Doing stuff in Sarajevo

Warm and sunny here and we decided to sort the bikes ready for the onward trip. So this morning, we've had my exhaust off and now know its definitely not loose baffles as previously thought (shook the whole thing and nothing rattled) but rather a 'loose connection' between the exhaust pipe and the head. Although the bolts were tight ( checked everyday) the gap between the pipe and head was not plugged. Is now though - with several layers of cereal packet, and it doesn't rattle at all. Hurrah.

Then we sorted Nadine's throttle cable which had worked loose. That was a real fag as we had to take the whole headset off and the plastics because it had caught in the headstock.Then we dropped the clip that holds the needle in at the carb end, but fortunately found it after much swearing. Then it started but wouldn't idle, so   more swearing and we sorted that.

Now we're both covered  in crap and the water has gone off in this neighbourhood so we can't get clean. Happy days.

 Eventually got sorted and spent the day wandering around the city. It's nice here - calm and almost rural, with people just going about their stuff and enjoying their days, all mixed together. Unusual for a capital city.

It is also  very hilly - very hilly- and consequently tiring to walk around. But we did. Had lunch in a cafe in one of the lanes, lots of workshops selling coffee sets, silverware, clothing etc.

 The plan for tomorrow is to go fore a ride around the Sarajevo Hills, then ride to Mostar on Sunday.

 The city is surrounded by hills, and they are still scattered with  landmines from the Bosnian war. No straying off the beaten track up there then; its actually a serious issue, particularly as the hills look so inviting, and are so close to the city and so easy to get to.

 Three main religious buildings in Sarajevo - synagog to the right. , Central Mosque centre, cathedral left

But what a great sign - no machine guns in the Mosque. OK then.

Sarjevo is also the place where WW1 started with the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife. As somebody said when we were reading the plaque," this spot marks the recent history of the whole world", and indeed it does 

 This is the actuial spot. The Archduke and his wife were passing left to right in an open carriage just to the left of where the girls are in the picture when Gavrillo Princip stepped out and shot them both.

 Sarajevo has had a bit of a hard time bit it is a really good place. But there is evidence all around. Note the bullet holes in this building from the 1990s war.

So now we're trying to sort a route to Bulgaria though as it looks like the insurance situation in Kosovo and Serbia is difficult - they've bother cottoned onto wandering travellers, and taken to ripping them off at borders. Don't mind paying for insurance, but we very much mind getting shafted and lining border guards pockets.Fifty Euros for a short ride is way too much by any standard. So we might be nipping through Albania and Greece instead.