Tuesday in BB- excursion to Srebrenica and the village house

The previous evening our hosts said they would give us eggs from their chickens, but they didn’t say anything more specific and we decided to go ahead and have breakfast. We had pastries and eggs. About 15 minutes after we were  done our hosts sent a message asking us to go down for breakfast! We didn’t want to be rude and decline, but nor were we in any way hungry. But we went on down and were served coffee, then some cousins stopped by and we had rakija. After they left it was time for our second breakfast (the tables each had been set for us). At least because of the pre breakfast coffee, rakija and visitors an hour and a half had passed since first breakfast, but we really weren’t ready for more food, but we took our places at the table. Milesa cooked us each three eggs, scrambled with cheese and bacon, and she served more cheese and bacon on the side as well as a lovely homemade loaf of bread, and the yogurt-milk that I like so much. The food was delicious but we were very full! 

Milesa said we would leave in a half hour for our excursion to Srebrenica, about an hour from Bajina Bašta. They said nothing about how long we would be gone nor what exactly we would do there. 

At 11 we got into Zoran’s very old VW Golf, the epitome of a rattle trap. My seat had no accessible seatbelt but they assured me I’d be fine saying, ‘don’t worry, it’s Bosnia.’ In my mind I was thinking that driving in Bosnia one would want a seatbelt for sure given how so many drivers speed on the narrow winding roads. But I gave myself over to fate and hoped for the best. We also discovered along the way that the car’s speedometer does not work (which came in handy when Zoran was stopped for speeding. He apologized to the policeman and used the excuse that the speedometer was broken (pretty sure it was broken 2 years ago when we rode with him). 

There was no line at the border crossing three minutes from their house. The border police were going to wave us through without checking our passports but Zoran explained we were tourists and needed them stamped so the guard obliged. We passed an excavation site of Roman ruins, stopped at a charcoal-making business where Zoran bought two big bags, and headed consistently up hill. Near the top of a hill in the middle of nowhere we got a flat tire. Luckily Zoran had a spare. After he changed the tire we packed ourselves back into the car and continued our journey over big hills, mostly through forest but with occasional views of the surrounding hills and valleys. 

When we entered the outskirts of the small (pop 2500) town of Srebrenica (once 35000) they pointed out the ruins of bombed buildings from the 90’s  war. The town looks run down and is the opposite of thriving. Zoran and Milesa lived there for 5 years until the war reached the town. Over 8000 Muslim Bosnians were killed there in what most countries refer to as genocide but Serb officials downplay the atrocity and refuse to accept it was a genocide. Whatever on3 calls it it was awful. Most people that survived fled for other countries. All of Zoran’s and Milesa’s friend left the country.

We parked in town and were told we would walk to the Banja (spa ). They did not indicate how long the walk would be or if the spa was active or closed. As we walked through town, past three mosques and a Muslim school our hosts stopped a couple times to chat with people out in their yards. 

Where the houses petered out an old road paved with individual stones began and we learned it was a route lined with healing springs. The creek bed and earth under the spring water was yellow-orange and smelled like iron and other minerals. Each spring had a sign stating what particular ailments the water was good for. One was for joints, another for sinuses, another for ‘beauty’ (skin), for example. 

The walk, mostly through forest and  steadily uphill, was pleasant. As is the case everywhere we walk many small lizards scurry into the underbrush as we pass by. Jim saw a snake that looked like a viper of some kind. Luckily it wanted nothing to do with us. 

We finally arrived at the spa, never completed. Construction stopped when the war came to the region. A large sign shows what the spa was going to look like. Numerous buildings were close to being done but now stand empty and ruined. I don’t know enough about construction to know if anyone could salvage them. 

Once back to town we were ushered into a small restaurant run by their friend who waited on us. We ordered beverages and unbeknownst to us they ordered a big plate of ćevapi with bread and chopped onions for each of us. It was delicious but more than Jim and I could eat. 

From there we drove 45 minutes to their village land and house. First we stopped at their plum orchard by the river. The wildflowers were profuse and beautiful. There were also large mushrooms under almost every tree. Zoran and Milesa picked 2 big bags worth. Zoran drove up the steep little road to their house while the rest of us walked. Milesa stopped and talked with everyone who was out working in their fields and gardens. 

Once at the old house we were led around back to the sitting and eating area. Milesa made coffee and served rakija and cookies. While we sipped and ate Zoran fed and watered the chickens. They have 10 hens that lay eggs and fifty young chickens that will be killed for meat. A sweet stray dog has taken up residence under the overhang of the corn storage structure. Milesa say the other villagers beat her but they don’t. They feed her when they come to the house. We gave her lots of love and pets. 

Our SIM cards did not work in Bosnia, and Milesa had no signal, so we could not use Google translate to help us communicate. But we know enough Serbian now that we could at least understand a fair bit and could communicate simple things although I’m sure we made many grammatical mistakes. 

By the time we got home it was too late to walk to town for dinner and Jim wasn’t very hungry. I, however was, and we didn’t have anything substantial to eat. In theory I don’t mind skipping dinner but I tend not to sleep well when I’m hungry. But aside from that we had a wonderful day and deeply appreciated our hosts’ kindness and generosity.