Yesterday I've reached another milestone on the road to Odessa: Sarajevo, 155 km from the stage's start in Kupres!
From an outsider's view, South Western Croatia and Bosnia - and Sarajevo in particular - seem to have recovered to a large extent from the 90's massive war destruction, unlike what I experienced in Northern Croatia 2 years ago. Though, I have no idea to what extent material reconstruction equals real reconciliation. All along the way through Bosnia I saw numerous and sometimes even ostentiously big Croatian flags. What do they stand for, which feelings do they express? Who is who in this country and which side were they on? Does all that matter anyway?
Riding through this side of Europe - it's barely more than a meet and greet - a lot of questions remain unanswered to me, the unstoppable cyclist.
On my well needed day off-bike here in Sarajevo, I visited the Srebrenica memorial museum: heartbreakingly terrible and only bringing up new questions. I was even wondering how many memorial museums and sites one can actually bear in life before only being left impassive, thinking about Oradour-sur-Glane, in Flanders Fields, Verdun, and so many more places of commemoration I was before.
Eight days on the road: I needed a break, felt exhausted last night for a little moment. But I am all fine again now, the body could rest, and so could my mind from the impressions overload. Reset, tomorrow I am out again!
From an outsider's view, South Western Croatia and Bosnia - and Sarajevo in particular - seem to have recovered to a large extent from the 90's massive war destruction, unlike what I experienced in Northern Croatia 2 years ago. Though, I have no idea to what extent material reconstruction equals real reconciliation. All along the way through Bosnia I saw numerous and sometimes even ostentiously big Croatian flags. What do they stand for, which feelings do they express? Who is who in this country and which side were they on? Does all that matter anyway?
Riding through this side of Europe - it's barely more than a meet and greet - a lot of questions remain unanswered to me, the unstoppable cyclist.
On my well needed day off-bike here in Sarajevo, I visited the Srebrenica memorial museum: heartbreakingly terrible and only bringing up new questions. I was even wondering how many memorial museums and sites one can actually bear in life before only being left impassive, thinking about Oradour-sur-Glane, in Flanders Fields, Verdun, and so many more places of commemoration I was before.
Eight days on the road: I needed a break, felt exhausted last night for a little moment. But I am all fine again now, the body could rest, and so could my mind from the impressions overload. Reset, tomorrow I am out again!