Facing East

Well, I'm pleased to say that I haven't come across a single angry donkey yet on this trip. All the donkeys that we have met have been very friendly, well fed, and safely stabled on lovely, if boring, islands. In fact, we haven't had any problems with the wildlife here in the Balkans, although they have had some problems with us. Did you know that if you rip a lizard's tail off, it keeps writhing around for about 15 minutes? Well, we found that out. Oh, and we started a kitten revolution here in Sarajevo. Hopefully, however, this revolution will be more peaceful than the last.

Sarajevo is an interesting city. Truthfully, I came here for the thrill of exploring a recently war-torn capital, but instead, my three days here were much more leisurely than I would have thought. Emily and I have been strolling around the charming, though not quite fully reconstructed, city, stopping for Bosnian coffee practically everywhere: in front of churches, synagogues, and mosques; next to shopping malls, supermarkets, and peddler stands; close to skyscrapers, recently-renovated houses, and burned out husks... Sarajevo is fascinating for the way it is pulling itself back together, but it's just as fascinating for its diversity and plethora of experiences.

The Croatian coast, on the other hand, just 50 kilometers away, is less of a mix of Serbs, Croats, and Muslims, as it is a mix of rich Italians, Germans, and French. The beaches are boulders, the beer is more expensive than in the US, and, while the islands are certainly charming, they pale in comparison to the more historic, cheaper and warmer Greek islands.

So, Emily and I are off to eat some orgasmically good Bosnian food and catch a train to Serbia. When we get to Istanbul next week, another post will follow. Until then I hope that everyone is doing as well as I am, and I look forward to hearing from you all... Or, most of you at any rate... Oh, and for those of you that are complaining about the gas prices in the US, just remember that it's $4 a gallon here, and has been for years. You don't know how good you had it.