Week 2 in Sarajevo

Our last week in Sarajevo was a lot busier than the first but no bomb explosions. We spent a lot of time with Hana's grandma Dika, helping her out, running errands, extending her passport, getting her a visa for the US, helping her make food for Bayram.
One morning, after our ritual coffee at noon, we went with grandma to the butcher shop. As soon as we entered the store, she told the guy working there to get her the manager because she would not buy meat from anyone else. When the lady appeared, she criticized her for the meat she sent to her last time. She said it was awful. (Sweet grandma's words) So this time, the lady had to cut each piece of meat individually then show it to grandma for approval.
That same day in the afternoon, grandma lost her teeth and we spent some time looking for them all over the apartment. Grandma did not even remember that she took them out until she sat down to eat. Hana finally found them in the armchair where she usually sits. Don't ask why she put them there, it's grandma.



We probably did not mention this before, but we arrived in Sarajevo towards the end of the month of Ramadan. Which means that since we got there everyone was talking about Bajram (the last day of Ramadan). It lasts 2-3 days, people go to the cemeteries, visit their family, eat home made food, drink coffee and eat baklava. And in Sarajevo specially people go out, drink and party hard. Any excuse is good to have a good time.
So baka Dika, set on having everything ready for the event, decided to prepare food 3 days before and since she can not do it all by herself anymore (even if she won't admit it), Hana got busy helping her out. Miko, since he is a man, was not allowed to do any housework, but likely or sadly grandma can not walk around as much anymore, so he was able to help out a lot more. Before if he were caught in the kitchen washing dishes, Hana would get yelled at, not Miko, Hana.
He also filmed the making of baklava, listening to grandma swearing because she had to make it, which really was her own will. Sacré grandma Dika!
Miko also learned how to make Bosnian coffee and even got the approval of the great master Dika Besirevic! Youpi!!!


Finally it was Bayram. We got little tired of hearing about it and the anticipation among the people. We started the day on a little sad note by bringing flowers to the graves of Hana's grandpa and uncle. Then, during the afternoon we went for something little more happy (at least for Miko), it was the first day of Pépé (Miko's grandpa) flying around the world. Pépé passed away 3 years ago. He was cremated and all the family members who wanted were given a little ceramic container with some of his ashes. Pépé always wanted to travel, so Miko thought it would be nice to spread his ashes everywhere we go and film it. So, at the end of the afternoon, we went up to Vidikovac (viewpoint in Bosnian) overlooking the city. The light was good, but it was a little windy, and not in the right direction. It ended up being a little like that scene in The Big Lebowsky, when John Goodman through the ashes of Jim Beluchi against the wind. This video is going to start with Hana's funny line: It went towards meeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Ha, ha, ha!

Then we finished Bajram like everyone else: going out. We ended up in a really cool bar called Babylon where everyone we met there that night bought us drinks. First we met a group of english speakers: an American student, a lawyer from Utah, a girl from New Zealand and a guy from Irland. After they left, we met this crazy local, somewhat scary but very nice bold guy, who was about to join french legion, who for some reason he really liked Miko and treated him like his best friend for the rest of the night. While Hana got stuck with a stupid drunk kid who was trying to psychoanalyze her. At the end of the night, the bold guy Enes told us a funny line: When you drink a lot of Sarajevsko beer, the next day when you scratch your butt you will think that you are scratching your head. That was our Bajram!

The next day, a guy named Cerkez (same last name as Hana) was playing in the City Pub in Sarajevo. They are not related but the last name is not very common so Hana and her sister Sarah and brother Harun decided to make it Cerkez cousin reunion.
It was fun, everyone was singing along the old traditional songs and dancing. By the way, they played old traditional folk songs with a modern twist, style of music popular in Bosnia called urban sevdah.

We also went to visit Hana's family resort house about 20km away from Sarajevo. Miko finally saw it. He has heard about it for a long time now. We had a nice time there, drinking coffee outside and playing with a sweet cat who seemed to be trying to tell us something. The house was completely destroyed during the war. Only the walls were left standing. But Hana's mom had it rebuilt after the war.
I wish we could have stayed there longer but we had to go back to Sarajevo, oh well, next time.


We also had a funny moment at the hairdressers. Miko and I went to the same place to get haircuts. It was just funny to be there sitting in chairs not far from each other and me translating from my chair to the guy who was cutting Miko's hair and trimming his beard. I would explain how much to cut and where, and then the guy would come to me to ask Miko if he was happy with the cut. Anyway, we were the center of attention for everyone working there and there were all smiling, nice people. Plus Miko (my Japanese tourist) was taking photos even during his haircut.


One thing I forgot to mention. During our stay a mini Gay and Lesbian Festival was organised. The day of the opening some people who participated, and especially the organizers were attacked and beaten up by young kids. This was a big disappointment for me. I thought that people in Sarajevo were better than in Belgrade and Zagreb, where similar things have happened. The mentality here is still some ways behind. Sad...
But we still had a good time in Sarajevo. This city is changing fast. Lets hope the mentality will too.