Balkans Experience - finale

12^th december

After breakfast, we leave for our final destination in Bosnia which is Bihac.

But we stop at Plava Voda Starri Grad. There is a school, which they call madrasa here.

For Bosnian students and its syllabus content is basically the same as ours. We go up a hill to a fortress and the view from there is spectacular.

All the houses on the hills and so remote just make me feel like staying there for good.

Sembang je la, kann hahaa

After lunch and solat we continue our journey.

It is raining by the time we reach Bihac at 5.30 pm. Dinner is at seven. Since it is our final day in Bosnia, chill with a mug of nestum watching movie till late at nite.

13^th december

After the usual, we leave for Crotia. The border is just 20 minutes away. We cross it and go to Lake Plitvic.

It is freezing cold outside. And light snow appears when we walk around the magnificent lake. Mother’s nature is so amazingly beautiful. The waterfall, the water in the lake, the hills, the serenity of the park.

They are simply beyond words. We even get to ride in a boat across the lake.

By 12, we head to a restaurant for lunch. While waiting for our meal to be served, snow falls from heaven. Alhamdulillah as it fulfills our wishes to experience snow fall. 

By 4.30, we reach Zagreb. Since it is still early, we do some shopping. And then it is the usual: dinner and boom boom time.

14^th december

Today is our last day in Balkan. A mix of emotions I must say.  A part of me says ‘stay here in Balkan, especially so Bosnia’ but another part of me long to go back to Malaysia: for the weather, the food, and most of all, for our loved ones. At 9 we go to Zagreb. It is a city infused with modern buildings and old ones.

But one thing that stands out is most buildings are simply not finished, in the sense that the wall would have patches where it is uneven and broken, here and there.

Like other town in the Balkans, I fall in love straight away with Zagreb haha

The old buildings, the beautiful people, affect my reasoning for this. After a guided tour, we are free to roam the place. We go to a part of town where it feels like being in a pasar pagi, the ones that we normally frequent in kampungs back in Malaysia. The people sell everything. The old market is colorful with all the flowers, vegetables and fruits sold there. 

My wife and I buy a cotton knitted sweater each. Konon2nya standby for next year trip la hehe

Then we buy the usuals: magnets, keychains and tshirts. For lunch, we are served mediterranean lunch at Leonardo, located at one of the narrow streets in Zagreb.

I enjoy it very much: pita bread, bowls of creamy soup, omelette filled with vege and lastly the unforgettable ice-cream dessert. Then my wife and I climb up a hill looking for St Mark Church.

At 330, we leave the city and head for the Islamic Center. After prayer, it’s time to leave. We say farewell to miko the bus driver, and Muhammad, the Bosnian tour guide.

After checking in our luggage, I treat myself to a cup of cappuccino and some light snack while waiting for the flight to Istanbul.

The flight is delayed and because of that once we reach Istanbul, the airline officers quickly usher us into the next aircraft. Adoyai, tak sempat langsung nak melunjur @ stretch the limbs.

15^th december

It is already past midnite. In the bus heading to the aircraft, chat with nurul izzah anwar, who is on her way home from Berlin. In the plane, we are served food. Again. Hentam saje la labu! Well, I enjoy the pudding dessert very much, sambil2 layan movie.

I try to sleep, but since this is the economy class, I manage maybe a couple of hours je. So here I am writing down my journal of this Balkans experience.

My time in Balkan is priceless: the moments, the memories, the people, the beautiful landscapes and views, the weather, the food, will all be cherished forever. Some things are not meant to be described, because, they simply can’t. they are to be embraced, felt, soaked in, captured, immortalized, captivated, by the heart and mind. And with that I thank God for this enthralling moments. Alhamdulillah