synagogues operating in Sarajevo. There were Jews who would come from Spain during the inquisition and those that had come from northern Europe and places like Germany. They live there very peacefully until 1940 when Yugoslavia Was occupied by the Germans. At that point most of the Jews were sent to concentration camps in Yugoslavia. Most of them did not return. It was very sad. Tomorrow she will be our guide at the tunnels that were built during the war.
After the tour we got tickets to the museum which talks about the horrors at Scbrienca. All of the men and boys in this village were killed in 1993 by the Yugoslav army and the Serbian army. The museum had pictures of each of them. It had video testimony from many of their parents and wives and there is a Movie showing the horrors of the war. I can honestly say I found it very depressing and I chose not to stay for very long. I took it vantage of the 12 o’clock mass at the Local cathedral. I was lucky the mass was in English. I was really glad that I caught it. The cathedral is beautiful and it’s always nice going to mass and beautiful surroundings.
After mass I met the rest of the group and we went to a wonderful lunch at a small restaurant recommended by the guide. The food was positively out of this world. I had stuffed eggplant with the seasonal salad and it was fantastic. About 12 of us went. It was a nice size group and we enjoyed it. After that I went back to my room and took a nap. I have been up very late the night before as the discotheque next to my hotel went very late and my room overlooks it. I walked around the rest of the evening and had a little dinner. I went to another great restaurant. The weather is just beautiful and the temperature is in the mid 60s. Perfect traveling weather let’s hope it stays this way.
Until tomorrow!
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