A FEW HOURS IN SARAJEVO Graham and Gretchen, New Zealand Perhaps we are the only guests at this hotel with 19 rooms, because the parking is only our "Range Rover". Last night we did not even know we worry or not about the security guard with a big German shepherd dog, who was sitting in a cargo container between our hotel and the road. He probably even slept there. The hotel building stands apart, and it fits just 3-4 unfinished house. While, on the other hand, the website of our hotel it was written that "your parked car is kept safe." Welcome to Sarajevo! We did not build illusions about breakfast, which were required to submit to us in the hotel. Descending the stairs into the dining room, we even joked that if the feel the smell of fried eggs and bacon. When we entered the dining room, they saw two women who sat and smoked. But had only rugged men say something to them in their language, they immediately disappeared in the kitchen. Eggs and bacon did not smell. In fact, even a table with food in this vast room was nowhere in sight. A stocky man brought two glasses of hot tea, and four bags of sugar. Tea exuded a strange smell, but maybe the sugar will give it flavor, even remotely tea. Although, who knows? Somehow we doubted whether we should drink this stuff, or you can ask for coffee, but finally decided to risk it, because we thought that to convey our request will be very difficult. In addition, the coffee did not smell too. We sat overlooking the great room, which could accommodate hundreds of guests (probably in here and spend all sorts of meetings that have been written on the website of the hotel), when suddenly - the kitchen door swung open and the hall became one of the women we have seen, when they came here. She was carrying two plates of scrambled eggs. Mood, we began to improve. There appeared a stocky man, he brought fresh bread, butter and honey. Breakfast was a success, if not to remember the tea! In Sarajevo, there are several historical attractions, but we did not come here for them. We stopped on the way here in the city of Dubrovnik, but now that it happened, we decided to look at the city which for four years during the war was under siege, and see how it has changed since then. We recalled how watching the news on television about what was happening in the city during the war, as we remembered the book "Letters from Sarajevo, in which the young heroine confessed that she experienced at that time. Sarajevo, close to the hotel is constructed road, or rather the tunnel. There are many roads that only have to restore and build so that people can safely ride their BMW and Audi. And the roads, as we know, are not cheap. The European Union is not willing to accept in its ranks Bosnia and Herzegovina as long as she will not give some of their leaders since the war, but at the same time, the EU spends its money here, especially for road repairs. Sarajevo is situated in a valley that is surrounded on all sides by hills. From the heat increased smog, and the city center as we move towards him drowned in the murky haze. It was not just a mirage, which appears frequently in hot weather. As in other cities of the former Soviet Union, in Sarajevo, everywhere are dull high-rise residential buildings. However, because of the relative limitations of the valley, is located in the city, houses are built in small series, which gives the overall picture of certain asymmetric unit and partially nullifies the effect of their uniformity and color gamut. Downtown could see new high-rise buildings with glass facades, so that, obviously, since the war in the restoration were made some progress. Memorial in memory of those killed during the siege We had no idea where we left our car, but very hopeful that we will find a covered parking area. Several times we came across signs of parking, but it seemed to us that we are still far from the center, but did not want to walk, because the heat began to intensify. In the end, we decided it was time to stop, and followed a pointer, which, thankfully, took us on a half-empty indoor parking. Through the city flows a small river whose shores are clad in cement. It crosses many bridges. At one of these bridges the First World War, when a local resident shot the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria. At the site of the events set a small memorial plaque. Our trip took place in the very place where many young New Zealanders have given their lives in a senseless war, which began with those sad events in Sarajevo, it is not surprising that we would like to know more about this city. One of the main problems in Sarajevo are the bridges. Most of them had exploded during the siege, and since then has not been restored. We passed through the city along the river, but did not find that very bridge. Deadline for material:
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