A day on vacation in Sarajevo

Boki's photos of Sverzo House


Rather than sit in the office in an increasing foul mood over my destroyed dream trip -- and at the urging of co-workers who have been suffering that mood -- I took a day off 7/19 and gave myself a vacation in Sarajevo.

The city is full of tourists right now and the weather is finally perfect. So on my mini vacation, I slept late, visited the book store, sat reading a book and drinking coffee at one of the sidewalk cafe's, ate ice cream and read more in the park and visited a museum I've been meaning to get to for a long time.

Svrzo House dates from the 18th century and shows how a bosnian beg or nobleman would have lived at the time. It's a beautiful, peaceful example of Ottoman architecture, full of lovely woodwork, embroidery, silverwork and carpets. Like too many of these reconstructions, it's so perfect and neat you have trouble imagining anyone actually living there.

The house is divided into two strictly separated parts -- the selamluk, the public and male part of the house facing the street. This is where guests were recieved and business was done, and behind it the haremluk, which was the family and female part. they have a revolving door in the wall so the women could pass food and drinks to the men and guests without being seen.

I would have been passing poison through that door.
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