November 9, 2006

This past weekend I spent three days in Sarajevo, and if I had not accumulated enough evidence in my stay thus far that Bosnia and Hercegovina is a greatly under-appreciated tourist destination, this trip made the case. Although I had a compelling personal reason for being predisposed to enjoying the city — I spent the weekend with a friend who was visiting from the United States — I can heartily recommend a visit to anyone. Just one caveat: If you go on a weekend in which the temperature never gets above 0 degrees centigrade, be sure to schedule a visit to Tuzla first so you can stop by Bosfam and pick up enough warm sweaters, hats, and gloves to keep yourself from freezing.

I remember during the siege of Sarajevo hearing news reports about how ironic it was that a city, which for centuries has represented religious tolerance and inclusiveness, was under attack in a war marked by ethnic and religious divisiveness. The guide books are not exaggerating when they say it is possible to visit a Catholic cathedral, a Serbian orthodox church, a mosque, and a synagogue within walking more than a block in any direction. These main places of worship show little outward sign of the war. Other landmarks wear their experiences much more visibly. I had wanted to see the National Library, which was deliberately targeted during the siege. To target the library — a symbolic place representing not only collective history but also an openness to new ideas — always seemed to me like a particularly insidious agenda. It is now a sad place to see. Money has been given to help with its redevelopment, but the building itself, much less the precious collection that was destroyed, has a long way to go before it regains its former stature.

I did a little commercial espionage in Bašèaršija (bosh-char-shee-ah), the old market quarter of Sarajevo that is a must-see for any tourist. (And you would have to work hard not to see it, as it is at the center of everything.) There are some beautiful handicrafts for sale there, including traditional Bosnian carpets, but it is my unbiased opinion that they are nowhere near as nice as the ones the women at Bosfam make. However, even accounting for my possible bias, you can’t discount one big difference between Bosfam and the shops in Bašèaršija: At Bosfam, when you buy a carpet, you can also meet the woman who makes it, see her work, and hear about the circumstances that brought her to Bosfam. One of the projects I’m working on during my time here capitalizes on this distinction. Tourism opportunities abound in Bosnia and Hercegovina, but the country is particularly ripe for social tourism — the kind that showcases not only attractions, but the rich cultural traditions and the history of people here. We hope to offer tours that allow visitors to see the weaving room, meet the weavers, make a small carpet themselves, and then shop for carpets or other handicrafts. In this way, tourists will come away with a far more personal experience than is available in the shops of Sarajevo.

Sarajevo is a very spirited city, and its residents are known for their resilience, style, and inventiveness. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the jazz festival, which is held every year in November. People came out in droves to attend the festival, which offered several performances each night for four days. In fact, it appears that people come out in droves in Sarajevo for anything vaguely cultural, and the arts scene is therefore thriving. I attended a small art and design exhibit at the Academy of Arts and was very impressed with what the students had produced. And, in a display of global “hipness,” the academy building currently sports a black banner over its scaffolding bearing the immediately recognizable fruit logo of one of the US’s main computer companies. Being the American that I am, I immediately went in to inquire about a problem with my MP3 player. I was greeted by a smartly dressed young woman who spoke three languages and resolved the issue in about five minutes. Such an experience, as much as drinking Bosnian (Turkish) coffee or eating èevapi (delicious Bosnian ‘fast food’) is quickly becoming a typical one in Sarajevo.