After visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina as a tour leader a few times, the country has simply stolen my heart. Ever since setting foot in it for the first time, I’ve been wanting more. I can never get enough of Sarajevo, with it’s gorgeous old center, the many shops, the fabulous food and the friendly people. With one week off I decided to explore some more. I flew into Tuzla or a low cost carrier to start off my holiday. When I got into my taxi I was immediately reminded of why I love it there so much.
At first it was quiet, but then the driver asked me a question in Bosnian. I said that my initial ‘Hello’ and ‘Center’ were about as much Bosnian as I could speak and feared I was now going to be ripped off. My driver surprised me with excellent English and gave me a warm welcome to his country. We talked about Tuzla, sports and working too hard. The man had the kindest soul and seemed to love his city.
When I arrived in the center it was close to midnight. The street had the funniest mix of hits of all times playing, from 90s trance music to Abba. There were a lot of people out and about on this Saturday night. The receptionist was just as nice as my taxi driver. He took my bag up for me and showed me my room. I really should have gone out and experience the student life of Tuzla, but I was broken, let myself fall onto the bed and doze off.
The next morning the hotel had prepared a lovely breakfast. The sun was out and I ventured out into the quiet streets. Some cafés were opening up and a few people were already making their way toward the Pannonica, the salt lakes. I decided to walk out of the center, past the restaurants and cafés, past the flats and into the real city. It was very quiet, apart from the busy road closeby. I walked back a different way and came past a beautiful church near the park. From there a footbridge went across the busy road to the entrance of the salt lakes. But I left them for later.
First I continued down the pedestrian area, picked up an ice cream and admired the brightly colored city center. There was a big square where I tried to order a juice. I pointed at a juice on the menu, having no clue exactly which fruits would be in it. The waitress shook her head and, after looking for a while, pointed at another juice. A few minutes later a tea arrived. I was confused. The tea was definitely on another page. I waited a while, thinking she may realise her mistake, but eventually I gave in and enjoyed my pot of tea. Many people walked past. There was a lady having a tupperware party on the square. A dog was fetching a ball, carrying a basket in his mouth. I watched the world go by.
It was a hot day. Perfect to visit Pannonica I thought. The complex has three big salty lakes, some with slides, and a waterfall. It was Sunday, so half the city came out to the lakes. I had to make my way through masses of people, past many snackbars, to find a spot to sit. I had only taken the minimum so that I could enjoy my swim without worrying too much about my stuff. I was more worried when a little boy behind my started coughing and his lunch came out. The dad tried to hastily wash away the evidence.
I plunged into the pool a few times, read my book and enjoyed the people watching. There were big groups of young people, hanging out. There were families, a few foreigners and the odd solo person. We were all following the same routine. Cool down, dry up in the sun, read a book, start sweating and cool down again. There was no shade, so after a couple of hours I just couldn’t stay any longer. On my way home I passed the cevapi place and had a fabulous lunch.
I sat and read some more in the park and then found a place for dinner. This city seems to be the perfect place to explore for a day, to relax and start a holiday by slowing down. I just found myself wishing I wasn’t alone. This city felt strange alone. It would have been the perfect place to hang out with friends, or enjoy with family. Alone it just felt awkward, sitting there with my cider.
I made it an early night. The receptionist had recommended me to take the early bus to Sarajevo the next day. I could use some sleep. And isn’t that what vacation is for? Tuzla made me forget about work, stress and normal life quickly. I was back in my favourite country. What a nice feeling to have!