Sarajevo (1/20/11)

We woke up to snow today! After training every morning since we have been here, we were given the morning off. Luka gave us the option of going to Sarajevo for the morning or staying around the hotel and going out for pizza. The girls all chose Sarajevo which was a little sad because Layne had to go visit the doctor for her shoulder, so she was not able to sightsee with us. Anyways, we all got ready after breakfast and piled into the bus for the short 20 minute ride into Sarajevo. Layne and I had done some research about places to visit in Sarajevo prior to the trip, so I was really happy when we pulled up to the old town. This is where the churches, bridge where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, and the eternal flame are located.  (A brief side history lesson: Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austo-Hungarian throne, and his wife Sophie were shot and killed by Gavrilo Princip on the Latin Bridge. This triggered the start of World War I.) Since Layne was not there, I walked around with a few of the older girls on the team. They asked me what I wanted to see while in Sarajevo and helped find the places since they actually speak the language! It was really cold and still snowing while we were walking around the city, but it was very pretty and cool. 

 With some of the team at the Eternal Flame, a memorial to the military and civilian victims of the WWII.

 The Latin Bridge

 The Old Orthodox Church (built in the 16th century)

 Gazi Husrev Bey's Mosque (the most important Islamic house of worship in Bosnia)

 Bascarsija (Old town Sarajevo)

 Cathedral of Jesus' Sacred Heart

After finding all the sites, we had to meet up with everyone to go out for a traditional Bosnian meal. Layne and two other girls who had to also go to the doctor met us at the restaurant. The traditional meal is call cevapi, which was translated on their menu as grilled minced meat fingers. Although the description does not sound super appetizing, it was really good. It was served in a grilled pita and was the best meal we have had since we have been in Bosnia. 

 Cevapi

After Sarajevo, we went to practice and dinner. However, after dinner we met up with the team we have been practicing with while here at a pub in Pale. There are no Americans on their team and a few only speak broken English, so basically Layne and I hung out at the pub. We were not allowed to drink because Luka told us at dinner that we were not allowed. While at the pub, Layne and I played the initial game where one person names a celebrity and then the next person must name another celebrity whose first name starts with the first letter of the last name of the previous celebrity. Not that exciting of a game, but we ended up playing for like an hour because we not allowed to leave. After the pub, we headed to a “club” that played dance music. Normally this might be fun, but all the songs were in Serbian so I did not know any of them and I was completely sober. Plus, we were the only ones in the club.  Anyways, we stayed until like 11:30 and when we got home I passed out. Only two more days left because we are now leaving on Saturday instead of Sunday.  The trip has gone by faster than I thought, but I am more than ready to get back to Bar!