Remembering in Sarajevo

I put this video together today. It’s represents some of the more meaningful thoughts that came out of our trip to the British Ambassador’s Residence in Sarajevo for fireworks on Saturday night. I did leave with other thoughts, like whether it would be wise to public school ones children so as to better prepare them for this kind of occasion. Over the years people have commented of my diplomatic skills in managing people and projects but one thing is clear: I am not part of the diplomatic in-crowd.

I might not have been hob-nobbing with the great and the good but I managed a good deed for the evening: offering a torch to a mother whose shoulder-mounted child had dislodged the back of her ear-ring. My mini-LED marvel managed to locate the all-important item amongst the damp grass. I could regale you with amusing snatches of conversation overheard over mulled wine but that would doubtless constitute some breach of state security, so my lips are sealed. However, I pulled out my camera long enough to capture the fireworks you can enjoy below.

Would you trust this tour guide?!

I've just got back in after a week away. The water park post came on the one day we had any internet access. Now I have many stories to tell, enough to keep me busy here for the next couple of days. There'll be 'new' video too - it will, of course, be slightly less of-the-moment after it's waited in line to be edited. So until then let me leave you with this short, unedited video.

Meet Budo, one of the Novi Most team, explaining the delights of Vrelo Bosne* and what we were getting up to on our team retreat...



*Vrelo Bosne is the source of the River Bosna.

Fun...

Fun: it's one of the Novi Most values. That's one reason why our team found itself at the Terme in Ilidža this afternoon. It's a great recreational swimming facility, that was almost empty but for our noisy bunch enjoying themselves and me making this video. I think you'll agree, it had to be done!

Uni-Hockey or Floorball?

When I say 'uni-hockey' to people I am often met by blank looks. That's not surprising. Up until relatively recently I'd never heard of it either. Then it turns out it often, perhaps more often, goes by the name floorball.

Neverthless, it is still fair to say it's a small, if growing, sport thats main sphere of influence is Scandanavia. As with anything unknow, people find it easier to comprehand when they've actually seen it. And so we've started filming a promotional fim about the team uni-hockey Novi Most has started in Mostar.

It was during filming at a training session on Saturday that I shot this quick vlog...

Shops...and a cinema?

The rumours were not true; they always sounded more like wishful thinking anyway. Mostar’s new shopping centre – TC Piramida – does not have a cinema in it. The city remains without a permanent big screen venue, but gains at least eight escalators and some shops it didn’t have already. The shopping centre will boast late night (10pm) opening six nights of the week and a tentative attempt at Sunday trading, which most of Mostar’s other mall don’t do. I found some pictures posted online earlier today that show it off quite well.

I gave it the once over earlier one. It will definitely deserve a second look, maybe when the ‘coming soon’ units have finally been filled. If I was to make a criticism - which clearly I now am! - it would be that it felt cramped and dark, and of course the cafe bars are still smoky. Nevertheless, it is a more conducive shopping environment than either Old Mall or New Mall. My highlight was the Adidas Originals sections of the Sport Life store, although over here my favourite brand comes at a price I’m reluctant to pay. But being able to look longingly is better than nothing!

Language Laundering

One of the things that can be a really stumbling point when learning a new language is turns of phrase: little collections of words that are used together to mean something other than what the words actually mean. When you start to listen closely to the way you talk you suddenly realise how many of these we use in English. Many, maybe most, do not translate. Bosnian has some too. Picking up on yesterday’s autumn themed post, I saw a cover of a local lifestyle magazine that declared ‘Jesen je zakon’ – literally ‘Autumn is the law’, but meaning something more like ‘Autumn rules’.

Then there are phrases that are the same by ever-so slightly different; like ‘money laundering’. Now we know this, not because we’re involved in any financial irregularities but because as part of the running of a foreign humanitarian organisation we’re aware of the financial restrictions in place to stop such undesirable activity going on. However, our local team members will talk about ‘washing money’ rather than laundering it.

Yesterday Rowan not only washed some money but tumble-dried it too! It is to the credit of Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina that her ten mark note emerged for her jeans pocket cleaner but otherwise unharmed. Given what usually happens to receipts that get forgotten in my pockets I think this is quite an impressive act of endurance. If the note proceeds to self destruct suddenly it will no longer be her problem as she spent it today, probably on the raw materials she needs for the creation of the cute little creatures you can see at Out Of The Frame.

Fall Photography Fail!

They say Fall in New England is something special. I’ve never seen it but I know in England it’s Autumn. The season of rain-soaked soggy leaves on the sidewalk, I mean, if a little less alliteratively, the pavement. Here in Bosnia and Herzegovina we have Jesen – pronounced ‘yes-en’ and a thing of rare beauty. I could go on, and on and on, about the quality of the light but I'll spare you that; although if you ever see me standing, staring at a mountain in the late afternoon that's your clue as to what's provoked the strange behaviour.

A quick trip to Sarajevo over the weekend was made all the more dangerous for the abundance of breath-taking views edging the twisty mountain roads. Yes, I kept my eyes on the road – mostly! – but driving back this afternoon I had to stop once or twice – ok, probably three times – to try and capture the view. It never works. Maybe thousands of pounds on photographic equipment and a generous helping of talent would do it justice it a way my snapshot never will. Even without a photography fail, however, you just can’t beat being there.

And to that end I’m glad to say this is where I was this afternoon...