Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A visit here offers a fascinating opportunity to sample the cultures of these three major
faiths within a relatively small area. In the same day, you can inhale incense in a mystical-
feeling Serbian Orthodox church, hear the subtle clicking of rosary beads in a Roman Cath-
olicchurch,andlistentotheMuslimcalltoprayerechoacrossaskylineofpricklyminarets.
Few places in Europe—or the world—cram so much diversity into such a small space.
About half of the people in Bosnia are “Bosniaks”—that is, Muslims. Travel in Bosnia
offers an illuminating and unique glimpse into a culture that's both devoutly Muslim and
fullyEuropean.Here,justashortdrivefromthetouristyDalmatian Coast,youcanstepinto
a mosque and learn about Islam directly from a Muslim. The country also holds one of the
most important pilgrimage sites of the Roman Catholic world: Me
đ
ugorje, where six resid-
ents have reported seeing visions of the Virgin Mary.
Bosnian coffee
(bosanska kafa)
is not just a drink, but a complex ritual that captures this
culture's deliberate, stop-and-smell-the-tulips approach to life. Similar to what you might
call “Turkish coffee,” what defines Bosnian coffee is how it's prepared: unfiltered, with a
thick layer of “mud” at the bottom of the cup. First, the coffee must be ground to just the
right coarseness, which takes quite some time when using an old-fashioned, hand-cranked
grinder. Then the coffee is added to water and vigorously stirred in a copper pot as it comes
to a boil. Even when it's ready to drink, it's done slo-o-o-owly: Carefully decant the cof-
fee—easynow,don'tpourofftoomanygrounds—intoasmallceramiccup.Ifyoutakesug-
ar, Bosnians stress that you should put the sugar cube in the cup first, then pour the coffee
overit.Sipyourcoffeegradually,toallowthegroundstocontinuallyre-settletothebottom.
Swirlthecuptoagitateandrecaffeinateyourbrew.NibbleontheTurkishdelightcandy
(ra-
hatlokum)
that usually accompanies Bosnian coffee, and take time to chat with your travel
partner or a new Bosnian friend. The point is not to slam down caffeine—as it is with many
European coffee cultures—but to have an excuse to slow down and focus on where you are
and who you're with.
