Geert Mak, a journalist from Netherlands is coming to Bosnia and Herzegovina in May this year! Geert Mak is one of the Netherland’s most popular writers. His books become huge best-sellers all around the world. Among his most well-known books is Amsterdam A brief Life of the City and In Europe.
The book Amsterdam: A brief Life of the City is intended for travelers and visitors who want to learn more about the city of Amsterdam without having to dive into comprehensive historical tomes.
Herzegovina Lodges kind and professional staff will give a warm welcome to this writer. Typical Bosnian atmosphere and Bosnian cuisine in Herzegovina Lodges will satisfy anyone’s desires.
We can wish a warm welcome to Mak and hope that he will visit our city Mostar during his stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Tour Guide Mostar project is in full swing. Every day we are gathering more and more information and getting in touch with bloggers from all around the world who visited Mostar and Herzegovina as a stop on their journeys.
This week we would like to introduce you to Mandy Southgate, an expat with dual South African and British nationality. She likes traipsing around the English countryside and she loves Bosnia (with a passion). She also loves Serbia and the Balkans! Read her story: “EATING OUT IN BOSNIA: THE BEST MEALS OF MY LIFE”!
I know, it’s not Tuesday but when life gave me lemons this week, I had to turn them into Lemsip to treat a change-of-season cold that suddenly appeared. Speaking of food, this week I am joining Emma, Rebecca and Kelly on their monthly travel link up. We’re talking about the best meals we had while traveling and I couldn’t think of a better reason to return to Bosnia! In a way, I’m pleased because I’m not a foodie blogger (I far prefer to eat food then write about it) but I had always wanted to share these culinary experiences.
Restaurant Šadrvan review
Location: Jusovina Street, Old town Mostar
I remember the Saturday afternoon we arrived in Mostar as if it were yesterday. I had seen so many photos of the old town but somehow remained unprepared for its beauty. The hostess of the Villa Anri encouraged us to enjoy drinks on the roof of the hotel but as we gazed down into the old town, we simply couldn’t wait to go and explore. We asked our hostess to recommend a restaurant with authentic Bosnian-Herzegovinian food and she wasted no time in recommending the Restaurant Šadrvan.
Photo by eminnlondon.com
I will always remember that afternoon in Mostar. We sat under the shade of the trees in the Šadrvan restaurant, watching as people milled around the market stalls or began the steep incline towards the old bridge. It was a hot, lazy May afternoon with the temperatures already in the 30s yet there was an undercurrent of anticipation as if we need only wait for the cool dusk to come and the evening festivities to begin.
Photo by emminlondon.com
Located where Jusovina Street meets the main path through the old town, Šadrvan (meaning ‘fountain’) surrounds an old Ottoman-style fountain.
As I opened the menu and paged through the options, I had to laugh at the name of the dish that we were to order. Part of what attracted me to the Bosnian language in the first place was that so often, words are similar enough that you can derive their meaning; it’s just that words sound so much more lyrical in Bosnian. I ordered the ‘Nacionalna Plate’ for two and thrilled at the way in which the words rolled off my tongue.
The food of the Balkan region is well known for its variety of stuffed vegetables and this meal was no different. At €18, it was incredibly well-priced and included japrak and dolma – peppers, onions, and vine leaves stuffed with rice and meat. The meal came with loads of ćevapi which are minced lamb sausages, small savory corn bread cakes known as ‘Bosnian cookies’ and đuveč, a savory vegetable dish. The dish was completed with flat bread, boiled potatoes, rice and sour cream.
I’ve often tried to describe the effect that this dish had on us but seem to fail each time. I can say that it was so good that it puts every other dish I have had since to shame. That my mouth is watering as I write and that I’d climb on a plane right now if I could to sample that piece of Bosnian heaven again. It was simply delicious and when we were looking for somewhere to eat the following afternoon, we could not help but return to the Šadrvan again to eat the exact same dish.
Photo by emminlondon.com
Restaurant Inat Kuća review
Location: Veliki Alifakovac 1, Sarajevo
After such an auspicious introduction to local cuisine, Stephen and I were initially disappointed with the food in Sarajevo. We had prepared ahead, consulted Trip Advisor and gone to the most popular restaurant in town and while the food was good and the service fantastic, it simply didn’t measure up to our experience in Mostar.
Thankfully, we met up with Kenan, a local tour guide and he recommended the Restaurant Inat Kuća for an authentic Bosnian experience.
Photo by emminlondon.com
I chose the dish Sarajevski Sahan and it did not disappoint. It was a mix of Bosnian specialties and again featured stuffed peppers, onions and vine leaves, as well as ćevapi and bamija which is a Bosnian veal stew. We noticed the slight change in the food from Mostar, which is in the Herzegovinian region, with the introduction of veal and stews. Yes, all of that meat was for one person and cost an incredible 20KM or €10! My dish cost 14KM or €7.
Photo by emminlondon.com
The story of the Inat Kuća or ‘house of despite’ is an incredible one. The house was once located on the other side of the river Miljacka but in 1895 city officials wanted to demolish it to make way for the new city hall. The old man who owned the house was very stubborn and insisted that they dismantle his house and rebuild it, brick by brick, on the other side of the river. And so it is now, slightly lost in translation, the house of spite or despite.
It is a little difficult to describe exactly why we loved this restaurant so much and what it meant to us. We had spent the morning touring Sarajevo with Kenan, learning about the siege, driving down Sniper Alley and visiting the Tunnel Museum. It was a lot to absorb and I can recall us being lost in our thoughts for a while as we relaxed and enjoyed the superb food. I would say that it was a moment in time, a sensory experience which is burned in my heart and my memory and I can so easily recall the quiet and calm of that afternoon, the importance to us and, of course, the tastes.
As we go more and more into research about traveling and tourism, we realize that thousands of people share the passion for traveling and exploring the unknown.From day one the Tour Guide Mostar journey has been an incredible experience for our team. By collecting information about our hometown, history, architecture and contacting people who have visited us, we got the chance to communicate with real-life explorers.
This weekend we would like to introduce you to Gina Rauf. She was raised by her Egyptian father and mother from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Her blog is about capturing moments from all around the world.
Read her thoughts about the time she spent in Mostar:
”Never forget things of beauty”, I tell myself as I pick up my camera and prepare to capture images of beautiful things.
Photo by Rauf Ginan
But that is no longer enough. I often find myself thinking about how fragile beautiful things can be. This is a photo taken in Mostar, a city in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina that is situated on the Neretva River.
It is a city of breathtaking beauty. Below is a view of the Old Bridge overlooking the Neretva River.
Photo by Rauf Ginan
In 1468 Mostar came under the rule of the Ottomans. The city developed and flourished as an urban settlement during four centuries of Ottoman rule. Mostar is famous for its Old Bridge and Turkish house. The Old Bridge was designed by Mimar Hayruddin, an Ottoman architect, in 1556. During the 19th and 20th centuries, Mostar was occupied by the Austro-Hungarians. The bridge was destroyed by Croat Bosnian forces in 1993 and rebuilt in 2014. For many people, myself included, the Old Bridge is a world heritage site that belongs to all of the humanity. Its destruction is a stark reminder that the erasure of history is always a threat posed by war and ethnic conflicts. Its reconstruction is a stark reminder that such erasure can always be resisted in myriad ways. As I walked through the Old City in Mostar my heart broke. The market was awash with poorly made trinkets intended for tourists. I understand that people need to make a living and that tourists are an important source of income in a country devastated by war and unemployment. Yet, there was an inescapable sense that all these poorly made products pouring into Mostar were causing harm to a proud people with proud traditions of making objects of beauty. The neoliberal order threatened fragile things of beauty as well. It didn’t take me long to find a small shop that stood out. It was a shop owned by a coppersmith named Ismet Kurt who was could be seen making sketches in a small space that functioned for all intents and purposes as an artist’s studio. My husband and I started looking around. We were stunned by the power and beauty of the hand chiseled pieces:
The length of time it takes to produce a handmade piece confers a certain uniqueness. They are linked to a specific place and require specialized skills that are often passed on from father to son: as such they are emblematic of a coppersmith’s individuality and particular history. Being a producer of value in the aftermath of a war that targeted the cultural heritage of Bosnians and devastated their economic prospects is not a trivial matter.
Photo by Rauf Ginan
Ismet Kurt told us that these pieces were made by a local artist (cover photo), a young woman currently studying art at University who used the stone found in Mostar. The Ismet Kurt told us that these pieces were made by a local artist, a young woman currently studying art at University who used the stone found in Mostar. The geometric stylized face reminded me of some of his copper engravings. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of the artist but I do know that I can ask Ismet Kurt or his son. Their shop has become for me an invaluable source of local knowledge to which one can always return. Still, it bothers me that she is anonymous and that the piece is not signed.stylized face reminded me of some of his copper engravings. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of the artist but I do know that I can ask Ismet Kurt or his son. Their shop has become for me an invaluable source of local knowledge to which one can always return. Still, it bothers me that she is anonymous and that the piece is not signed.
Probably most of you don’t know that March 8th is originally called International Working Women’s Day but by time it became International Women’s Day. Many years ago women started to fight for their rights, educational rights and most importantly gender equity.
For years and until today, over the world, too many women and young ladies spend an excessive number of hours on family unit duties—ordinarily more than double the time spent by men and boys. They take care of children, siblings, older family relatives and all the works related to house. Many still think that this is what every woman needs to do and that has to be satisfied with that.
In many cases this unequal division of work is to the detriment of women and girls learning, of paid work, hobbies, or engagement in civic or community leadership. This shapes the standards of advantages and disadvantages, of where women and men are situated in the economy, of what they are talented to do and where they will work.
Here now, I am talking like a girl who dared to study IT and the girl who is now employed in the IT sector. After graduating from high school I had to make one on the most important decisions in life. I grew up in a traditional family in which men have always had higher privileges, deserved or undeserved. In order to recognize my value, in order to prove that we women can be equal to men, I decided to study IT, which was effective as a college for men.
The first day when I came to college was us five girls, surrounded by literally 100 men who have wondered what we are doing here. Listening to male colleagues, their talks and doubts about the woman’s ability to deal with something that is without reason qualified as a male job, gave me the desire and strength to prove just the opposite. It is true that at the beginning was difficult and I had to work hard to convince my colleagues that I am, as a woman, still capable to solve tasks of programming, networks, databases as well as they do. After a while I became better than most men who just thought it was enough that they are men and that will bring them success.
After three years of studying, on graduation day I was proud to prove, first of all to my family and those colleagues that regardless of being a woman I can achieve everything I want. It is important to mention that most of the colleagues who doubted us women are still undergraduate students, so dear men, we women can achieve all we want, but for you it is not enough to be just men, and you have to invest a bit of effort to achieve something in life.
After completing the master study, today I am employed in IT company where they are employed both men and women, but my work colleagues respect me on the basis of what I have achieved in life itself.
Along these lines, dear young ladies, dear ladies, respect yourselves since others will respect as much as you respect yourself. Never let yourself feel less valuable than another. Embrace life and live it the way you want.
This article I would like to close with a quote: “On International Women’s Day, let us all pledge to do everything we can to overcome entrenched prejudice, support engagement and activism, and promote gender equality and women’s empowerment”. – UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres.
Marta is a London-based travel blogger with a serious case of wanderlust ! Travel has made her laugh and got her to step out of life comfort zone! Travel stories on her travel blog are written from her experience traveling around the world. One of those stories is about Bosnia and Herzegovina -on of the best destinations in the Balkans.  Here is why…
