Sarajevo: A Love Letter From a Girl Madly in Love + My Top 10 Nooks

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Old Town, Sarajevo, Bosnia and and Herzegovina

Old Town, Sarajevo, Bosnia and and Herzegovina

I feel a piece of my soul dislodged itself from my body and hid itself in Sarajevo pre-birth. I have so much love for this city that I have had to force myself to write about it. I want it to stay my hidden diamond forever, but the world needs to know the endless troves of beautiful humanity that dwell within its streets. Pardon me and my appropriately partitioned romanticism.

I will always be grateful to my friends Lejla and Adi who first showed me the beauty and strength of their home that, despite atrocities, has walked out of the tunnel to greet everyone with a smile and ask them for a dance.

One sentiment you will not find here is pity. Yes, the people have been through recent destruction. But if you are so lucky to venture here, you’ll understand that these people have always been jovial beings sans even the slightest hint of bullshittery. They’ll give you the shirt off their back with a smile and will also tell it like it is till the cows come home. Bad things sometimes happen to really good people who make great fucking coffee.

The mountains and city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The mountains and city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Looking over the city’s entire geography feels like admiring a carefully woven sweetgrass basket similar to the ones I used to eye during summer trips to South Carolina as a child. Women at the Charleston street markets would sit in the humidity weaving their happiness, sadness, anger, and dreams into entire blocks-worth of these vessels.

Sarajevo is surrounded by mountains on all sides with the center nestled in the heart of the round. Standing at one edge of this natural coliseum, I felt the pulse below my feet of one of the many threads that have woven this magical place into a goldmine of culture, community, and coeur.

Favorite number on a street in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Favorite number on a street in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

You’d be good to spend your days simply strolling from coffee house to coffee house, but because I’m a gracious host with the scoop on some of my most favorite spots in the world, here’s a list for you:

 

Zlatna ribica

That translates to Golfish. This is, to date, my favorite bar in the world. If you’re an old soul who loves collecting postcards, knick knacks, memorabilia, Edison lighting, and dark corners, this place is for you. The (often times only 1) employees look like they walked out of the 20s and the drinks are served in glasses you’d see on Mad Men. It’s such a visual and immersive experience that I’d rather you read this and just go. Don’t look up pictures. Order plum brandy for what equates to $3 USD.  

 

Havana

I’ve had the strangest and most wonderful chance encounters in this bar. Doesn’t hurt that their music solely consists of superb live local music and throwback American jams. Either famous Bosian musicians will be on stage or you will be twerkin’ to Baby Got Back. Those are your only two options. Go here for a more rowdy night out.

 

Čajdžinica Džirlo

Oh, man. There are coffee shops. Then there’s Čajdžinica Džirlo. Frequented by age-old locals and tourists alike, the place will just never feel gimmicky no matter how popular it gets. I sat in this place for hours daily getting to know the coffeetender whose matronly spirit was impressed upon every patron. It might as well have been my living room if my living room were adorned with colorful fabrics and walled with jars of medicinally-oriented tea leaves. It’s just that damn cozy and then some.

 

Morića han

I put this as the destination to get you to this general area. This is a little cave-esque spot in the old town that’s part marketplace, part coffee shop, and part restaurant. It’s hidden away so you wouldn’t know about it unless you happened upon it. The market in here is one of the most colorful and beautiful spots in the entire old town. It’s darker and lit up by hand-painted lights. Go get swept away.

 

Egipat

So let’s forget about what seems to be overtly racist signage above this tiny, tiny gelato shop in the city’s main square (right near the cathedral). It’s only a dancing Egyptian, but I can’t help but think it’s an unkind antiquated cartoon. This is not your average gelato. Think creamier and textured slightly like caramel. You can get all 4 of the only flavors they offer. Get at least 1.  

 

Inat Kuća

Also known in English as the House of Spite. Basically at the end of the 1800’s Sarajevo started demolishing buildings in order to erect a new city hall. One old man owned a house on a plot of land the city needed for the new structure. He refused every monetary offer the city proposed for years. Finally, he accepted a bag of gold for the land--with one condition. He commanded the city rebuild his house right across the river brick-by-brick. Exactly. I don’t know who this man is, but he’s my hero. Now it’s a restaurant. Ask to eat in the attic. Bring a date if you can find one. Exchange flirty banter for stubborn hard-to-get insults the entire time.

 

Petica

Sorry but you haven’t had ćevapi until you’ve had it in Sarajevo and you haven’t have ćevapi in Sarajevo until you’ve had it from Petica. Order with a kupus and paradajz salad (cabbage and tomato).

 

Forino

Burek. Fast food. But still real food. You will dream of it post-consummation. Meat or cheese or spinach wrapped in dough. That’s about it.

 

The Four Rooms of Mrs. Safija

In the afternoon, enjoy the outdoor patio with some delicious local wine. At night, go here for a fabulous dinner with local and foreign influences. Walk through the rooms. Be a lady. Get into trouble. This place is beauty and grace and enough history to possibly have dirty secrets. Ponder them while you feast.

 

Kibe

This is your grand finale of Saraejvo. Located at the very top of the northern mountains, Kibe is nestled between houses and even looks like a house itself. Beginning as a local food stand, this restaurant has grown over the years to celebrity-visiting status without the pomp. You’ll get beautiful, unique architecture, extremely local food, and a panoramic view of the city. Getting there before sunset and sitting on the top floor is highly recommended.

 

Upon finishing this line-up, I realize my list is mostly comprised of food and drink. This, however, is Sarajevo. Relax. Move with the city. Don’t do too much. Walk along the river. If anything, Sarajevo is about being. Not doing.

The only sight I would highly recommend seeing is the 1984 Olympic Bobsleigh Tracks. They’re outside the city, but worth the trek.

Bobsleigh Tracks of the 1984 Olympics, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bobsleigh Tracks of the 1984 Olympics, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Malibu couldn't be more of a dream come true. Thank you for all you've given me so far: inspiration, love, hope, spark, motivation, and stillness. Thank you for everything that is yet to come. My heart belongs to you. #malibu #california #malibumorni
As soon as I land here, my body drinks up the moisture and my skin and heart are revived. My body knows it was born and bred here. Traveling the world has made me so grateful for my home. Shout out to my Dad's '90s truck that still runs like new and
En route to Denver ⛰ #southernbelle #nomad #roadtrip
Nothing like day drinking in a tiny town. Helllllo, Durango 🦌
Dandelion wishes 💫

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24 Things to Do in Budapest in 2 Days (More Importantly, 3 Nights)

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Budapest's Buda Castle at night as seen from the Danube.

The streets of Budapest are Paris. And Munich. And Florence. Of course, my history tells me. Of course they are. This hit me in a real way the first night I walked around the city only hours after arriving via an 8 hour bus ride, a 4 hour layover, and a 6 hour train ride. My body was exhausted, but you do not sleep here. It’s a city for the night warriors, street dwellers, and tree crawlers.

Calling Budapest hip and trendy is about as banal and irrelevant as calling Steve Jobs an innovator. And the vibe is so chill I can’t even think of a real-world simile. Like maybe Britney pre-2007 add a little bit of weed subtract all the basicness? You come here as you are. You walk around. You slowly feel your shoulders drop. Your mind floats. You're inclined to look for some super loose pants to meander in with your newfound attitude. Then you go as you please. If you ever do.

There’s something slippery about this city and every time you try to put your finger on it, it slides out from under you. You find yourself wanting to stay with no real answer to “why?” And for me, I realized after my first day in Budapest that it wasn’t that I wanted to stay another day. I wanted to stay another night.

Days in Budapest feel akin to the perfect hangover. The one where you wake up with absolutely no side effects, but you feel a refreshing lightness. So you find yourself going back to the night, trying to figure out what you did to come out of it with such a swagger. But it’s usually not about what exactly you drank. There are so many factors. Who you were with. What the occasion was. What you had for dinner. The perfect, elusive combination that leads to magical hangovers is Budapest at night.

The Little Princess statue on the railing by the Danube. 

At night that slippery thing rears its head a little and tells you to come hither. You’re trying to see it, but the modern Christmas-esque lights on buildings, bridges, and churches throughout the city always make sure your vision is always a little out of focus. You want to keep searching. When you realize you’ll never find it, you surprisingly accept it gracefully. And upon reaching this acceptance, you gain a deeper understanding of the people who call this place home.

They don’t give a fuck about you. In the most genial way. People here reside in their cliques like they do in New York City, but there is no pitting of one against the other. No judgement when brushing shoulders. To go out to a park or club here at night is like watching highly individual herds of cattle, sheep, zebra, and horses nestle right up next to each other without mingling. Each group has bonded over the way they try to figure out mysteries. Personally, I felt like a brightly colored unicorn among the black leather jackets and low-key fashionable hooves. But the brilliant relief is that not one person here could give a shit about my unicorness. I was free to prance as I pleased throughout the narrow divides in the herds.

2 Days 3 Nights

Night 1

Arrive in the afternoon around 4 PM. Rest, change up if you need, then head out for kebab. If you stay on the east side in the north of District VII like I did, you'll be able to walk to Török Étterem on Teréz krt. (there are multiple locations throughout the city). It’s essentially at the corner of the thick of Budapest’s nightlife and if you start here, you can move west hitting lots of spots along the way.

With gyro in hand, walk two blocks down the road and you’ll find Instant, a bizarre staple ruin pub with a hostel on the top floor. It’s worth a visit to see the wall images depicting naked ladies and cauliflower-headed humans, but make it a stopping-by visit only unless you’re keen on slowly feeling like you’re living real life Willy-Wonka-in-the-boat-tunnel only with lots of groups of frat boys “doing Budapest.”

Next slip down to Anker’t, an outdoor beer garden two more blocks away with pretty lights and a much more bookish vibe. You’ll find a strong mix of locals and tourists. It’s a spot where you could hang for a while and meet a number of people from all over the world without having to deal with crowds or obscenely loud music.

Five more blocks away you’ll hit Fogasház, a rooftop ruin pub. Game hall. Vineyard. Treehouse. Whatever you want to call it, Fogasház is a hotchpotch of randomness that rightfully resides within beautifully decrepit walls.

For your last stop of the night walk two blocks to the train stop at the corner or Erzsébet krt. and Wesselényi u. It’ll be the 4 train toward Széll Kálmán tér M. Take it 5 stops and get off at Margit híd. If you can, step directly on the train when you get on and face the opposite window. Face that way until your stop. Turn around for a surprise. Trust me. Word to the wise: just make sure you do this before 12:30 AM.

 

Day 1

If you’re unsurprisingly hungover after the night before, head over to Bors GasztroBár for one of the best sandwiches you’ll ever eat. Added bonus: they pump Hungarian gangsta rap and the sandwich crafters are rad as fuck.

Here I’ll make an insert about the famed House of Terror museum. I went and did not care for it at all. We're all different, so it might be your thing, but it was not mine. My favorite movie is Silence of the Lambs and one of my favorite museums is the EL-DE House in Cologne, but I just couldn’t get down with this museum. In addition to images and movies of terror during the Hungarian Nazi reign, there is ominous music playing throughout and you absolutely need to get an audio guide to know what is what. There are lengthy English print outs of historical facts in each room, but they do not tell you about individual pieces as you walk through the museum. I didn’t like the design, the music, or the overall feeling. I don’t like audio guides. Total pass.

For your afternoon, take a walk up the hill that contains the Buda Castle and St Matthias Church in one giant walkable space. Do as you please here. The Buda Castle contains the Hungarian National Gallery and there are little shops and crevices all around this area.

For the early evening, head over to the Inner City and have a fancier traditional Hungarian dinner at Cyrano. Post-dinner, walk around the area to discover a mix of high-end shops, large open squares, and even more buildings.

 

Night 2

After nightfall, you could easily head back over to the river without going back to your Budapest home. I recommend walking the length of the river at night if you’re the walking sort. If you head directly west of the Inner City and walk north up the river you’ll hit a few bars and one 5-star hotel. I’ll go in order of direction.

Stop by the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace just to see it because #fluxury. The building alone looks like a palace and if you wander around inside at night you’ll likely be alone and able to take in all its beauty.

After you’ve gotten your luxury hit, walk two doors down to get nasty. No, actually. Bob Bár down the street pumps the BEST rap music from the 90s to today. You can hear it from the hotel’s front door. As a woman who is well versed in twerking sensibilities, I couldn’t resist. Go.

On the river bank directly across from the hotel and Bob Bár, you’ll run into PONTOON, a riverside bar that’s a mellow relief from the former. Stop by for a drink and continue along the river until you run into Shoes on the Danube Bank and then the Hungarian Parliament Building up close and personal. Upon seeing its level of perfection in architecture and lighting, try not to judge yourself too hard.

After your long, silent river walk, end your second night at the Akvárium Klub and surrounding area. There was a private party in the club the night I went here, but the giant square surrounding it has a beer garden, a pool, grass space to chillax, and tons of people everywhere. This is a a must-do epicenter night spot. 

 

Day 2

Go for breakfast at Centrál Kávéház. The food is delicious and you’ll have a lovely street square view that almost makes you feel like you’re in Paris. I had the goat cheese salad with elderflower dressing and it was as sparkly in my mouth as it sounds.

Post delicious breakfast, go get a massage at the yellow and blue toned Széchenyi Baths and hang around until the moment right before your fingers start to prune. After you're all relaxed, head out for an afternoon walk. 

Take a walk down both Király u. and the famous Andrássy út. Maybe stop at the Book Café to see this overly-priced bookstore café that essentially looks like a palace instead. Walk some more. Stop at the stores. Walk. Stop and have coffee. Walk. Stop and have champagne. Walk. Walking around a city has so much value. Do it.

For a late-ish lunch or dinner, there are any number of beautiful and I’m sure delicious restaurants up and down these streets, but I can’t not recommend falafel. Because Budapest. And falafel. It’s a mouth party. You'll find falafel everywhere, but I found a special, tiny gem called Olive Tree Hummus and it was perfect in every way from the hummus to the falafel to the topping ratios. Speaking of hummus, Hummus Bar. No further explanation necessary.

 

Night 3

The last night is short but sweet because it consists of one place: Simplza. If you go during high tide, you will wait forever to get in. But it’s so worth it. This is the ruin pub of all ruin pubs. And for all those who don’t club or don’t like public places or don’t like to dance or don’t like people or just aren’t feeling life, THIS IS YOUR PLACE TO FORGET ALL THAT STUFF AND GO CRAZY AND BE FREE.

Meet people from every corner of the globe. Do the chicken dance. Do the YMCA. Kiss strangers (responsibly?). Try out public speaking. Or public table dancing. Do whatever the fuck you wanna do, it’s Simplza. 

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Malibu couldn't be more of a dream come true. Thank you for all you've given me so far: inspiration, love, hope, spark, motivation, and stillness. Thank you for everything that is yet to come. My heart belongs to you. #malibu #california #malibumorni
As soon as I land here, my body drinks up the moisture and my skin and heart are revived. My body knows it was born and bred here. Traveling the world has made me so grateful for my home. Shout out to my Dad's '90s truck that still runs like new and
En route to Denver ⛰ #southernbelle #nomad #roadtrip
Nothing like day drinking in a tiny town. Helllllo, Durango 🦌
Dandelion wishes 💫

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“You Don’t Look Like You’re Backpacking” and Other Sexist Shit I Hear While Backpacking

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“You don’t look like you’re backpacking.”

For Tower Bridge's 7th edition of Art at the Bridge, 15 women were selected to display their art in honor of International Women's Day. Click the picture for a link to a few outtakes. 

For Tower Bridge's 7th edition of Art at the Bridge, 15 women were selected to display their art in honor of International Women's Day. Click the picture for a link to a few outtakes. 

I have gotten this most often, typically when wearing a dress. Fine, I get it, I’m not literally living out of a backpack with a tent and sleeping in the forest every night. I am, however, living out of a backpack for months on end.

I am lucky enough that the smallest piece of socially acceptable clothing I can wear on the street is a dress. Women are winning at something, eh? 

Naturally, I pack mostly dresses in the summer because they keep my bag light, my body cool, and they’re a breeze to wash.

The fact that I’ve now taken 3 minutes out of my day to explain how and why I backpack wearing dresses is beyond me.

 

“You’re traveling alone?” 

Sometimes this is said out of worry, but I don’t hear many solo male travelers tell me almost everyone they know has expressed concern for them being by their lonesome.

This comment carries doubt in my ability to take care of myself. With my safety level as a lone female traveler shifting depending on my location, I do understand and appreciate it in certain contexts. But like, a woman can chill totally fine on her own in London for god’s sake.  

 

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

This question and its inherent sexism has been thoroughly recorded in recent media thought catalogs, yay! To those who genuinely ask this question because you are interested in someone and you GOTTA KNOW RIGHT NOW if you can ride off into the sunset to “Thinking Out Loud,” I get it. But even still, you could both have this feeling and be otherwise committed. HUMAN BEINGS DO NOT OWN OTHER HUMAN BEINGS.  

As a backpacker, I notice the underlying sentiment of “another man owning a woman means she’s off limits” takes on even deeper meanings.

They ask, where’s your boyfriend? As if he must be around here somewhere because a woman cannot travel without a man.

They ask, do you have a boyfriend at home? As if the person who “owns” me is so far away that I might go outside my relationship sentence either to lend a hand in playing out their affair fantasy or let them lend me a hand in my assumed lonely sex life because I have no body property owner near by. 

 

“Oh yeah? I think you’re just trying to get a dick trophy in every country.”

Yes, my only purpose in life as a woman is to proudly and intentionally collect as many penises as I can with my vagina that inherently belongs to the men attached to those penises (and then turn around and be shamed for the number of ones I've had). This one takes the cake and the icing all in one giant bite.

I have done many forgiveness exercises for this man. When I recall this moment now, it evokes deep sadness and compassion for those whose superiority has cut off their true connection with the world. In one sentence, he effectively invalidated my love of travel, my love of culture, my gratitude for my body, my ownership of my body, the bodies of those I've been trusted to touch, and my voice, and he said it as if he were hungover making Sunday brunch plans.

 

Afterthoughts for the Unconsciously Misinformed (NOT the Dangerous)

I conclude by saying this: I am a bad feminist. I’ve gladly accepted men (and women!) buying me drinks and dinners and inviting me on boats and into homes. I’ve chosen to look at these offerings as humanistic rather than sexist, and I honestly don’t know which ones were which. I don’t want to take life too seriously and see no reason to berate a man or woman about whether they’re trying to flirt with me or simply be kind to me; this solves nothing.

In all the instances above except the final, I have continued talking to whomever made these comments. Like I said, I am a bad feminist, but I also have intentions in continuing these conversations.

I grew up in the Southern United States, which, despite best efforts by some, still has heavy, stubborn dregs of racism. Some of the side effects of this upbringing include genuinely unconscious racism. For example, looking at a painting of a hazy cotton field in rural Georgia passed down from my ancestors, I thought it was beautiful. It took someone with enough openness and kindness to explain to me that it was a boastful painting of a slaver owners’ possessions working in the fields.

What will make this world a better place? Connection. Choosing to set aside assumptions about someone's authentic nature based on simple comments, however hurtful. Instead of condemning and fighting and creating opposites of genders and/or sexualities, I try to be patient and kind. I try to connect.

A brilliant night in Brussels, Belgium.

A brilliant night in Brussels, Belgium.

I do not fight fire with fire. If I feel I am fully physically, mentally, and emotionally safe (crucial), I fight it with a giant ass fire hose. And when I do, something magical happens. We connect. We both cool down, I from my anger and the other from their pre-dispositions. My actions, ever so slightly, change the way they view me, and I secretly hope this revolutionary idea of equality begins to carve out new neural pathways.

This in no way applies to the dangerous and/or predatorial. In this case, I fight fire with silently running as far and fast away as I can. Full mental, physical, and emotional safety for myself always comes first. They are welcome to burn in the house they set on fire if they so choose. 

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Backdrops 🙌🏼
Malibu couldn't be more of a dream come true. Thank you for all you've given me so far: inspiration, love, hope, spark, motivation, and stillness. Thank you for everything that is yet to come. My heart belongs to you. #malibu #california #malibumorni
As soon as I land here, my body drinks up the moisture and my skin and heart are revived. My body knows it was born and bred here. Traveling the world has made me so grateful for my home. Shout out to my Dad's '90s truck that still runs like new and
En route to Denver ⛰ #southernbelle #nomad #roadtrip
Nothing like day drinking in a tiny town. Helllllo, Durango 🦌
Dandelion wishes 💫

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