Saturday 12 May 2012

Another day in Sarajevo


Went out on the newly fixed bikes today and they both work fine,so took them for ride up into the hills. The roads are excellent but the standard but the standard of driving is generally not, so every ride is a bit of an event. Cars up your arse and dodgy overtakes. But we're getting used to it.

So number one stop on the ride was the Tunnel Museum. 

During the war, the Serbs had Sarajevo surrounded, and the only way out was across the airport – which the UN controlled, and because they were impartial, allowed no access to either side. The Serbs were OK because they had access to elsewhere,but the trapped Bosnians couldn't get supplies of anything in or out – food, medicines, ammo or anything, which clearly weakened them. So they tunnelled 800m under the runway and got what they needed that way. Pretty audacious but it saved them and now its a small museum. And a good one too.


Had lunch at a ski resort restaurant and they didn't have anything that we ordered apart from the omelette which was our number three choice. But it was good and filled a hole. A bit of a scary moment though as we got back on the bikes and a policeman appeared. Turned out he just wanted to talk bikes and tell us about his but we thought we were about to get grilled as so far, we have been lucky and escaped all that sort of thing. Had my IPA badges handy in my pocket though.

Then we went up into the hills to the 1984 Olympic Ski Jump site. The jumps are still there as is the infrastructure, and of course, the podium. So the Scoots had to have a go – I did consider the jump but thought better of it, so settled for the podium. We lifted and dragged the scoots up onto the winners spot and took photos while bemused Bosnians looked on. Not sure what they made of it, but nobody seemed to mind.


The hills are beautiful though, really lush and spectacular but full of land mines. Nobody knows where they are as they weren't mapped, so it is an ongoing problem. Apparently, people are employed to clear them but they can only work during the summer because of the snow. 


Stayed at the hostel tonight, did more bike fixing, then ate pizza. This thing arrived and it was the size of a satellite dish, so guess what we'll be having for breakfast? Yep, cold pizza. Yum.

Off to Mostar tomorrow. Its about two and a half hours south of here. That should be another interesting destination.