MOSTAR (July 25, 2015)
So we left Sarajevo and it was kinda sad. But I can’t really imagine finding things to do for another week there or anything so we left at a good time I think, We got a bus with AC thankfully. Before we got to Mostar we stopped at Konjic and took a tour through Tito’s bunker that was built in case of a nuclear attack. Except it had been revamped into this amazing space of modern art and it was absolutely wonderful. A little scary, but mostly wonderful. I kind of want to live there. Then we drove into town and had lunch by the river and waded into it a little. Konjic seems like it would have been a fun place to do some rafting, so I might have to try to get back there. The rest of the drive was amazing because Herzegovina is stunningly beautiful and the river and mountains were so pretty I wanted to die.
Then we got to Mostar!
All of the stone makes the city look really cool but in the day it hit 106 and the stone was way less cute. It only made walking around the city feel hotter.
That night we went to a really cool cave club called Ali Baba that was largely underground and had an awesome atmosphere. Not often you get to party in a cave.
The next day we went to an old sorta-mosque/Islamic house of worship that was near a river that’s source is from under the mountains. It was a nice way to start off the morning but it was still way too hot. Later in the day we visited the Nansen Dialogue Center which is a really cool program that aims to break down ethnic barriers and foster cooperation and interaction in Mostar, with a primary goal being to integrate the schools. It was a very interesting program and it was cool to see what local organizations are doing to improve the situation at a micro level, but it was still way too hot inside. Then we did a brief walking tour where we got to see all the major sections of the city, but it was still way too hot.
To conclude, Mostar is way too hot but it was nice anyway.
BANJA LUKA (July 27, 2015)
So we left Mostar, which felt good timing similarly to Sarajevo. I don’t know what more we could have done there that we didn’t already hit in two nights plus that city might have killed us all with its heat had we stayed longer.
We leave and hit the road for Banja Luka, but not before two stops: at a lake near Rama and Jajce. Ramsko Jezero (the lake) is legitimately paradise. Or at least for the hour or so we were there, it felt like it. The lake and surrounding area were stunningly beautiful and the water temperature was perfect. Getting to swim was great and when it was learned that the bus had broken down not a single person cared. Staying in paradise for an extra hour certainly wasn’t disappointing to anyone.
We stopped in Jajce too which was an old town with a cool fort at the top of its main hill and a cool waterfall. While there we had lunch and visited a museum that had been the site of where Communist leaders had joined to declare a Communist state during and after WWII after repelling Nazi forces.
Then we got to Banja Luka, which honestly just looks like a normal smallish city except there was suddenly a ton of Cyrillic (which I’d been picking up from road signs so it wasn’t much of a problem). It’s maybe the size of Ann Arbor, though Ann Arbor’s probably bigger. The main street of the city looked nice but not much else. The next day we visited the state defense unit based in the city that has a counterterrorism unit and fights against cyber crime. We got presentations about both of those things. We also heard from a retired New Jersey cop who now works for the State Department and trains cops abroad and how they learn riot and protest control. It showed the extensive U.S. influence in the region and how it’s all sorta sketch.
We also visited the Republika Srpska parliament building which was BEAUTIFUL and way better than the actual BiH state parliament building in Sarajevo. Ironic. We also got to hear from some of the leaders about Republika Srpska’s position in state politics.
And since two nights is DEFINITELY all it takes to see enough of Banja Luka, we left for Belgrade and the part of the trip I was most excited for beforehand. I love cities. ^_^
Ramsko Jezero (paradise) – Jajce – Banja Luka
ARRIVING IN BELGRADE AND SIMPUTATION #1 (August 3, 2015)
So we finally got to Belgrade. Yay! It’s turns out this city is actually really ugly but it’s got a lot of charm anyway. I like it, at least. And our hotel is near the center of the city so that’s cool too. It only takes a couple of minutes to walk up to the main pedestrian street and the middle of old Belgrade. (We drove through New Belgrade. but it looked kind of terrible and I doubt we’ll be back there…)
We spent a good part of the weekend just exploring the city. I ventured all the way out to Fortress Belgrade…only to be forced to walk all the way back there during our walking tour. >_> But with Mladen as our guide we were able to learn a fair amount about the city. And it gave me a decent sense of direction for here, so I’d know roughly how to get back to Hotel Prag from most places in the city.
(The Fortress)
Had a few good meals, discovered the best and cheapest place for cevap is right across the street from the hotel so that is a HUGE plus and I have been eating their non-stop. Gotta enjoy it while I can.
We also finally did our first Simputation, where we debated whether the OHR should stay or leave Bosnia and Herzegovina. I got to play the part of a local actor: a Bosnian Serb. So I had fun role. The whole thing was also very emotionally draining since I was being pretty aggressive and blunt about the Bosnian Serb position and we were always getting put on the defensive. Obviously our side lost because the rest of the world hates us or something, but it’s the effort that counts. In hindsight we probably should have staged a walkout. I can only imagine the reactions at that.
But having that done was a huge weight off of my academic shoulders so I felt much less stressed about school stuff once we got that done. With the third writing assignment done not too long after, the rest of the week felt much more open and laid-back. So I got to enjoy my days and nights out more. And Belgrade’s awesome so I’m glad that I felt like I had the time to enjoy the city, because I definitely did and do. I kind of want to co-op here, Belgrade’s that awesome.
CANVAS AND CINNAMON BUNS (August 3, 2015)
So the BIGGEST thing to happen with our group in our first week in Belgrade was easily the CANVAS crash course in organizing nonviolent resistance movements. It was a two-day ordeal, but it needed to be because there was a lot of ground to cover. My travel group decided to tackle the challenge of reforming the police justice system, or how police who have committed crimes are prosecuted. Basically, we want more accountability and transparency in the system and for investigations to be conducted on the federal level rather than internally, as they currently are. We use the recent Wisconsin law as a model.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect out of the CANVAS exercise but they were very thorough with the different methods of carrying out a movement like this, and there was a lot of good theory that I wish I was retaining better. It’s a lot for two days. But I suppose we can always recall the readings and the book we received. Anyway, this all culminated in us drafting a model action plan for our movement and essentially designing a road map to success for our cause.
On Friday we got to visit the U.S. Embassy and actually got to meet with the ambassador himself, which was cool. We got chocolate and pins and that basically made my day. Even better, we got invited to a barbecue at the ambassador’s house, which apparently is rather lavish. Some people didn’t seem to like him too much for sort of bragging about his awesome life, but I appreciated how candid he was.
Speaking of chocolate and barbecues, the food scene here is fantastic. The eating here is great and there’s also some really good deals. Right across the street from the hotel is a place where I can get the best cevap I’ve had in the Balkans, french fries, and a coke for 2.50 in US dollars. So I’ve eaten there about six times. If anything, that number is low. (Idk if I’ve already talked about this or not)? There was an outstanding Mexican place some of us hit up and I had a great barbecue platter and a delicious chocolate brownie for dessert. I also went to a restaurant called RedBread with some people for brunch and they had the most AMAZING cinnamon roll I’ve ever had in my life.
I might have cried.
