July 22nd- Beginning of Sarajevo stretch

We were able to cross back into Serbia without incident, though they did nullify our Kosovar stamps on our passport.  We had to cross the old city of Novi Pazar of our list, only stopping for a bathroom break and snacks as we headed towards Bosnia.  The city and the surrounding area are famous for its old Orthodox monasteries and churches, and we were able to catch sights of them as we wound our way through the mountains.  The drive was long but very beautiful.  We stopped for dinner in Mokra Gora, at the tourist destination called Drvengrad (Woodentown).  A film director, Emir Kusturica, built the town as a set for his film “Life is a Miracle,” and it has been preserved as an idyllic tourist spot for its simple lifestyle, good restaurants, and picturesque views, and is a pretty awesome little place.

After another stretch of driving we crossed into the Republic of Srpska, an entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina.  It is Serb controlled territory and the site of some of the fiercest fighting during the war.  About 20 km outside of Sarajevo we were stopped by police who threw another curveball for the dialogue-rockslides on the route, of course.  There was really nothing else to do on the long detour but laugh (and open a bottle or two).  We arrived in the beautiful city of Sarajevo late at night, and will be here for the next five days or so.  Our hotel is in the old Turkish quarter, well preserved for centuries, and has a lovely old world feel to it.  Despite the cold and the rain, it’s probably my favorite city so far!