Daniel Joseph Pye • Bosnia & Herzegovina
One of the most rewarding investments to date in my
life has been the train ride from Mostar to the country’s
capital, Sarajevo. A ten euro ticket can take you on one
of the most breathtaking and awe-inspiring journeys
overland imaginable. My eyes were fixated and glued
upon the happenings, dreamlike nature, and state of
being present outside of my window. Nestled within a
picturesque valley and surrounded by the Dinaric Alps
lies Sarajevo, the country’s capital. Also known as the
Jerusalem of Europe and the Balkans, Sarajevo is the
primary political, administrative and cultural centre in
Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bazaars, churches, mosques,
bars, traditional restaurants and cafés decorate the
interior of the city which has progressively emerged as
an energetic, vibrant and lively capital, intertwining a
unique myriad of cultural elements and world defining
moments. For example, the assassination of Archduke
Franz Ferdinand of Austria in the centre of the capital
resulted in “the bullet that started World War I”. The
street corner where this event occurred has now been
converted into a museum for all to experience.
Recovering from the repercussions over a number of
years, the city and country itself remained largely
unnoticed or called upon by the rest of the world.
However, in what would come to be the longest
siege recorded in the history of modern warfare, the
inhabitants, trapped and forced into hiding, endured
1,425 days of artillery, mortar fire and the daily threat
of sniper attacks administered from the surrounding
hillsides and mountainous landscape. Ulica Zmaja od
Bosne , or Sniper Alley, as it is more colloquially known,
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March 2015
refers to the primary boulevard of the city which
became infamous for the danger and risk posed to any
who dared to travel across it. While morale and hope
gradually diminished and the city arose as a symbol of
despair and desperation, the people protruded faith
and an unwavering commitment to resolution. As fire,
debris and ash littered the once prosperous avenues
and city squares, the road to reconstruction was never
destined to be easy. Antiquities and famous works
were irrevocably lost from this world. The stories and
spirit of the survivors will, however, always remain.
And of the Bosnians themselves? What I witnessed
were a proud and grateful people. I recall one
night where I ducked into one of the nearby bars to
meet some friends. It was a bustling scene due to an
international football match that was being played
that night. Lost amongst the crowd, we were warmly
greeted by a group of locals and almost instantly
found ourselves draped in a large blue and yellow
national flag. “Hajmo hajmo Bosno Bosno, hajmo hajmo
Hercegovino!” (Let’s go Bosnia, Let’s go Herzegovina!)
We chanted and danced along in tune with our new
friends as Bosnia battled Portugal on the international
stage. Although the result was a draw, the city still
stood proud and a multitude of people took to the
streets in delight and sung with passion and without
compromise as an air of excitement filtered across the
entire city. I can’t even begin to imagine the spectacle
that would undeniably have ensued had the team
emerged victorious.