July 13, 2009

When I went to Sarajevo I had no idea what to expect. I flew there from Zurich via Vienna, and our little plane skirted the low hills around Sarajevo and landed without fuss in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Sarajevo is a very beautiful city. It is nestled amongst hills, and its old town is cobbled and full of interesting shops and stunning buildings that light up with the summer evening sun. The city throngs with people at night and the streets fill with lively happenings – cafes and bars are in full swing and music floats on the air.

Even 15 years on, there are reminders everywhere of the conflict that hit Sarajevo and the region as a whole, particularly in the form of damaged buildings, and memorials. My overwhelming impression is that it must have been very, very frightening during the war, and I feel for the people involved. Nowadays, though, Sarajevo is vibrant and animated, and I left wishing I had longer to explore the city and learn about its people and history.