You know that idyllic image of American life in the 1950s? You know the one I mean: Neat yards aligned up and down the streets of pretty suburbs, complete with white picket fences and neighbors pruning their roses while tossing friendly hellos to passerby? I wasn’t alive back then, so I don’t know how much …
The Balkan States are not a region many mainstream travelers have on their bucket list of places to visit next. It’s still considered an offbeat region, although that is changing quickly. Croatia leaped onto the tourist radar over the past decade, and as tourism increases, many are discovering that neighboring Bosnia & Herzegovina is a destination in …
When you travel the world, you discover all kinds of new things: new dishes, new festivals, new cultures, new friends. The list is endless—it’s a parade of new things. Include sweet treats! Sure, over the years I’ve found my favorite signature dishes that I will forever love thanks to sampling them in a new country—some …
I winced as I took my first sip of the jet-black Bosnian coffee—it was certainly not your average American brew! My couchsurfing hosts in Sarajevo, Furkan and his roommates Anida and Sidak, decided that I couldn’t leave Sarajevo without stopping in the Turkish quarter for a traditional Bosnian coffee complete with Turkish Delight. They were …
Sweet glazed phyllo peaked from the glass display cases. Waves of joy flooded me at the thought of that fresh, warmed baklava hitting my tongue. I love baklava. It’s a long-term, lifelong love affair with this sweet treat. When made well, baklava has a perfect balance of sweet honey, crispy phyllo dough, and savory nuts. …
Emerging from the train station in Mostar humbled me. We took a gorgeous ride from Sarajevo to Mostar and the sun shone bright on the glossy, newly painted buildings. Much of the city stood in stark modern relief against buildings riddled with holes, crumbling walls, and visible bombing damage. Even more than a decade after the …
Gentle summer breezes, water-misting fans, and one creamy ice cream cone is all it takes to fit in throughout Bosnia and Croatia. The sidewalk café culture is alive and rampant here; locals and tourist alike spend hours people-watching or being people-watched. This shared social activity in the late afternoon and early evenings is an intrinsic …
I love Bosnia & Herzegovina, completely and with the whole of my heart. This country won my affection. My hosts played a big part in those first days, as they walked me all over Sarajevo, imploring me to dig beneath the surface to see the city’s deep charms. I was skeptical—I rarely enjoy capital cities, …