Feeling like home in Bihać / Bosnia

Our arrival in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) hadn't been like the ones in the previous countries. This one was the one that we had been looking for since the moment this trip started. Local people are friendly and ready to help whenever they can. Many people speak some or very good English and even German. If not, they help you anyway in their language or with gestures.

This country is a mix of people: they have three different religions (muslim, orthodox and catholic christs) and with that big different cultural identities and differences that last since hundreds of years. Here we could write now pages about all the conflicts, wars and cruel stories of the past of this region. But let's skip to the present. Present politics are, let's just say...very complicated. Since the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995 for example each election in BiH three different delegates (one for the Serbians, one for the Croats and one for the Bosniaks) are elected to share a rotating 4 year presidential term. Over 50 politician parties exist. Locals told us that,as one of many reasons why BiH won't be able to enter the EU soon. People don't thrust anymore in politics that's why they start running their own business or sadly many young people leave this wonderful country. Maybe it's because of the past that Bosnians are so optimistic they suffered a lot in the past years due to the Yugoslavian war. They want to forget what happened and started to move on.

Bosnia is a country under construction and money is not something that is flowing much in here. Many buildings are empty and remainings of the war from people who left their country. Other houses are inhabited from people but unfinished. And some others found their way to live a good life.

The best of the country is indeed the human quality of the people even though all the struggles and the problems that the country has been going through.
Our first contact with Bosnians was Hasan, our warm-hearted host for the next two days. He owns a modest hostel and he's a guitarist on his free time. We got to meet his lovely family and had a drink with one of his sons; he and his band played for us in the evening folk Bosnian music and he even drove us to the bus station at 7am. Hvala for everything, Hasan!

During our time in Bihać we visited one of the most beautiful nature sceneries of the country: Šrtbački Buk waterfalls. On our way there we hiked through some houses where locals would sell their fruits, home made marmalade, alcohol, and even honey. There's where we met Safir, a friendly man who offered us some shots and some coffee. He could speak German and waved at every person that would walk or drive through in front of his house.

We managed to hitchhike twice: once with two bearded men from Saudi Arabia and the other one with a Bosnian young guy who owned a restaurant in Kulen Vakuf.

With all the kindness received during our first days in the country, we are very excited to continue our trip to the center of the country. Bosnia, we like you! Bosnians, we even like you better!Read more