Sarajevo

This morning I took the local train from Mostar to Sarajevo which is said to be one of the most scenic rides in all of Europe and it lived up to its expectations.  The trip weaved along mountian cliffs that fell hundreds of feet down into amazingly blue lakes.  The rest of the day was spent exploring the city of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Throughout the past century, Sarajevo has been the center of ethnic, cultural and political tensions.  In 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated my Gavrilo Princip, about a block from the hostel I am currently staying at, thus sending the globe spiraling into the First World War.

During the Yugoslav Civil War in the 1990's Sarajevo was held under siege by Serbian forces from April 1992 to February 1996, making it the longest siege since the 1700's.  Some remnants of the war can still be seen but it has recovered much more quickly than Mostar.  The city was historically heavily influenced by a strong Muslim and Ottoman presence.  The old Ottoman Quarter, where my hostel is located, is one of the few areas of the city that did not lose its historic presence during the Soviet era or the civil war.  

The modern center of the city, which was largely destroyed during the war is not much to view.  The surrounding hills on the other hand, still retain some of the city's former beauty.

Tomorrow, I will be heading out of the city and traveling by train all day to Belgrade, Serbia.