Sarajevo

Sarajevo, from a hill above the library.

This is a picture from my first day in Sarajevo. The city was covered by fog/smog, as well as by a blanket of snow. Unfortunately, my feeling that there is less optimism and hope now than there was three years ago is turning out to be correct. I have had people tell me they would happily leave to go anywhere that would give them a visa, just so they could work. When I've told people my opinion that what the country really needs is just one honest man as president, who will do what is right and set a standard for doing so, the reply has been that they fear no such honest politician could exist. Is there no one righteous, not even one?

Nonetheless, there is still lots to love about Sarajevo. This is a picture of the view from outside Lawn's house, looking over Velesici, and up to the top of the hill, at "Hum". I'm not sure if Hum is the name of the hill, or of the interesting radio tower at the top. Drew Matter said when he saw pictures of it, he thought, "That is the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life," and that when he came to Sarajevo and saw it, he thought, "That is the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life." Here's a closeup:

Yesterday, I spent a couple of hours wandering around town with my friend Ada, catching up on the last three years. It was wonderful to see her again. She is doing well, and seemed even happier and more buoyant than I remembered her. We walked from Skenderija (a mall) to downtown and back twice, and then stopped in to check out an art exhibit that we found in Skenderija. Here's a couple of pictures:

Mary Ann and Ada. Mary Ann is a friend of Ada's, who she was meeting to hang out with. I thought this picture turned out really nicely.


Ada and I. Oops. I guess we should have taken one sitting down, so we'd be about the same height. Oh well. This way you get a glimpse of the mountain behind Skenderija, with houses climbing up it.


Here at last, a picture of Andreja and Chris. Sorry it's a bit blurred - I took it at the studio while they were having the real pictures taken, and didn't want to use my flash and disturb the real photographer!

Finally, the coffee update. Sorry. I've completely lost count. No more coffee updates! Although, when I hung out with Ada, we didn't dring coffee - she doesn't like it!