I trampled a few roses before learning why the streets and sidewalks of Sarajevo were covered with red splotches. During the Bosnian War, an average of 329 mortar shells rained down on the city every day for more than 3.5 years, leaving a moonscape of craters. After the war ended in 1995, these…
Tag: Eastern Europe
VIDEO: Why Eastern Europe Will Be the Next Hot Travel Destination
I had the distinct privilege of being interviewed by The Expat Chat about why I think Eastern Europe is the next hot travel destination. Over the past few years, I’ve visited every country in Eastern Europe, so I have a lot to say on the subject. If you have a fascination for Eastern…
A Politically Incorrect Tour of Mostar and Southwest Bosnia-Herzegovina
Miran, owner of Miran Hostel, is an angry man. “I am not politically correct and you will not like a lot of what I say,” he announced as we climbed into his van for a tour of Mostar and southwest Bosnia-Herzegovina. He slammed the sliding door shut and popped a Bosnian folk rock…
The Circle of Life in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bosnia-Herzegovina is one of those countries that raised eyebrows whenever I told someone I was headed there. Those who had no idea where it was had a vague notion that it was dangerous; those who knew the country were under the impression that it was still at war. Bosnia, as it is often…
Budva, Montenegro, Disappointing in Every Way
My introduction to Budva, Montenegro was anything but auspicious. I chatted with the owner of my guest house as she checked me in, explaining that I’d been touring the ex-Yugoslavian countries all summer, perhaps with an eye to finding a place where I might establish a base in the future. “In that case,…
How to Get From Tirana to Montenegro
Author’s note: The below information was correct at the time of writing, but in April of 2016, the Old Town Hostel in Kotor, Montenegro started providing bus service between Tirana, Shkoder, Podgorica, Budva, and Kotor. Tickets are available online at Kotortotirana.com. Figuring out how to get from Tirana to Montenegro should have been…
