Nostalgia - nostalgija
As we head deep into Autumn, I find myself gazing out of the studio/office window and drifting away in DayDreams while looking at the colours changing in the garden and the village as a whole.
Hello and welcome to this edition of our newsletter from Čardačani, in the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
If you want to read back editions of the newsletter, listen to previous podcasts (we have quite an archive now), or catch other content, all this is available on the web interface, just like a regular blog.
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Highlight of the Week
For those that like our podcasts, I hope that the latest was an enjoyable one. There was a range of both encouraging and inspiring comments, not only from you guys, but also those who follow our adventures elsewhere. So thanks so much for that.
It’s so uplifting talking to people from Bosnia and Herzegovina who are so so positive and see through what can be, a rather foggy future, for their country.
Nataša Konjević is one of those.
Listen again to the podcast and to learn more about her.
Nostaligia
As we head deep into Autumn, I find myself gazing out of the studio/office window and drifting away in DayDreams while looking at the colours changing in the garden and the village as a whole.
The browns and reds are wonderful.
Not as spectacular as what I experienced in Canada, but non the less impressive.
People go “leaf peeping” at this time of the year in North America. Umm. I wonder if that could be something we could do here as well. Maybe organise a guided tour for “Autumnal Tourists”.
What do you think?
Back to Nostalgia, the title of this weeks newsletter.
I often think back to my arrival here, over 23 years ago, and what I have seen, experienced, enjoyed, and been disappointed with in that time.
The sights and sounds from today, that propel me back there in a millisecond.
When I had to get the screws from my ankle repair removed, I attended a small hospital, in Trapisti, a rural location on the outskirts of Banja Luka.
On arrival I was immediately back in 2004.
Back then, my radio station (Oksigen) brought UK based DJ’s to Banja Luka.
One such trip was Speedqueen, an extremely well known club from Leeds.
Suzy Mason and her team from Speedqueen were amazing, not only bringing to the youth of Banja Luka a recreation of a normal night in Leeds but also delivering a “creative workshop” for a group of disabled children, as part of the children’s rehab.
It was an emotional visit. But rewarding.
We had always kept those British clubbers in our thoughts. To be honest, kinder humans would be hard to find.
And then, just minutes before settling down to write this. POW!
Our dear friend Suzy from Speedqueen drops us a message “Totally out of the Blue”.
Suzy wants to talk about a project that might involve Bosnia.
We will be chatting in the not too distant future. Whether anything happens, well let’s see, it’s “Early Doors”.
But Tamara and I have big smiles on our faces.
Good Beer Hunting
Craft Beer is storming across Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Here’s a super story from the city of Mostar.
Question of the Week
Are we going to be producing a Rakija video this year?
Answer:
We certainly hope to. It won’t be at ours, due to the bad fruit harvest we had this year. But a cousin of Tamara’s should be “baking”. Stand By!
This week in …. 1969
On the 27th October 1969 Banja Luka was hit by a massive earthquake.
The destruction was significant.
If you’re reading this for the first time, enjoy, and if you would like to support us, then maybe you can Buy Me a Coffee?
Tamara and I appreciate your faithful readership, your comments, and your generosity!
THANKS SO MUCH ❤️
Thanks for a great newsletter, really wishing I could be in Mostar again testing those delicous beers, wishing you all the very best