In Bosnia, drafts are no joke. Locals believe that even a slight breeze between two open windows can cause serious illness, or possibly your untimely demise 🙂 So, if you hear a gasp when you open a door while a window’s already cracked, now you know why!
Ćejf is the art of slowly enjoying the moment, especially when it involves coffee (kafa) or tea (ćaj). Whether it’s mid-morning, post-lunch, or whenever you walk past a café, there always time for a break. Bosnians have truly mastered the coffee ritual, and we should all take notes!
According to locals, ćevapi and burek are not just meals, they’re sacred. Claiming not to like them may cause collective heartbreak. You’ve been warned!
Thinking of calling that cheesy pastry ‘burek sa sirom’? Kindly don’t. That’s sirnica. Spinach version? That’s Zeljanica. In Bosnia, burek is only with meat – no exceptions…. It’s practically a national law (ok not really, but it feels like it;))
Craving Asian food? You might want to pack your own spices. Sarajevo’s selection is still growing. There is a couple of Chinese spots, and a couple places doing sushi, but that’s pretty much it!
You’ll find fresh ginger in supermarkets all year around – despite the fact that almost no one cooks with it. One local said, ‘We use it in tea…I think?” Nobody really knows how it got there or why there’s so much, but hey, we’re not complaining.
Being vegeterian in Bosnia is a challenge. Being vegan? A heroic feat. One friend confessed they had to “temporarily downgrade” to vegetarian just to survive. Meat is serious business here. Find an overview of vegan related posts here!
Doctor visits can be a bit surprising. Go in with a headache, and you may walk out with five vitamin prescriptions and a heartfelt reminder to drink more herbal tea. Honestly? Not the worst advice!
Always carry cash and small change! Many places, including some big ones, still don’t take cards. And if you hand over a large bill for a tiny purchase, be prepared for a heavy sigh and some serious side-eye.
Shoes off, slippers on – that’s Bosnian house rule. You’ll often be handed a pair at the door, but slipper connoisseurs know to bring their own 🙂 ‘I love this practice, we once had a party for 30 people and had guests choose between papuče or thick woll socks!’
Stray dogs and cats are in abundance in the city. Most are friendly, and most cats (in particular) will adopt you as their new owner.
If you’re hungry and it starts raining, you’d better hope you stocked up. Rain can mysteriously halt all food delivery services. Nobody knows why, it’s just….a thing.
Finding it hard to find a car park, don’t have change to pay for parking, just running in to grab something… Do not worry! Just throw on your hazard lights and voilà, you’ve created a new one. Sarajevo drivers truly mastered the art of “temporary” parking.