Balkan Diaries - Day 2

We've had a day to acclimatise to our new surroundings and to be honest it's taken surprsingly little effort, despite being unable to understand a thing. Sarajevo is an easy going city with a refreshingly genuine, 400,000 strong, population. The sunny weather and cool mountain breeze has undoubtedly helped.

The only disappointment thus far was at German hands: Lufthansa served up the single worst airline meal in the whole of aviation history. A 'cheese' sandwich which even the most famished, emaciated mouse would refuse to partake of. Sarajevo's food scene has more than compensated though. Our first lunch here consisted of a platter of a year's worth of barbecued meat (served in extravagant fashion). Coupled with some of the best coffee (and cafes) I've come across, the combination is verging on heavenly.

The city is remarkably compact - an illusion stemming from the incredibly steep (and inhabited) slopes surrounding it. Today's stroll enabled us to view Sarajevo from almost every vantage point and involved some bizarre interactions with the locals. Whilst ascending the streets north of the old Ottoman quarter we bumped into a elderly gentlemn who was waiting with his family for a bus. He caught sight of us and greeted us with an eleborate salaam to which we accordingly replied.

"Jordan?" He enquired.
"No. England." We responded.
"Birmingham?" He emphatically asked.
"Erm...yes".

Further on during our knee shattering climb we met a Professor of Russian studies (who later admitted to not knowing any Russian) who gave us directions to the Goat Bridge (the traditional departure point for Bosnian pilgrims embarking on the hajj) and animatedly reenacted Serbian tendencies whilst sporting a dollop of mustard in his moustache.

The tranquility of the Gazi Husrev Begova mosque in Ferhadija, Sarajevo is unrivalled. It dates back to the early 16th century and has undergone several facelifts from the time of the Austrio-Hungarian invasion to the recent Balkan conflict. The mosque neatly encapsulates the essence of Bosnian Islam - understated, tolerant and heart felt.

Tomorrow we'll head further afield and see rural Bosnia.