My Images of SEE – 21:07, Monday 29th August

I stayed in and watched more documentaries and read, drinking the spare tinny I had from last night. I soon drifted off past 22:00. In the morning, I again got up slowly. I watched the last episode of the West Wing, then got a shower. I watched another documentary before packing. I practically unpacked then repacked so I could fit all of my new additions. Surprisingly, it still only weighed 17kg! I did dispose of a bit though.

I went downstairs to see if there was storage for my rucksack until 14:00 for my taxi. No, she said sternly, as she would be out. So I had to hang out in the kitchen from 11:15 until 13:45. I watched a woman clean, tried to sit outside but got disturbed by a wasp so retreated in, then watched two guys cook. I just read and played on my iphone. I went down and the woman was only just leaving! Charming. So I waited five minutes and a guy turned up with a minibus. I confirmed the €8 charge and we departed. He drove me there in 20 minutes. The mountains were looming closer and were more foreboding. How were we to fly out with these things? Anyway, he was a middle-aged Romanian, an academic, doing this to see Slovenia for a few years. We chatted about general Balkan history. He dropped me off and bid me farewell.

I wondered around the small terminal a while, buying sweets for the nieces and nephew, then waited for the Easyjet gate to open. When it did, I checked in and then went through security. Standard stuffreally.

I grabbed a sandwich and cake, and read for an hour. One group of rowdy lads were in the corner. I went up to the gate and sat and waited as a few boarded. Then I queued and went to the gate then got a seat at the back as I prefer.

The flight was uneventful apart from the fact that I finished reading the Lord of the Rings. We came down into a grey UK where my journey to the Balkans came to an end…but not my train journey. I then got my bag and made necessary calls home and to Liam.

I made it to the underground station at Stanstead and got whisked to London in 45 minutes, and in style. I undergrounded it to Euston Square from Liverpool Street, and ate and rested until the 21:10 train indicated Platform 16. I got on and thus made my return journey.

My Images of SEE – 20:31, Sunday 28th August

After the snack I walked west through the city. Zig zagging through the streets, ending up on the main street. I walked across to Zara for a while. I then went down the high street to the main square, towards the town hall and down the narrow street it was on. Very baroque architecture and you felt ‘closed in’ getting further down it. There were the same cafes along the street. I reached the end where there was a small medieval fair going on. I whisked past, to the left and up a small incline. 

I reached a church, then turned right, then right again to the fair. I went into a dark pub there for a glass of wine and to evade the wasps. After that I walked up the densely populated southern flank of the riverbank, to a cake/dessert shop. I again had a glass of wine and cake, albeit after a ten minute wait to be served. After that I walked up to the next bridge, crossed, and then came back to the wine bar I visited. Another glass of wine and reading.

I then went in search of food and completed a figure of eight, with the square being my start and end. I went up the high street to McDonalds to be cheap. I then walked back to the Tivoli Park. I gazed at the ‘Photos of Serbia’ exhibit, but had to cut it short as I was being followed by wasps. I walked back to my neighbourhood, then under the railway line to the Mercator shop. I got snacks and food for tomorrow. I then walked back and watched a documentary on my phone and facetimed mum, after a quick eat outside.

My Images of SEE – 13:20, Sunday 28th August

After watching videos on my phone I drifted off to sleep. I awoke at 07:30 but managed to drift back off until 09:30. I woke up slowly then showered. Before I left I asked the girl on reception if I could book a ride to the airport for 14:00 tomorrow. She did so, and said to pay the driver the €8 tomorrow. I then trekked down to the Tivoli gardens again, and right, into the centre. On the main pedestrianised street there was a café with seats outside. So I perched in a corner and had a cappuccino and chocolate croissant to wake me up. I read a little whilst there. Today the weather was overcast and cool in comparison to the last three weeks. Actually today is exactly three weeks since I arrived. Anyway the milder weather with a gentle breeze was very much appreciated. I walked down to the square, shadowed by the castle. I noticed a commotion on the bridge, and there was some sort of boat with singers on it, performing for the crowds on the riverbank.

I walked past the vacant market place, away from the town. I passed a couple of bridges until the housing became a lot less tidy and the streets quieter. I turned left over a bridge, then left, then right on to a pedestrianised street. I walked north then, through a park to the Ethnographic Museum.

A lovely new building and it was free on the last Sunday of the month. Score. Also they gave me a locker key for my bag. Very handy. The first part was about Italian coffee/espresso machines. Bizarre but interesting. The second was about a South American tribe. Very thorough and educational. The third was an identity bit. Very abstract and all in Slovene. The final part was Slovenia’s ethnography. A wide selection of materials and exhibits made it a worthwhile visit. I retreated then to the café outside for a coffee and toastie.

My Images of SEE – 10:17, Saturday 27th August

I ventured out then to go for tea. I walked along a straight road with houses to one side and railway to the other, towards Tivoli Park. I then turned right, under the road and rail lines to the city street going in the direction to the river. Again, architecturally there was obvious Austro-Hungarian establishment here. The shade of the buildings was a welcome rest from the burning sun.

As I walked along, cutting across was a main street, so I crossed that, then the road fell slowly to a small quaint square. Opposite the river there were two rows of houses going away from me, then a wall of trees. A few hundred feet up a steep hill they climbed, where crowned upon it was the castle. Flag fluttering and all.

The river was only small and had cute bridges uniting the two sides. I stopped here for a beer and to take in the views whilst reading. After this, and witnessing a brolly fall from an opposite café down to the riverside, I walked along the side of the river. It was littered with cafes, bars and small traders selling crafts and jewellery  I bought a leather wristband for myself. One thing to notice are the wasps. Bloody everywhere. So I was dancing around, when either sitting for walking, to avoid them.

A live band was setting up near one restaurant, so I plonked myself down (away from flowers and thus wasps) and ordered pasta and a beer. They were mostly sound checking whilst I was there but sung a song as I departed. I then walked up hill to the main road, then under another passage to avoid the main road, then came back to the hostel.

I grabbed some snacks, read, and facetimed mum before drifting off to sleep. I only woke up a couple of times, not being used to a single bed I kneed the wall twice.  I awoke slowly and showered and changed ready to leave.

My Images of SEE – 19:32, Saturday 27th August

So I started out on my long walk into town, towards the Tivoli Park. Along the way I rested on a bench to take in the glorious view. I decided that I should get the castle out of the way first; initially because I wanted to walk up, and secondly because I wanted to see the views. So I went towards the main square like yesterday and crossed the bridge. The town hall was nearby so I popped over to picture it. A rather grand affair, in keeping with its baroque surroundings. I walked past a series of cafes to my right that led out to a market on my left.

To my right was where the path led up to the castle, but it was undergoing repairs. So I walked on to go to the next route. However, I happened upon the hillside lift. I went over, and it would cost €5 to see the tower, virtual tour etc, or €7 with all that and the lift. Because of the tiring heat, I opted for the second option. So up I went and the views just enveloped out before me. It was awesome.

We departed out vessel and I went up to the courtyard. Completely surrounded by walls and a clock tower, it has undergone significant renovation and updating. But first I went for a coffee (and ice cream). I read and absorbed my surroundings. I then went up a small tower to a wall. The views looked north over the city, towards the train station and beyond. A sea of terracotta was before me. They only stopped because of semi distant green hills. But in the far distance, barely visible in day’s haze, were the peaks of the Julian Alps; snowcapped too. An inspirational sight.

I fled down to the courtyard, then up to the clock tower. Adjacent to it was a small chapel that I visited briefly. Very ornate and well decorated. I then went up three flights of stairs, then up a set of spiral stairs. It opened out on to a three meter by three meter roof, with turrets as rails. The 360 degree view was magnificent. I could see where I stayed. Behind, to the south west the spine of the hill that the castle was set on stretched back a good kilometer. All around there was settlement, surrounded by hills, by mountains.

I then came back down and sat in the 3D virtual tour of Ljubljana. It was OK, but more to show off the technology I think. On site there was also a small ‘Slovenia History’ museum. It briefly went through the nation’s history, but was more a reading tour than an exhibit. I then took the lift back down to river level.

I walked through the market, over another bridge and stopped at a café for a pizza and beer. Hounded by wasps still, I then walked up to the Parliament Building and the Republic Square. Unfortunately both a relic of Tito’s era, and the square was a mere car park. As I walked by though, it looked like a car drove into the Parliament Building! Next to this was the museum. It had a small exhibition on stamps over the last 20 years, a way of marking 20 years of independence. I then looked around the vast amounts of Roman gravestones, and at the other exhibits. All very informative and in a grand building.

I left, then walked south down the main Slovenska Road to a Roman wall identified on my maps. A convoy of cars passed with Slovenian flags and rosettes on their wing mirrors, beeping their horns. I think someone got married. I then took pictures and returned to the river, walking up lovely riverside buildings, and some with roof terraces similar to Amsterdam slightly. I then stopped at a wine bar for an hour, reading and battling with a wasp (although indoors to avoid such incidents). It then rained a little but cleared up before I left.

I walked up to the main square, and from there to the Tivoli Park. I heard loud bass music, and an unusually large crowd of youths. So I wondered over. I asked a steward what was going on. He said an electronic festival for €1. I decided to return. So I got to the hotel and made further enquiries with the girl on reception. She confirmed what the steward said. I then went to the 24hr shop to buy beer and food. However, the west sky was orangy-red. I feared a thunderstorm. So I bought beer and food, then as I returned it began. So I decided to stay in and entertain myself armed with beer and food.

My Images of SEE – 16:24, Friday 26th August

I left the hotel refreshed, cooled, and spoken to my mum. It was still awkwardly hot and I had decided that I would go into town to eat, so I passed the train station, and series of squares, north at night. Surprisingly they were quite busy. The main square was also rammed with people. I turned west from there, buying a drink on the way, and arrived at the small square I visited this morning and afternoon. I found a table near to where I sat for lunch and ordered water and wine. I’m quite partial to a carbonated water now. I read whilst my order of chicken and bacon skewers was cooked. I ate, then read more in the bustling square, as it was at 21:00. I finished my wine and decided I’d had enough, so walked back to the hotel. The square in front of the train station was also busy. I had a lovely nights rest.

I woke up before my alarm, so I went for breakfast straight away whilst it was fresh. Fully fuelled, I went to bed and relaxed until 11:00. I then jumped in the shower, changed, and then packed. That thing gets heavier, but I managed to cram it all in. I departed the hotel, paying the 20kn ‘City Tax’ then made it to the train station for 11:55. I bought a sandwich at a kiosk at the underground shopping ‘mall’. The sweat was pouring off me. I went into Konzum and bought crisps, water and flavoured iced tea.

I then went to the tracks as the board still said that the train would arrive at 12:30. As I ate, a lad approached me to see if it was platform 1, and whether the train was going to Slovenia. I confirmed the two queries. He was South Korean, 21 and got chatting. He had started in Dubrovnik 2 weeks ago and went up the coast until Zagreb. He will finish in Budapest. He was studying Business Management. He sat by me and when the train arrived we boarded together he sat in front of me. It was like a decade old Pendolino with proper seats, air con and curtains. I learned through the journey that there were also refreshments on offer and clean toilets! Wow!

I bought the Guardian again, seizing the chance, and settled down to read that when three police officers came up and were checking passports. How efficient. After stamping mine, the ticket conductor waived me past once I flashed my Interrail pass. Within 40 minutes I was having my pass checked, and passport, by border crossing. I’m not used to the speeds the train was doing. I was now in Slovenia. However, this was the first time I saw someone getting chucked off. A woman of 30-odd was asked to leave. Don’t know why, but she was in tears as she departed.

Slovenia was more hilly than mountainous at first. Lovely green trees filled the small valleys surrounding the river running parallel to us. We arrived at Ljubljana at 15:00. So I got off, walked 10 mins to locate cash, then returned to eat at the train station. I then took a rip off taxi to the hostel charging me €15 for a 10 minute trip. I arrived, checked in, then had a quick rest.

My Images of SEE – 18:15, Thursday 25th August

I wondered to the continental breakfast, and read up on the rail times to Ljubljana. Ideally there should be one at 12:30. I asked the receptionist for an iron, which she had and passed it over. I ironed, washed & changed, then left for the day.

I walked north, towards the train station, retracing my steps from last night. The sun was on form again today, even at an early hour as this. I passed under the railway station, then up to the first of 3 green squares leading to the main Jelacic Square. The squares were more rectangle, surrounded by Austrian type buildings, and all looking to a similar style building at the centre of the square. Trams hummed by and cars crossed by along east/west roads, opposite to the north/south squares.
 

 

I passed the archaeological museum on my left, leaving it for later. I walked up to the main square. All the while the buildings were of the same era – Austro-Hungarian. A large, dark stature centered on the city’s main square, that of Ban Jelacic, whom the square is named after. I walked to the right, and up a hill, swinging around to the left of the buildings that were initially in front of me. To my right was a massive twin towered Cathedral. I ended up wondering around a market, and bought my tourist necessities. Wasps buzzing around the fruit made my stay short. I went back down the hill, still behind the initial face of buildings behind the square’s statue, to reach a café. I had a rest and a read.
 

 

I then took this curving road that I was on, up the cobbled street, up towards a square that contained the Croatian ‘Sabor’ or Parliament. A cobbled square, dominated by a colourful church, contained not only the Parliament but (judging by the Ministerial-type cars) also many Ministries. A nearby road contained the Museum of Croatia. I walked down the thin street to reach it, and entered, walking up the stairs to pay. They only had an exhibition of the very Ban Jelacic whose statue I saw earlier and have read about. So I went in eager. They had a mass personal collection of the Ban’s from his private former home. This ranged from the outfit he wore for his induction as Ban, to letter of congratulations he received; to household possessions and personal items such as weapons and pipes. It was an intriguing visit.

I then walked south to a lovely view of the city below. A few feet on, you could see the Cathedral again. I went down the hill, back to the main square. I stopped off at a café for a beer to whet my mouth during the strong noon sun. I moved on then, heading to Trg Marsala Tita (Tito again), and stopped off on the way to buy a t-shirt. I then made my way to the Ethnographic Museum. Luckily it was free today. So I wondered around the ‘fire’ exhibition they had on, then to the garments worn by Croats of old. Similar to other regions that I have been to, in that they are ornate and colourful. I then went back to a square just off the main one for a lunch break.

I then meandered through side streets to the archaeological museum. It had varied exhibits – both from home and abroad. It had a selection of mummies & coffins. Vast amounts of pottery and jewelry; and to my taste – coins. I spent over an hour there. I then went back to the small square for a beer and read.
 

 I then walked slowly back to the hotel. Under the railway station, I looked for an English newspaper. I have done the entire time I have been out here, but only the Financial Times I have stopped twice and is not to my liking. But alas, I found the Guardian for 24KN. I could read something at length, physically, in English. Hurrah. I then walked back to the hotel to rest and read.

My Images of SEE – 08:32, Thursday 25th August

I dipped back in to the old town to eat. I went next door to where I ate last night and ordered steak. It was lovely. Not to outstay my welcome, I left as soon as I was finished (it was a small venue, so didn’t want to stop new customers) and went over to the City Pub. I had a couple of pints before going back to the hotel. Such was my last night in Sarajevo. At the hotel, I asked the lad on duty if my clothes were done, and they were! So I did 95% of my packing. I then drifted off to sleep.

I woke up around 08:15 and showered and changed first, then went for breakfast. The muscled guy was on duty this morning, so I helped myself to breakfast. I then dashed out, through the old town, to a sandwich shop I saw earlier in the week. So I got a cheese & tomato baton. I also collected some bananas from the ‘Konsum’ shop. I quickly packed my satchel then went downstairs. I thanked the lad, and asked him the protocol for getting the tram. So I walked to the stop that was in-between the hotel and the water spring, and bought the 1.5KM ticket from a kiosk. My tram No. 1 arrived 3 minutes later, and I got on then stamped my ticket. The latter point was important because 2 stops down, 4 inspectors got on. My ticket was fine, but a lad didn’t have one – tried to buy one, but got fined. One inspector, a stern looking woman, wrote down his details. I continued on to the train station. Once there, I lugged my bag inside then wrote out my ticket. I then went to Platform 1.

My train was 15 minutes late (not bad since it had to cross the border near Ploce). So I got on and into a cabin. Luckily these windows opened properly. A mother with son and daughter joined me as we set off, but she got off at the next stop. It was an extremely hot day, as we passed through familiar valleys, past Zenica, and up to Doboj. We then turned west on our journey, to Banja Luka. The train trundled along at 20 mph for about 15 miles. It was annoying. I just kept on reading, or falling in and out of sleep-induced consciousness.

The area became more plain-like, and agriculture still dominated. Still a smattering of mosques, but churches were more present here – definitely in Republika Srpska! However, not as many in density as the mosques. A lot of newly built or partially built homes were there too. The border was seamless enough, and then we picked up speed towards Zagreb. 20 minutes out, and you could see it sprawled out ahead, glowing in the distance, with a hill/mountain as a backdrop. The sun had gone now, but an orange glow still remained.

The station was modern enough, with a shopping centre below it, to a road that I needed to take. I walked over a main boulevard in to a residential area, quiet now – then found my hotel. The two girls were cheery enough, and wondering where I was. They called ahead to a restaurant for me, so I dropped my things and walked 200 meters to it. Lost in translation, I said to the English deprived waitress “salad” and “chicken”. The salad came sure enough, but followed by steak and chips – twice in 24 hours! Oh well, I was starving so tucked in hungrily. I had two ‘Pivo’s’ to help it go down too. I paid the 134K and then left for the comfort of my bed and slept.

My Images of SEE – 19:10, Tuesday 23rd August

I quickly got ready and made my way out. I walked into the old town and had a coffee in one of the small cafes and read. I then made my return journey, in the shade, towards the Parliament building, and to the museum. Luckily it was open, so I went in. There were three sections, so I began with the Archaeology part. It had a lovely collection, which started with exhibits from outside BiH, but then moved on to it. I then explored the Botanical Gardens then on to the Ethnographic part. Here, they had an exhibit on 20^th century children’s toys. That was a bit modern and seemed slightly out of place. I then moved into another odd exhibition about ‘Love’ – more specifically about tokens for love. I then went upstairs where they recreated 19^th century Ottoman homes – parts of which were from an original home.

I then walked back through the gardens, located in a courtyard, surrounded by the museum. I went to the small Natural History museum that wasn’t worth seeing. I sat in the gardens for a while, to rehydrate, then left. I walked back into town then, and sat at a café next to the water spring. After that I wondered around and managed to find a couple of leather/cord bracelets for me and Liam, so I bought those. I then went to the hotel to see where this Ottoman house was. I located it on a map and walked up the narrow lanes, up a hill, to it. Within 10 minutes I was there, but it was shut. So I returned to the old town and grabbed a nice, white coconut cake and coffee. I then meandered my way around again, and led myself back to my hotel to relax. I did a bit of preliminary packing.