My information and love of Budapest is on the European page but these images will stay with me forever.

But some things I hit on my tour....

• Central Market Hall

• Gellert Hill Cave

• Gellert Spa

• Citadella/park 

• Buda Castle

• Varkert Bazar 

• Church of Our Lady of Buda Castle 

• Szechenyi Bridge

• St Istvan’s Basilica

• Opera House 

• Soviet War Memorial 

• Parliament House tour

• Hungarian National Museum

Osijek

We arrived in Osijek and into the beautiful Maximillian Guesthouse. A piece of paradise in this amazing little town. The guesthouse is in the old fort area of the town on the river. It was truly divine.

Osijek is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of just under 100,000. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia.  It didn't fare well under the 91-93 conflict with nearly over 1700 people killed. 

There is an amazing memorial in the center of town for all to remember the resilience of the people here, fighting with what the had. The memorial is a Fiat, wedged into a tank. I kid you not!

But Osijek was a blast and in more ways than one. The town was like a furnace! Everyone in their right minds was tucked away safely indoors, which beggars belief as there isn’t much aircon fitted to buildings here. But in the evening as it cools down, the cafes and restaurants along the south side of the River come to life and it’s fabulous

Vukovar was a huge part of the fighting during the former Yugoslavia conflicts, with most of the town destroyed and it’s inhabitants displaced.

We visited the Hospital there. It does tours as it played a significant part  in the saving or as many people as possible in the tiny bomb shelter in the basement.  In fact during the siege on the town from 25 Aug to 19 Nov 1991 when the whole town was nearly destroyed, this amazing, tiny hospital performed over 1000 surgeries in the three month period; more amazing was this was with limited staff and limited resources. In addition to it being bombed nearly every day despite showing the Red Cross very prominently. To try and protect as many as they could, during the last few weeks there was over 700 people sheltering in the old nuclear shelter under the shell of the original hospital.

In fact, the bombing figures are quoted at 70 per day increasing to 1000 per day towards the end of the siege.  Whilst I looked at these figures and tried to work out how the former Yugoslavia managed to supply and sustain aircraft and artillery to the numbers quoted here – and I’ll be honest, I think most countries would struggle to sustain this amount of fighting alone. However, this was just one more example of the futile brutality of war.

There is a wiki page dedicated to this battle – see below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vukovar

Thankfully to put some light-heartedness into the trip, we went from there to wine tasting at one of the biggest wine producers in Croatia. I’ll be honest, some of the wines were okay and could probably give the Aussie ones a run for their money. Storage for some of the older vintages was a tad…..dodgy, though.  Stacked in an underground cellar, they are covered in mould – and that’s how they are packed to the customers. Wrapped in what appears to be black mould.

Unusual for me – I couldn’t wait to get out – not like me to say that about a wine cellar tbh…

Anyway, Novi Sad, Serbia and staying at the Hotel Zenit, central to the town but down some dodgy laneways that I wouldn’t like to walk down in the dark

Novi Sad is another lovely old town but like the rest has some damage and again like the others, a lot of the damage is being retained as a memento of a sad and awful history.  Those that do not learn the lessons of the past are apt to repeat them.

I’ll be honest, continually faced with war zones and the subsequent lessons isn’t something I thought I would be confronting so regularly on this trip – especially the second half. Perhaps that was a little naive. After all it was only 33 years ago. For more information, I used this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugoslavia

Our time here in Novi Sad was brief, we arrived after 4pm, went for the usual orientation walk and after that, I was ready for bed. Whilst I haven’t included pictures of it, I should have – I couldn’t open the bathroom door fully as the sink had been put in place opposite. 😊

Belgrade for beginners

Well, I wasn’t sure what to expect in Belgrade but it surprised me, we checked into the Belgrade: Hotel Argo on the main street and started exploring immediately. A two-hours professionally guided walk around the city? Bring it on.

We started at the Kalemagdan Fortress and Park and it was quite the surprise to turn the corner and come face to face with a pile of captured war machinery!  Obviously we needed the obligatory photos

Interestingly, the last part of the trip both on train and bus just showed how conflict has affected these countries. Bombed out buildings sitting right next to 18th century architecture. Remnants of the war are all over, including an old military building in the middle of town. This is once again a decision to leave it bombed out as a memorial to war. But they’ve undertaken some safety precautions to protect the public. They’ve created a wooden roofed walkway to ensure the concrete doesn’t land on your noggin when you’re walking underneath it. I took one look at that rio and concrete dangling down and crossed the bloody road.  Not on my head, not today Sir!

Directly across the street is another building which has also been subjected to the pointy end of a Precision Guided Munition. The building is blown out from the top down, but the walls are intact, if a tad unstable (a description that could similarly be applied to me!), still leaving the beautiful old buildings that surrounds it, virtually intact.

Having nearly two days here has been incredible with a huge orientation walk, national parliament buildings, theatres, national museum, the Nikola Tesla museum, contemporary art, churches, the obligatory open top bus and a brewery!

It’s been an absolute jam packed few days. Huge! Two days of over 20k steps, and that’s even using buses for a lot of the time. This has been an experience certainly.

I’m left with the following impression though, this is a country that was part of the Austria-Hungary empire, was under Turkish rule, was a communist country as part of Yugoslavia and still has Russian influence. It’s a confusing situation and it shows everywhere as old 18th century competes with ratty old communist buildings and now with the latest new shiny business buildings

It’s a place I’ve enjoyed visiting. But with all these things, we should never forget the lessons of the past. And it looks like the government here are determined to do that by keeping demolished buildings, and storing confiscated weaponry at the old fort.!  But what’s very obvious is that Belgrade and the Serbian Government are very close to Russia. So who knows what the future brings.

Some other visit considerations:

• • Zimun Old Town

  • Pekara Trpkovic Bakery

  • Museum of Yugoslav History 

  • Nikola Tesla Museum

  • St Mark Church and Parliament 

  • St. Sava Church

  • Museum of Contemporary Art

Sarajevo 

I am here.... in the Hotel Sahat, located slap bang in the old town. 

Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a city rich in history and culture, known for its resilience in the face of adversity.

From a country of 3 million people over ten percent are in Sarajevo; 360k live in this city to be exact.

What’s even better is its a perfect example of mixed religions living in harmony and comprises of Jews, Muslims, Roman Catholic and Christian orthodox 

Centuries of rule by the Ottoman (15h century for 400 years) and Austri-Hungarian (1850s for 60 years) empires weren’t able to change or influence the country to bring one prominently to the fore. They all live in harmony with spectacular churches, mosques and temples all co-existing in close proximity. Despite the city being 57% Muslim, the Mayor is a Jewish female.

Much of the food still reflects the Turkish influence, including the coffee which is so strong it’ll stick your bloody ribs together.

When the Austro-Hungarian’s arrived they somewhat sensibly saw (must have been a female lead planner) that they couldn’t undo 400 years of ottoman rule by force of will so the effectively bought the place. Again, I see the influence from the female of the species. They spent more money in 40 years that the Ottomans did in 400 years and used it as a test bed for innovations they wanted in Vienna. Hence Sarajevo was the first city in the world to get a tram and also streetlights.

The city was also the location of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, and caused the start of WWI

Events after the death of Tito and the subsequent independence movement led by Slovenia are horrific as all wars are. The Serbian forces conducted a siege of the city of Sarajevo. It was during this time that 500,000 bombs were dropped on the city during 1991-1993 conflict. During this time a tunnel was dug under the airport.  This 800m long lifeline took 200 people four months to build and provided a lifeline to the city with everything from food and fuel to weapons and movies (yes, you read that right)

After WWI the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was formed but it wasn’t until after WWII that the socialist republic of Yugoslavia was formed under General Marshall Tito. 

Elderly people still respect Tito as his system looked after the people. But there was no freedom of speech, very totalitarian system.  No descenders.  They do still maintain though that Tito brought peace and in his era they also had a middle class - now it's the rich and poor, no middle. Effectively more socialism than communism.

He also created the fourth largest military in Europe; after Britain, Germany, France and then Yugoslavia but at a huge cost of 60% of GDP and despite declaring that Yugoslavia was non-aligned. So he effectively created this against hypothetical enemies, but they were more USSR leaning, without doubt. 

These days BH has three presidents, and they do a funky rotation type thing with eight months on and presumably 16 months off (a job like mine really!), But there is also14 different systems of Government and 400 political parties – so on par, its about as stable as AUKUS politics really. And did I mention that it was the second most corrupt country in the world? Yes, a place where politicians and government officials get rich but private/commercial industry doesn’t so much. This has meant a brain drain by some of the more professional BHs and 1.2m have left in the last two decades.

Two sieges took place in 1991; Vukovar and Dubrovnik

Then the siege of Sarajevo

During the Bosnian War (1992-1995), Sarajevo endured a prolonged siege, one of the longest in modern warfare; 329 per day bomb dropped on average with a total of over 0.5m. Surreal. In this period, the city’s survival largely depended on the **Tunnel of Hope**, a secret underground passage that linked Sarajevo, cut off by enemy forces, with the Bosnian-controlled territory on the other side. Built by volunteers under extreme conditions, the tunnel became a lifeline, allowing food, medical supplies, and weaponry to reach the city, while also serving as an escape route for civilians. Today, it stands as a symbol of endurance and a powerful reminder of the city's tumultuous past.

A city of resilience, and now interest and fun.

Sarajevo – I’ve loved you! So thank you and farewell!

Some other considerations to visit:

• • Despica House

  • Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque

  • Ferhadija Mosque 

  • Sacred Heart Cathedral 

  • Walk to National Museum 

  • Tunnel of Hope

  • Museum of Crimes Against Humanity 

  • Yellow Fortress

Mostar

Mostar is bloody fabulous. It’s a picturesque city located in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, known for its iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city straddles the Neretva River and is the epitome of the country's diverse cultural heritage, blending Ottoman, Mediterranean, and Western European influences.

The old town is famous for its cobblestone streets (which are a bugger on the feet and the old back of mine), tiny bazaars, and stunning architecture, reflecting centuries of history. The city also holds an important legacy from the Bosnian War, during which the Old Bridge was destroyed and later rebuilt, representing resilience and reconciliation – similar to that of Sarajevo., It’s a popular tourist destination where walking on people’s heads is probably not out of the question. But its celebrated for its natural beauty, history, and cultural experience. The best part though, if you pay money to men they get semi naked and jump off that bridge! Oh, hello….

But naked men aside, some things to consider

• • Koski Mehmed Pasa 

  • War photo exhibition 

  • Old bridge museum

Tito’s Bunker 

This is a massive underground facility built secretly between 1953 and 1979 during the Cold War, near Konjic in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Officially named ARK (Army Reserve Command), was designed to protect Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito and up to 350 members of his inner circle in the event of a nuclear attack. Hidden beneath a mountain near the town of Konjic, the bunker remains a testament to the era's geopolitical tensions and Tito's focus on national security.

The bunker remained undisclosed to the public until the 1990s and is now a museum and art space, symbolizing both the historical tensions of the time and a move toward cultural reconciliation. But interestingly some of the art featured is contemporary so on my visit there was a pile of metal junk on one of the floors of the room. 

Representing? 

Well, the artist raised as a semi-Romany and this was the type of junk her family collected. Okay then!

Niksic

As I mentioned we arrived late in the evening and the others went out for dinner and drinks. I being very conscious of the upcoming Board meeting spent another night studying the pack and relaxing. The initial drive through the town to the Hotel Yugoslavia made me glad we had arrived late and were leaving early. It looked as dodgy as all giddy-up. Seemingly the cocktail bar was nice with $5 booze, but those were the days for me - and now it's night 🤣

So I have no images of Niksic but here is the amazing Durmitor Nationaol Park.

Kotor

Our hotel, Hotel Marija II, wasn’t in the main part of the old town but an easy 30 minutes’ stroll around the bay. The beautiful bay. Surrounded by restaurants and bars and blue water and mountains. So many mountains.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Kotor is an amazing town. A stunning location nestled in along Montenegro's Adriatic coast. Again, the century old part of the town is encircled by ancient stone walls and dramatic mountains, it is a labyrinth of cobbled streets, hidden squares, and centuries-old churches. These old stone walls that kept the city safe and relatively free from invaders. 

We also did an amazing boat trip where we were treated to a couple of islands in the estuary including the picturesque Our Lady of the Rocks, a man-made islet with a sweet church and museum, and which was literally built stone by stone. Then our journey took us to the secret submarine facility built under Titos rule, and set into the rugged mountains. Once more offering a glimpse into the regions Cold War past. Finally, we hit the amazing clear blue waters of the Croation coast for a pretty refreshing swim. Read, it was very cold.

Kotor was beautiful, a tourist resort to be sure, but not to the extent that its oppressive. I’d love to come back here.

 Some things to hit:

• • Armory Square and clocktower

  • St. Tryphum and Gurdic Bastion 

  • Fortress of Sveti Ivan

  • And also the BBQ place by the bus station – that was magnificent. Get the platter for two and share!

Dubrovnik 

Now Dubrovnik.  It's expensive and whilst we were warned the hike in prices compared to everything else on our trip was surprising. My accommodation was the Hostel Sol, it was about 3kms away from the old town but in close proximity to the port and the bus station. It was also near the Brewery and a fabulous rooftop cocktail place called The Love Bar.

Public transport is excellent  but very very busy. There is a fabulous bus map on every stop, adjusted for that respective stop and is so simple to navigate.. 

But, aside from the logistics above, this place - wow. Just wow. Even after a month of serious old beauty, this place couldn’t fail to impress.  It looks like someone has spent a $1 billion and built the most perfect old town to film movies on the coast of Croatia. It’s stunning. The buildings are something that will always take your breath away and say ‘oh my God’ every few seconds.

But, and there’s always a but. The place is heaving with tourists. There are no restrictions on numbers through this historic old town. You are literally elbow to elbow with people, and the hundreds of thousands of visitors have worn many of the flagstones down to a shiny and slippery pathway through the town. Those trying to get off the beaten path, won’t achieve that here. There are thick northern accents at every two paces. Nails/chalk board – yep!

Visitors are also welcome by the many restaurants, museums, bars and cafes both within the old walls and all along the surrounding area along to the port. There is also a plethora of aquatic offerings for everyone to enjoy and see the islands off the coast of Dubrovnik.  After careful consideration, I didn’t opt to do one of these cruises, despite significant temptation. Nor did I head up to Split as was an initial post trip thought. Will I have regrets? Yes. Maybe next time. Next time.

Some things for visiting consideration:

• • • Kings landing

    • Big Onofrio’s Fountain

    • Franciscan Monastery

    • St. Ignatius 

    • Rector’s Palace

    • Sponza Palace

    • War photography museum

    • Maritime Museum