Second day and it's going to be the longest on the bike 400kms plus. AND it's hot...35 C. Not long after leaving the park we actually leave Croatia and cross into Bosnia-Herzegovina and into a new valley. This one is like the Goulburn area at the end of summer. Wide sweeping valley of drier looking pasture land with few villages. Absolutely fantastic roads, smooth as silk and no potholes. After an hour or so we note abandoned villages...perhaps too hard to re-establish in this harsher environment. Next valley is littered with limestone rocks and still dry,a bit Greek like. Day is warm and lunch is welcomed...a local delicacy of filo-type pastry stuffed with meat or cheese and spinach. We opt for the later. The desserts available looked deadly sweet.
Rising over the rocky range we arrive at a slightly greener valley with a Tyrolean feel. We have noticed a significant number of homes that are not finished. All bricked up and occupied but not rendered. If they are not finished, the tax will not be charged.! We are confronted by what should have been lovely lake vista, but Bosnia is in drought conditions and the lake and subsequent river that we followed for many kms, were very low.
We reach Sarajevo at 5.30 pm. Still hot but manageable. I am slightly in dis-belief that I am in this town with such a tragic recent history. The town is in a valley, surrounded by hills that made it easy to besiege. We followed that train line that runs through the middle of the town where citizens tried to run from one side to the other during their daily life, avoiding snipers in the hills. Obvious evidence of war damage remains amongst the vast re-building programme that has taken place.
Our competent guide leads as to our hotel...nearly being taken out himself by an in-attentive woman. However, hot and sweaty, we rejoice at arriving and know that we have no other long hauls in front of us.
That evening we are lead through the old town to dine. Being in an Islamic city, our quenching beer and wine had to wait a little.
Top...the mosques here have rocket-type minarets! Just above....the sweeping roads made for swift riding.
For my Teacher friends!
An all to familiar sight to an Aussie...bushfire smoke. We found out later that the firemen cannot go into the bush due to land mines.
A sadly depleted lake in the background.
Our guide, Anze, trying to take our group photo.
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