A Pilgrimage to Medjugorje

Since 1981, when several children started experiencing apparitions of Mary, this small, remote community in Herzegovina has become a draw for Catholics from around the world. Unlike the sites of Fatima (in Portugal) and Lourdes (in France), these phenomena are still under investigation by the Vatican, and are not officially verified, but nor are they discredited either.

Regardless, we saw huge numbers of visitors from Italy, and groups from Ireland, Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Romania, as well as the United States, and as far away as Colombia, Peru, and Argentina. We also heard Africans speaking French, though I'm not sure which nations they came from.

The English-language mass that we attended was celebrated by no less than 16 visiting priests, with a powerfully moving homily given by a priest from Uganda.

One of the restaurants, Victor's, had language-specific menus in no less than 12 different languages! And when you purchased anything in town, the prices were listed in both the local currency as well as  in Euros--something extremely rare from my experience. Even in tourist-crazed Dubrovnik, Euros are not accepted.--Additionally, you might pay with local currency, but receive change in Euros; I've never seen that before!

Another sign of the town's popularity and subsequent growth is the large number of hotels and just as many new ones under construction, some right next door to sheepfolds and vineyards.

Despite the large crowds (even in what most would consider the off-season) and the usual sprawling cottage industry of souvenir shops concomitant with popular tourist destinations, Medjugorje still has an air of serenity and respect for the sacred.

St. James Church in Medjugorje

The statue of Mary (and Crucifix in the background) on Apparition Hill.

One of the visionaries, Mirjana, who still receives messages from Mary. Here she is pictured carrying flowers through a crowd of pilgrims waiting to hear her monthly message at the site of the Blue Cross.

A nun in prayer waiting for Mirjana's message from Mary.

The statue of the Risen Christ, a replica of a silver crucifix made for Pope John Paul II by a Slovenian sculptor. Pilgrims rub small tissues on the legs of this crucifix to capture water which is said to seep out its thighs.

We stayed at a brand new hostel, which could have been straight of 'Green Acres", as we could hear the sheep next door, and were woken by the crowing of roosters.

It was interesting to watch the waiters assess the patrons as they walked in, and usually pegged them correctly with the corresponding menus.

Bosnian Rally for Hillary...(huh?)

I haven't missed the political circus of the final no-holds-barred sprint to election day, and I thought I was relatively insulated from such nonsense here in Sarajevo, but alas, there is no escape!

Yesterday I meandered into a freshly dispersed public relations event, "Sarajevo Votes for Clinton". There was a sizable billboard, two stands collecting signatures, and apparently t-shirts, though they were gone by the time I got there. (Too bad, as one of those would have made for a interesting conversation starter.)

I was a little confused why anyone would put energy and resources into a rally for a political candidate running for office on another continent...what was the point? So I scanned Bosnian media and found an article on the English language web site "Sarajevo Times" where organizers were quoted as saying:

"we will send a message of love and a message of friendship to the world with our symbolic signatures...and thus express our gratitude for everything that Hilary [sic] did."

Okay, I understand they are grateful for President (Bill) Clinton's, albeit belated, role and contribution to the bringing peace and security to Bosnia, but this? Hmm,,,

Things that make you go "hmmm?"

Glimpses of Sarajevo: Part 3

A few more photos from my meandering.

An Italian sculpture, "Multicultural Man Builds the World," was constructed in 1997. One of the largest Serbian Orthodox churches in the Balkans, The Cathedral Church of the Nativity, is in the background.

Double arches on a grave in the second largest Jewish cemetery in Europe.

A broken headstone with a Ladino inscription, a Jewish dialect of Spanish and Portuguese brought to eastern Europe during the 15th century exodus from the Inquistition.

A statue of a boy calling out (a warning?) near the memorial for children killed during the Siege of Sarajevo.

The restored 16th century Ali Pasha mosque, which had suffered great damage during the Siege.

Wizened geezers debate the strategies of chess while newcomers look on. I always wonder whether some of these guys are chess sharks, just trying to lure an unsuspecting opponent into their lair.

Stone ruins of the the once grand medieval market place in Sarajevo. 

Locks on bridges are a popular lovers' tradition here, though why choose the "Latin Bridge," where Archduke Ferdinand and Princess Sofia were assassinated?

A tourist feeding pigeons in the plaza of the famous Sebijl fountain.

The ornate entrance to the Gazi Husrev-beg mosque, another 16th century mosque which was restored after the Siege of Sarajevo.

Glimpses of Sarajevo: Part 2

Here are a few more things that have caught my eye in Sarajevo.

If Trump's wall keeps 'them' out, there's always opportunity in Sarajevo, though they can't compete with Mariachi de Oro in Medina.

The main pedestrian thoroughfare in Old Town Sarajevo, though it's usually pack with locals and tourists alike. 

Fresh goat or lamb from the butcher shop, in retrospect, probably for Eid festivities.

The sidewalk cafe culture taken to a minimalist extreme.

Don't know much about architecture and design, but I'm pretty sure these date back to the Austro-Hungarian empire.

I'm surprised at the number of dogs roaming the streets, (or lazing in the park.)

A comical ad on a distributor's delivery "truck".

My head hurts trying to make sense of this huge mural.

Antennae competing with classic Communist-era statues

A modern mall serves as a backdrop for the more traditional design of St. James Roman Catholic church.

More to come...

Glimpses of Sarajevo: Part 1

While meandering Sarajevo I have taken gazillions of photos. Here are a few that I found interesting, beautiful, or unusual.

When I first arrived, I was struck by the number of roses everywhere in the city.

I would be remiss if I didn't include a staple of the Balkan diet, cevapi: skinless sausage served with minced onion and a pita (and a beer, of course).

Decorative woodwork trim really spices up this house.

Just a few doors down, a pigeon coop, not that Sarajevo needs more pigeons.

The tower for the Olympic flame, a relic from the 1984 Winter Olympics, with a political billboard in the foreground. (Yes, we are not the only country with constant reminders of elections.)

One-stop shopping at an outdoor market: grapes, check; brassieres, check; cauliflower, check; nylons, check.

The Serbian Orthodox mausoleum/shrine of Gavarilo Princip, the assassin of  Archduke Ferdinand and his wife who is credited with starting World War I.

A gate and wall with elaborately decorative metalwork. 

Someone placed roses on a Sarajevo rose; maybe it was a victim's birthday or anniversary?

A multipurpose bench that also works as a solar USB charging station; ingenious.

Stay tuned, for more...

Traveling along the Beer River

So now that I have your attention, there's a short river in Montenegro called the Piva (beer) River. The area is breathtaking, but packed like sardines, with up to 23 people on a 17-passenger minibus, there was no elbow room to get out my camera and snap shots along the seven-hour route through the remote and rugged Montenegro back-country to Sarajevo.

It was as if one were to build a road by constructing a shelf about halfway down the Genesee River gorge in Letchworth, and then add some holes in the cliffs for tunnels to straighten out the road slightly. Here's a video I found on YouTube that shows the quick succession of numerous tunnels along a small portion of the route, the only thing it doesn't capture is the steep drop off to the white waters below. Rafting camps dotted the landscape, but those were about the only signs of civilization for long stretches of the trip.

An interesting note: on the back of the bus, there was the usual advert, with a list touting the amenities of this particular bus company. One item listed was a WC, after which it stated "im wald"-in the woods, pretty humorous.

Gazimestan: Where the Flames of War Were Ignited

Not far from the city of Pristina stands a memorial commemorating the Serbian defeat at Kosovo Polje, which actually occurred a few miles away. This battle against Turkish invaders is huge in Serbian mythology/history. In fact, there is poem inscribed on the memorial called the "Kosovo Curse," warning Serbs that if they don't stand up for the Serbian people, their children will be cursed forever.

Many historians consider the 1989 political speech given by Slobodan Milosevic at the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo Polje as one of the "red-letter dates" leading to the series of wars involving the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. The speech at the Gazimestan memorial was filled with fiery rhetoric calling for Serbian people "to make Serbia great again". (Sound familiar?)

Milosevic beat the drum of nationalism and xenophobia, praising Serbs for their patience and forbearance, while at the same time, urging them that it was a time for action and desperate measures to "protect" themselves from looming threats to their culture...(Too bad he didn't advocate building a wall.)

Within the course of the next ten years, Milosevic's policies led to destruction and death throughout the former republics of Yugoslavia, including to his own beloved Serbia, as the international community eventually stepped in to curb his ambitions. He would eventually be handed over to international authorities by his own government to face charges of genocide and other crimes against humanity related to the wars in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo.

The tower at Gazimestan is the ultimate symbol of Serbian pride (and hubris). It is draped with a elaborate depiction of Prince Lazar during the anniversary festivities every June.

The bronze plaque at the top of the tower depicting the Battle of Kosovo Field.

The "Kosovo Curse" is located on the wall of the tower.

Arriving in Kosovo

It seems a little strange walking through Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. With streets names like Bill Clinton, Robert Dole, and George Bush, they obviously feel indebted to an American foreign policy which stifled Serbian forces trying to crush this breakaway region into submission back in 1999.

Not only a statue, but he has a boulevard named in his honor. (I hope the message on the side of building isn't election related.)

Serbia doesn't recognize its independence, though the rest of the world does. In fact, Kosovo was just admitted as a member to FIFA (the international organization governing soccer) earlier this year and is now participating in 2018 World Cup qualification for the first time.

There are many pockets of ethnic Serb communities in Kosovo, but they are not really on speaking terms with the Kosovars (ethnic Albanians) who make up the majority of the population. You could feel the tension at the border crossing into Kosovo from Serbia. The bus I took to Pristina, which was ultimately bound for a predominantly Serb city was filled with mostly Serb passengers. Many passengers showed their indignation at having to submit to Kosovar border authorities, and likewise, the Kosovar border guard seemed rather gruff and aggressive when boarding the bus to inspect documents and the random shopping bag. Speaking with others at the hostel I'm staying at, my experience was rather tame compared with others who were on buses where confrontations were much more animated.

Needless to say, there is still a UN peacekeeping mission here; presently a contingent from Portugal is in Pristina.

It seems that there must be a great deal of investment here, as, unlike the other places I've been in the former Yugoslavia, construction is booming: roads, businesses, and residential alike; and much more heavy equipment is visible. I also noticed that most of the cars on the street are newer than their Serbian counterparts.

The foul weather that has been following me across Eastern Europe has now produced quite a bit of mud here, and that along with the noisy, overcrowded hostel I'm staying at is not making me a happy camper. (I think the ratio of residents to bathrooms is 18:1!)

A Tower of Skulls and the "Red Cross" Concentration Camp

Nis is a city in southern Serbia. It was the birthplace of Constantine the Great, the Roman emperor who established Christianity as the official Roman religion. In more recent history, Nis is know for being the site of the Skull Tower and a World War II concentration camp called "Red Cross".

The Skull Tower is the result of the an attempted independence movement by Serbs against the Ottoman Empire known as the "First Serbian Uprising" in 1809. The leader of the Ottomans sought to send a message to quell future indigenous ambitions by constructing a tower made out of the skulls of the Serbian battlefield casualties from the insurrection.

Detail of the remnants of skulls used as bricks from the inside of the tower.

The Red Cross Concentration Camp was operated by the German forces during World War II, from the initial German invasion in 1941 until it was liberated in 1944. The curiously ironic name of the camp originates from the camp's location, an neighborhood of Nis known as "Red Cross".

Near the entrance to the Red Cross concentration camp. The grey concrete building to the right is were prisoners were housed.

From the back corner of the camp facing the entrance. Note the interior barbed wire perimeter to keep prisoners away from the walls of the camp.

Prison cells on the third floor.

The camp was used to imprison and execute Serbs, Jews, and Roma from the area. Over the period of operation, 35,000 prisoners passed through the camp, with approximately 10,000 being executed. On February 12, 1942, there was a prison break, and fifteen prisoners managed to escape, though many others were killed in the attempt. The main street leading to the site is named "12th of February" as a tribute to the event.

The leaders of the February 12th outbreak.

 The museum also mentioned a second break that occurred on December 2, 1942, but the few prisoners who managed to break out of the compound were quickly captured and executed.

One location where mass executions of prisoners from the camp occurred on a hill outside of Nis called Bulbanj. The Yugoslav government erected a monument there to commemorate the horrific slaughter.

Identity card of Radoslav Velkovich, a 20 year-old man who was executed at Bulbanj.

The base of the memorial depicts a German firing squad shooting prisoners, and the resulting graves.

Three massive concrete fists rise high in defiance of Nazi brutality.