Backpacking the Balkans

Leaving the tourist trail behind, we had the opportunity to truly enjoy the backpacking experience along the road less travelled. There is always something special gained by travelling through countries where you don't really know what to expect or how to get from A to B... it is a real sense of achievement & adventure. In my experience it also gives the opportunity to really see how the locals go about their day to day activities.

From Istanbul we travelled through the capital cities of Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Croatia. We travelled across the borders by bus, which was the most reliable mode of transport for the region. I found exploring the region fascinating, especially considering all of the recent history.

Sofia, Bulgaria
Sofia (pronounced Sof-ee-ya) is a quiet & peacful city with an understated vibe. It is located at the base of Mount Vitosha, which we could see from the porch of our pent house hostel (below right).
It was easy to walk around the city. Along the way we stopped to listen to a few army bands out the front of the National Theatre. We also wandered through the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (bottom left) and stopped in Slaveikov square for a photo with a statue of two famous Bulgarian writers (father & son, Pencho and Pedko Slaveikov). Below is a photo of us enjoying a glass of local grappa with our friendly hosts prior to the World Cup final.
Belgrade, Serbia
While Belgrade is certainly not as beautiful as other places within the Balkans, it certainly has a feel of history about it. The influence of various era's and rulers is evident as you wander through various parts of town. We visited the Kalemegdan fortress where some 115 battles have been fought since 300BC. In terms of recent events for Belgrade, evidence of the NATO bombings in 1999 (as part of their attempt to enforce Albanian cleansing) is a continual reminder for all (see bottom right).

Despite its history, Belgrade has rebuilt itself and is becoming more popular for tourists. Downtown Belgrade has a great cafe culture. We had no problems finding a spot to stop for a cool drink in the near 40 degree heat. The highlight of Belgrade for me was visiting the Nikola Tesla museum (bottom left). An inventor, mad professor and engineer, Tesla invented the rotating magnetic field and produced & distributed electrical energy based on alternate currents. For anyone who has a mind like mine... he invented motors & generators.

Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Sarajevo is picturesque, wedged into the steep, narrow valley of the Miljacka River. This city was not so vibrant in 1992-1995 when the Serbs put the city under seige. Almost completely surrounded by the Serbs, the only access to the outside world was via a metre-wide, 800m long tunnel under the airport. This tunnel was used to supply arms & food during the seige. We visited the museum & walked through part of the remaining tunnel.

Sarajevo was also significant in the events of WWI. It was on the corner of the Latin Bridge (below left) where Archduke Franz Ferdinand & his wife were assassinated on 28 June 1914. This event triggered WWI.
Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Mostar, situated on the Neretva River is a quaint city in the Herzegovina region. It was in the mid-16th century that Moster boomed as a key transport gateway with the powerful, expanding Ottaman Empire. In 1566 the beautiful old bridge (Stass Most) was finished. It survived WWII but fell to Bosnian Croat artillery in 1993 when all the bridges & all but one of the mosques was destroyed. The Old Bridge was reconstructed in 2004 using 16th century techniques. Below are photos of the Old Bridge and Kerry & Chris tasting a local delicacy - cevapi (turkish bread with grilled minced meat sausages).