and locals of the lives lost from these hor-
rific years of the siege.
A local guide took us through the Old
Town, Banjarmasin, and to the spot by the
river Miljacka and the Latin Bridge where
Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated in
1914, which ignited the spark for World
War I. The picturesque city of Sarajevo is
surrounded by forested mountains. The
large river that flows through it is crossed
by many unique and artful bridges. The
Old Town is filled with great restaurants,
small stores, a 16th century Ottoman
mosque, historic churches, antique stores,
coppersmith shops, and a Turkish bazaar.
The city still displays the mix and vibrancy
of the various cultures and religions that
make up its current population.
Despite recent ethnic strife, I was
struck by how well the people of such
diverse beliefs and backgrounds get along
today. Our home-hosted dinner at a
high-rise apartment in a more commercial
and heavily populated part of town was
a striking example of this. My group had
a home-prepared dinner with a couple
and their 19-year-old son. The husband
Photos Clockwise: Adriatic Sea off Dubrovnik at sunset, Motovun Isteria Croatia, River Trail to
top Kotar, Our Lady of Lakes Shrine Bay of K otor, Montengro.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016
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