Sarajevo

[garth cartwright]

As i am currently in Sarajevo on assignment thought i would drop the forum a line to say what a wonderful city SV remains even after all it has been through. Very beautiful - both the Ottoman architecture and the people - and wonderfully atmospheric. Last night in a restaurant with Amira - the great sevdah singer who will be at the Barbican June 1 and Manchester June 2 - the wandering minstrel band, who were very good and playing for baksheesh, came over to serendade the table next to us and noting amira put her on the spot to sing. So she put her cigarette down and sang across the many dishes - did i mention how good the food is? - and the whole restaurant went quiet. Finished the place erupted! one of those magical musical moments! i should add it is very sunny here.

[Gordon Moore]

Yes, I cycled through Sarejevo in ... whenever it had the winter olympics ...1983/4?
See the place where Gavrilo Princeps changed the world in 1914.

I remember mostly the wonderful beer, the ultra tasty bread and a humungous cycle climb out of the city on the way south.

Do people still go for an evening promenade? er or was that Pristina.

[garth cartwright]

Challenging terrain for cycling! People tend to promenade all day when the weather is good. Lots of outdoor cafes so those not promenading sit and people watch - this region of the Balkans is home to many incredibly fine looking men and women!

Last night a great kafana experience with an old violinist playing - at breaks he recalled working with Saban Bajramovic in the 1960s. He told of how he found Saban living in a dirt floor shed so took him to work some kafanas and weddings and when he paid Saban the great man said "now i have enough money for food and smoke for a month!" Amazing violinist who again got Amira to sing - gosh, what a voice that woman has! UK debut is at the Barbican supporting Taraf June 1 and then in Manchester on her own June 2.