Slowly getting back to normal - Polako se vraćamo u normalu

Hello and welcome to this week's post, where I am sat in the car in a residential area of Banja Luka called Ante Jakić.

Jan 22, 2022

Heroes and Villains

Hello and welcome to this week's post, where I am sat in the car in a residential area of Banja Luka called Ante Jakić.

Blue skies with some pure white clouds and the sun shining on the old socialist style apartment buildings.

6 stories high, these buildings were built post 1969 earthquake.

I have been told that 6 stories is the maximum height that regulations allow, due to the constant exposure to earth tremors that this region suffers with.

Most of the streets (and areas) in this city are named after people. Well that's my impression. A mixture of former Yugoslavian royalty and People's Heroes from Socialist times seem to be the norm.

Street names are changing however. A good example is the main street that runs through the heart of Banja Luka.

Used to be called Maršala Tita, but since the 1990’s, it’s King Peter 1.

As someone that has always enjoyed history, this region is a challenge to say the least. The scourge of revisionism rears its head on an almost daily basis. In schools there is no standard national history curriculum. Each ethnic group has their own “spin”. I always though acknowledging both the positive and negative effects of a nation’s past was a healing influence on a society.

Yesterdays heroes now become todays criminals.

Maybe I was, or maybe still am, naive?

So who was Ante Jakić?

Ante Jakić was born on July 11, 1914 in the village of Piskavica, near Banja Luka.

Before World War II, he worked as a locksmith.

He had been a member of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia since 1939.

He was a participant in the People's Liberation Struggle since 1941.

He died on May 22, 1942, in a conflict with Serbian Chetniks on the Čemernica mountain.

His remains were transferred and buried at the Partisan Memorial Cemetery in Banja Luka.

By the decree of the President of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito, on July 27, 1953, he was proclaimed a national hero.

These days, and as with many other “inner city” settlements in Banja Luka, “Ante Jakić” has become a canvas for urban art.

“Graffiti Jam” in Ante Jakić.

Graffiti artists: Demon, Trie, Jeko, Grme, Papi, Otap, Milan, Doktor, Zoper, Minja and Zost
Music support: Tijana, Origidji, Vanja, Adem Lear and EM
Organizers: Association of Independent Creators and Activists "Ghetto", Support Hand, "Illuminations BH"

Meeting a Positive Influence for Bosnia and Herzegovina

In a future podcast I’ll be talking to an extremely successful travel YouTuber from Banja Luka, Robert Dacešin.

Robert travels the world, documenting his experiences to his “home” audience. He is also passionate about showing his home country to the world.

He has produced a very unique insight to his country that he hopes will entice people to come and visit.

There are English sub titles which you can access by using the CC button.

Why can Bosnia and Herzegovina be the NUMBER 1 destination in the WORLD?

Although this title may seem a bit frivolous at first, in this video I will show you why I really think that Bosnia and Herzegovina can be the number 1 tourist destination in the world.
For the past few years, I have had the opportunity and honor to travel around Bosnia and Herzegovina and visit its places. She is known to everyone, and the hidden ones who are not talked about so much and about whom little is known, and in this video I would like to share with you what I saw. I will show you how much we have that we are not even aware of and how many hidden beauties are right in front of us, which are almost unheard of. How many hidden caves, clean rivers and pristine lakes. How many years of history and tradition there are in our cities.
And what to say about our delicious homemade food, which almost everyone who comes here is simply delighted. As I look at her now, water is already running down my mouth. Sometimes I don't know if our food is better or we are better hosts. So is there anyone who has remained immune to the nightlife here and our cafes? At our dinners with music and relaxed hosts, with whom even the most shy will dance. Especially if a glass of homemade brandy is added to it.
Let me know how you like the video and send it to people who live outside, so they can see what we have.

“If you have any questions that you would like me to ask Robert when I record the podcast drop them in the comments”.

Swimming for the Holy Cross: Epiphany in Banja Luka

I know very little about religion. Any religion. It’s not my thing and never has been. But in this region, where all three major religions have clashed together over the many many centuries, religion features heavily in peoples lives and culture.

Banja Luka is predominantly Eastern Orthodox Christian.

The city’s major roads were closed the other day as young men swam in an extremely icy river to get the Holy Cross.

This video from Tomas Damjanović takes you along. Do give him a 👍

Enjoy!

What We Have Been Watching

After life. (Netflix)

What an amazing series from the pen of Ricky Gervais.

British comedy at its best. To recommend this to non Brits is debatable, as I really think it's too deep. I think that only a Brit can feel the total uncomfortableness of it all.

That doesn’t in any way say that wherever you are from in the world and reading this, that you shouldn’t watch it.

I nearly did cry at the end. I suppose hiding my vulnerability from Tamara, was a major driver that I didn't.

Share An Englishman in the Balkans

And Finally, “Life is NEVER a Bed of Roses”.

If you have read this far, well what can we say but thanks. We hope you find these posts an interesting read.

Each week, in this final segment, we’ll bring you some reality of what this beautiful country and its citizens are going through. Some perspective maybe.

As Tamara and I were going through our recent health issues (COVID), this article (link below), will give you a backgrounder to the state of healthcare we are experiencing.

'No tests, everyone is sick': Bosnia faces its biggest COVID crisis yet

Discussion about this post

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