Sarajevo & Sweat: A History Nerd's Heatstroke Diary
okay, so sarajevo. it’s…a lot. i’m currently sweating through everything i own, which, admittedly, isn’t much. i’m a history nerd, not a packer.
i landed yesterday, and it’s just thick air. like, you could chew it. i just checked and it’s hovering around thirty-six degrees, feels like someone’s gently roasting you. the pressure’s a bit wonky too, apparently, 1004, but honestly, i’m too busy trying not to melt to care about atmospheric pressure. humidity’s low-ish, 27%, which is…something, i guess. it doesn’t feel low-ish.
this city is layered, you know? like a really complicated baklava. you’ve got the ottoman stuff, the austro-hungarian stuff, the yugoslavian stuff…it’s all just piled on top of each other. i spent most of today wandering around Baščaršija, the old bazaar. it’s gorgeous, obviously, but also incredibly crowded. i overheard someone complaining that the prices have gone up since the tiktokers discovered it - classic.
“Don’t bother with the cevapi near the Sebilj fountain,” a guy with a truly magnificent mustache told me, wiping his brow. “It’s a tourist trap. Go down that alley, third door on the left. Old man makes the best in the city, but he doesn’t speak a word of English.”
that’s the thing about sarajevo, isn’t it? it’s not polished. it’s real. it’s a bit rough around the edges. and it smells amazing - a mix of coffee, grilled meat, and something vaguely floral.
my hotel is…fine. it’s above a *bakery, which is both a blessing and a curse. the smell of fresh bread is incredible, but it also means i’m constantly tempted to buy more pastries. i’m trying to be healthy-ish, but it’s a losing battle. i checked out some reviews on Yelp and apparently, the wifi is spotty, which is a problem because i need to upload all my photos of crumbling ottoman architecture.
people here are…intense. in a good way. they’re passionate about their city, their history, their coffee. i tried to ask for directions earlier and ended up getting a twenty-minute lecture on the siege of sarajevo. it was fascinating, but i was also just trying to find the National Museum.
if you get bored, mostar is just a short drive away, apparently. someone told me it’s even more beautiful than sarajevo, but i’m skeptical. i’ve also heard whispers about a really good burek place near the latin bridge, but i haven’t managed to find it yet. i’m relying heavily on TripAdvisor for recommendations, but honestly, i take everything with a grain of salt.
“That fancy restaurant on Ferhadija? Overpriced and underwhelming,” a woman selling scarves warned me. “Go to Inat Kuća. It’s tiny, but the food is authentic and the view is amazing.”
i’m thinking of checking out the Tunnel of Hope tomorrow. it’s supposed to be incredibly moving. i’m also desperately searching for an air-conditioned cafe*. i’m starting to hallucinate ice cream. i found a local forum Sarajevo Times that seems to have some good info. i'm also considering a day trip to Travnik.
“The coffee here will ruin you for all other coffee,” my taxi driver declared. “It’s a curse, really.”
he wasn’t wrong. i’ve already had three cups and i’m pretty sure i’m developing a caffeine dependency. send help (and ice).
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