Today (Thursday) I slept in until 8:00 am or so, then got some hot breakfast made downstairs by Majda. It was similar to french toast and with jelly. Very good. After eating, I took some time to catch up on my blog posts. Because the wifi hasn’t been up all the time, I try to upload a new post when I can. And it was nice to catch my breath.
I did manage to take some pictures of where I’m staying, it probably has the best atmosphere of any hostel I’ve been to.
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| Outside gate – easy to miss |
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| Outdoor gathering area. When you arrive, Majda sits you down at the near table and marks up a map with places not mentioned in guidebooks and authentic places to eat |
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| No shoes inside. Everyone makes this mistake, normally only once. Majda is quick to remind you if you forget |
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| When you arrive, you decorate your name tag. If you use only one color, Majda has you use more colors |
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| Backpackers are welcome to add their name tag to the wall |
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| The day after I gave the digital file of this picture, she printed out two copies, one for me and one for her to hang up in the hostel. Pretty nice of her! Also notice I wasn’t too creative with my name tag – I should have added Micky Mouse ears for Florida |
I then took a shower and then headed out to explore. I first went to a McDonald’s in a 7 story mall. Despite how ridiculous it sounds, I like going to a McDonald’s in different countries just to see the different menu options.
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| I went with the classic Big Mac meal – $5.70 |
After lunch, I took a taxi to the Old Bridge. I could have walked, but things are cheap here. The taxi driver asked where I was from and when I told him the United States, he was surprised I was traveling all the way out in Bosnia when I only had two weeks.
I grabbed a small ice cream cone at a sidewalk stand for desert.
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| One scoop but not bad for $0.67! |
I then took some more shots of the bridge. None of them are as good as the previous ones, but at least they’re a bit different.
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| Tried an 8 second exposure in the middle of the day with a 10 stop ND filter. I was up to my waist in the water taking this picture on a tripod – luckily my camera didn’t get wet. |
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| These shoes are great. I packed three pairs, but haven’t even worn the other two. Lesson learned for next time. |
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| The minaret you see in the behind the bridge is the same one I took these shots from: http://i.imgur.com/2PKcwgh.jpg and http://i.imgur.com/6TviwDK.jpg |
I grabbed a second lunch around 4pm at the same terraced restaurant I ate at during my first day here. $7.60 for a beer and a main course.
I went back to the hostel to download some pictures, then went back out again.
On my tour yesterday, Bata mentioned how the local government doesn’t care much about rebuilding. There are still ruined buildings all over. But something I didn’t know though is that many of the newer looking building are just fresh looking facades. They don’t have running water or electricity, so they’re just empty on the inside.
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A destroyed hotel (left) and a rebuilt empty building (right) – across the street from each other – see next two pictures for better views |
I walk back towards the bridge and sniper tower to get a few more pictures. On my way back to the hostel, I stop at a desert shop named Palma, which I would learn to regret later.
I ordered baklava, Bosnian coffee, and a Cockta – a Slovenian soda.
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| Trying to figure out all the different currencies. I had four different currencies in my wallet |
I then head back to my hostel to get some sleep before I leave in the morning for Croatia.
