The Bus to Sarajevo...

I left Kruševo, Macedonia at 6AM May, 29. I arrived in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina at 8AM the next morning. Depending how one travels that is either 850 or 1000 kilometers. You do the math. At one point, in Serbia, it seemed as if the bus were going around in circles in the night. It was as if we stopped at every medium sized town along the way to either pick-up, or disembark, passengers. Then, of course, there was the change of buses in Niš, Serbia. Now there's a real dive of a town. I suppose the old town is nice and there are some important historical sites in the city, but the area around the bus station was the worst kind of red-light district...money changers, prostitutes, nefarious types of all and any persuasion, and me, the itinerant American. That counted for at least 4 hours laying over...at least it wasn't in the middle of the night. I finally slept a few hours just before we arrived in Sarajevo, and then the Serbian bus drivers would not bring us to the main station. They dumped us unceremoniously at the station a few kilometers from town.

I had booked a room at a local pension, but I was not able to find it anywhere. No one knew it, and it was not listed in any directory. The upshot is that this place is not registered so the owners do not have to pay lodging taxes, therefore the cost of a room is less. No worries, however, for I found a very nice place in its stead, the Pansion Čobanija, which is very nice, and the staff is more than helpful. Last night they coached me in grammar and phrases...Nice folks.

Sarajevo is lovely and tragic. The city is once more a thriving center of learning, economics, politics, and culture. The evidence of the war is everywhere, however, as there is probably not a single building that does not show the pock-marked scars of bullets and light arms fire. A few buildings are still pretty bombed out, but most of them are either in the process of being rebuilt, repaired, or even left standing as monuments. As my host Elvir said, ˝Each generation has had its war...˝ Still the city is friendly, promising and full of wonderful photo-ops. I 'll try to post some next week on my Picasa site.

So, I have rested, eaten, shopped, done the tourist thing (for almost a month), and now embark on my real reason for coming here: service. I head of to Međugorje tomorrow and an adventure in service to my fellow man. I will be helping out the Roma, in so far as they want help. That is a big problem in Europe; not only the denial of the over-arching peoples and governments to the needs and hopes of these people, but the overwhelming desire of the Roma to remain separate from the status quo as well. These two aspects combine to make a disastrous reality for the world, in which abuse, malnutrition, ignorance, and fear remain the daily life of an invisible city.

Johnnyboy

Skopje, and more on Thessaloniki...

An addendum to the Thessaloniki post...

Before 1917 the population of Thessaloniki was half Jewish. Then there was a huge fire that tore through the city. Much of the burg was destroyed. Many Jewish families left the city at that time, moving to Palestine and the USA among other spots. In all reality, the Jewish people built that city and were the primary bankers, shippers, traders, and businessmen for over 150 years. The city would not exist if it were not for them. Then came the Second World War and Hitler, and Eichmann, and the Nazi Final Solution.

First the Nazis rounded up all Jewish men between the ages of 18 and 40 and sent them to work camps around the area. The whole population of Thessaloniki rallied to their defense and secured their release through a huge ransom payment. Then the Nazis desecrated the enormous Jewish graveyard, digging it up, destroying the remains, and smashing all the monuments. The University of Thessaloniki now resides on that once hallowed ground. After that, the entire Jewish population of 50,000 ( it is estimated that only 2 0r 3% evaded capture) was rounded up and packed into cattle cars off to Aushwitz-Birkenthau. On arrival 77% were immediately gassed and cremated, and those that remained were sent to labor. many of them died as well. Very few survived the war.

As of today, in a city of over 350,000 people there are only about 1000 Jews. Their neighborhoods are filled with posh looking cafes and strip joints. Anyway, I have only one question...

Where were the people of Thessaloniki when the cattle cars were being loaded? Was the Nazi propaganda machine that good?

So I left Thessaloniki, gratefully, and am now in sunny, peaceful, although turbulent, Skopje, Macedonia. The food is great (vishla sausages...yum!) and I am on my way tomorrow to visit an AA friend in a nearby town. She works in the Peace Corps. After that, on to Sarajevo...The journey is indeed the thing...

Johnnyboy

Latest news from the road...

The Greek Convention was lovely. I have come to the conclusion that I need not do everything nor meet everyone...Quality, not quantity. I left and stayed with my friend Godfrey in his flat in Athens for two days and am now in Thessaloníki, which is not Athens.

Although there are some lovely Byzantine churches, fantastic museums, and first rate AA (in Greek), this city is kind of a dump. This is not its fault, however. The place was a jewel up until 1944 when the allies bombed the living be-Jesus out of it. After that it was rebuilt along the same lines as any post-war system of blocks and concrete, as if a giant child was erecting a small city on the sand. What remained of the ancient burg still stood until 1978 when a large earthquake rattled the ancient bricks and mortar, shaking down the city yet again. The remnants of both of these tragedies are still visible, especially in the Old Town area and some spots along the port. UNESCO is funding a lot of renovation and the city is installing a metro system, as there is no mass-transit except for buses, which seem to be reliable and timely.

My hotel is opposite the train and bus stations and occupies the type of neighborhood typical of that geography. The Hotel Rex (138 Euros for 3 nights, including breakfast) is clean and neat, and the door to room #601 locks tightly. The water is hot and I have a superb view of the busy street below from my small terrace. On either side of me are the type of establishments that make this part of town the garden district--a Sex Shop on the left and a Strip club on the right. In fact, the bass reflex from the strip club can be heard faintly at night as I lay my head on my pillow. Still, the area seems safe enough...

I'll be buying my train ticket to Skopje in about an hour. I leave for FYROM tomorrow at 4PM and I will be happy to be back on the road. I'll be at work by next weekend and grateful to have a place to hang my hat for a while and stretch out my washing line.

On a sad note...I was hoping that Cyprus would be picked for the finals of Eurovision tonight, but no dice. There are some really wacky combos up on that stage.

Johnnyboy

Conventions, Greece, bloody nutters...

Airplane flights can be dull and boring, and if I can sleep I can avoid some of that, but to be honest, I cannot. So I am stuck with dull and boring, and too many carbohydrates!

The Croatian Convention was deeply moving for me, and I met and re-met many people, crazy like me. One of them gave me his blog address, but I won't grass him out...He's a anonymous fellow and I certainly respect that. He has a long history of sobriety and is completely off his nut, but in the best way possible. He has the true spirit of Christmas...

Here I am in Greece, waiting on the next convention. Tomorrow I will travel a short distance and see some sights. After that it is convention time and then off to work in BiH.

I spoke to mom and she is doing well, if a bit more forgetful. Hard realities surround me, but I am grateful that God has given me the chance to experience them fully.

More to come later...Probably next week...


Johnnyboy

Getting ready...

In just a few days I will be winging my way across the Atlantic and back to the Balkans. I am flying in via Budapest but I am only staying one night there. On the way back in August I will stay about 4-5 days so I can see the city before I come home. I have a special affinity for the place that hosted the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, and although the uprising against the Soviet Union failed, it revealed deep fundamental cracks in Soviet Communism.

My banking affairs are in order, I am fully ticketed for most of my travels, whether it be the two AA conventions, train, or air travel. I have rented a little flat in Bosnia, so I do not have to pay for all my meals out or hotels. It has a bedroom, kitchen, living room, and bathroom--All I need really.

This trip is more than an adventure, and I am no longer a tourist. This promises to be an incredible spiritual journey and pilgrimage.

Here is a picture from the Civil War Residency I attended a few weeks ago. This shot is from Antietam, in Maryland.

There are a few other shots from Manassas and Gettysburg as well in the public gallery...

I'll blog again before I leave.

Johnnyboy