It's getting cooler - Postaje sve hladnije -
I've started early morning walks (not power walks). No aim to lose weight or anything like that, I simply want to see my world as it wakes up.
Hello and welcome to another multi-media newsletter from the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
If you’d like to help the newsletter, you can Buy Me a Coffee.
I appreciate your faithful readership, your comments, and your generosity!
THANKS SO MUCH to you all who support us on Buy Me a Coffee❤️
Our Weather.
Readers Have Been Visiting 😀
I never, ever, thought, that we would see readers dropping by to say hi and share a drink with us here in the village.
But it’s happened.
Dragana and Jonathan who both live in The Netherlands spent an hour or so catching up. Dragana’s originally from Banja Luka. Jonathan is a podcaster. How cool is that? They brought original Stroopwafels.
William, who lives now in Paris, but comes from a neighbouring village to us here, also dropped by. William had contacted me sometime ago. He used to be a listener to the radio station I ran here in Banja Luka and the north of the country between 1999-2005. He also said he met me back in 2001, but to be honest I couldn’t remember.
He brought an amazing Camembert cheese for me. How cool. We chatted for a few hours and I gave him what souvenirs I still had from the radio station from all those years ago.
He’s going to take some images of the mug we gave him from different locations in the Paris area.
Another reader, Lana, arrives in our area soon, all the way from Florida.
It’s simply amazing to meet newsletter readers. It really is.
This Weeks Vlog.
An early morning walk from the house down to the banks of the River Vrbas.
Although we have had some exceptionally dry and hot days with very little rain, the valley still looks extremely green.
What kind of harvest the crops will offer, remains to be seen.
Fingers crossed.
I talk about my thoughts.
The Week That Was.
Reading REAL Books.
I simply can’t remember how many years ago my super cool friend, Mirjana gave me this book.
It’s a cultural guide.
Every page has a gem of knowledge, that helps me, even after these past decades, to understand the people I live amongst.
However, in reality, I don’t think any “Stranac" (foreigner), can ever understand the people of my adopted region.
Their complex history, and it’s impact on almost every aspect of their lives, is beyond the comprehension of me and people similar to me.
I don’t mean to say this in any overarching negative way. Life is different here.
My Golden Rules for Stranac in the Balkans then:
Keep out of discussions about politics.
Ignore the blame games of, “it’s someone else’s fault".
Your version of history will be different than theirs, so just suck it up.
Soak up the hospitality, culture and traditions.
Immerse yourself in the food and music.
Astound yourself with the landscapes and nature.
Enjoy every daily sunrise and sunset.
Angry Evening Clouds.
This weather front skirted the Kozara and moved northwards, with it's accompanying "son et lumiere".
Totally bypassed us. We needed the rain, but ....
I've Started Early Morning Walks.
I've started early morning walks (not power walks). No aim to lose weight or anything like that, I simply want to see my world as it wakes up.
I take a flat route that meanders towards the river. As i said, i am not doing any serious physical fitness rather mental fitness. Appreciating what's on my door step. Actually i have already noticed that each morning i see something different.
From low hanging apples that are ripening right at the side of the road, to watching woodpeckers searching for grubs on old trees for breakfast.
I think that’s amazing.
Maybe this is nature’s Netflix?
Where are we all in the World?
Have you put where you are in the world on our Map?
Would be so cool to see where we all are.
Here’s the Map.
PLEASE ADD YOURSELF?
Visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina didn’t get on the UK Green List :(
But, the entry rules to visit us here are:
Proof of Full Vaccination.
or
Fully recovered from COVID (with evidential proof).
or
Negative Antigen Test.
or
Negative PCR.
From the Garden.
And Finally.
That's our update from our village here in the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina for this week.
We hope you like our new way of creating our weekly newsletter.
We hope you'll continue to follow our adventures, and to engage with questions and comments.
We are always so excited when we receive them.
PLEASE, do stay safe wherever you are.
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The walk will be so good for your mental well being - you are so lucky to have all that openness surrounding you and without even knowing it your fitness levels will increase. Enjoy those walks for sure.
oh, just seen this, it's me pint mate Maggy! :)
this reminds me, not sure if oksigen fm dates back before 1999 bc it changed its name, some of us remember the first experimental work hence here's a quick trivia, what was the name of the station before it was named Oksigen? a hint..starts with an S.
yes, the nature is definitely not to be taken for granted any longer