A day in town. We left EC and walked down the very steep and long
road to Sarajevo ending up in the old town. We met a “free tour
guide” at the agency. We were the only ones on tour so had a great
walk around the old town. The tour started at 10:30 and it was still -8℃. We had on lots of layers but by the end our feet were very
cold. An interesting and sad history this town has had. The beginning
of WW1 started here with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914.
One
particularly interesting place was the caravan vakuf. A vakuf is an ongoing deed
that someone gives away to earn "browny points" even after he is gone.
In this case it was a building where travelers could stay safely for
3 days with food provided for them and their animals for free. The doors were locked at night, and only unlocked in the morning after all agreed that their belongings were intact. This
was back in the 1600’s and there were a number around the town. It
cannot be sold. It still exists today but has been turned into shops
and offices which pay rent.
After
the walk we went back to the “pie “ shop and had a mixed plate of
pies. These are fillings rolled in Filo pasty we had cheese, meat,
potato and cabbage fillings. The cheese was best - great food!
It was just a wee shop but had 4 ladies working. We had a glass of
yogurt with it and it all came to 5mark which is about A$4.50. We
then went back to the orthodox church and had a look. There was a
christening underway but we had a quiet wonder through. The museum had lots
of old paintings. The Roman Catholic Cathedral was locked so did not get a look
through. We then stopped at a small Baklava shop and bought some with a Bosnian coffee. We walked around a bit more and revisited the
copper street which has held that title for a few hundred years. Still
manufacturing coffee pots and decorative plates all by hand. Some
have been silver dipped. Some pieces were very elaborate.
We
ended up back in the caravan vakuf for food but found out it was only
a coffee shop no food. We had a very thick hot chocolate. The smoke
finally drove us out.
Opposite,
we visited the carpet shop and spent a good part of an hour dreaming…
Some great saddle backs for camels and horses; and silk rugs and
carpets. Can’t quiet justify 52,500 euro for the most impressive silk carpet…..
For
dinner we had the local cevapcici; little sausages in a soft thick
pita bread, with a glass of home made yogurt.
A
taxi back up the hill. To far for me on weary legs.
10km