EDIT: The following is one of the sweetest trips that I have taken in quite a while. If you love and find yourself returning to London, Paris and Rome time after time, this might be your cup of tea, but if you are looking for a one-off experience with very different culture and aesthetics: some cities but a lot village, then BiH and Montenegro might be a very enjoyable change from the ordinary.
Oh. Bosnia & Herzegovina is abbreviated as BiH in the local language. I am typing on a cell phone so BiH it is.
So, here I sit in Belgrade, and this is installment 1 of a 7 day trip.
First flight at 9:45am was on time, no issues, taxi to airport arrived early had more time for breakfast in the airport. There were no lines for security or passport control and only a short line to check my bag of fishing gear. My clothing is in a backpack and i doubt it weighs 10lbs. Wore a sports coat for dinner plans in Sarajevo. Nothing weighed, nothing measured at checkin or at the gate.
Note to self: Air Serbia flies ATR72's. The best legroom is row 1. ATR's board from the back, so row 1 is last off. But I doubt the plane holds 75 people, doesn't take long.
Belgrade airport has been renovated a little since my last trip. Looks nice. I few years ago, I found a café near some of the further out gates that had good spinach baklava. It's still here, so that's lunch.
2.5 hours late reaching Sarajevo. But thats okay. Taxi driver wanted 25 euro from the airport but I negotiated him down to 20 euro and a 5 euro tip. Clever!?
Checked in, hotel Sana. First time for this one. I Ike it a lot. My new "goto". Then headed out for some proper ćevapčići. I missed that as much as anything here. Now sitting outside at my favorite wine bar. No idea what the name is, but its out the front door of Hotel Old Town which is also a very good hotel.
So far, taxi = cash, ćevapčići = cash, wine = cash, my up coming hotel in Mostar = cash, driver = cash. ATMs here are expensive so bring Euros.
It's day 2, and I checked out of my Sarajevo hotel. Disturbing discussion with the desk clerk. He traveled from Mostar to Montenegro recently. At the border the BiH guards demanded to see his Mostar hotel receipt. He showed it. It did not show all the proper taxes had been paid and they tried to fine him for the error. So he insisted I keep my receipt and showed me the tax lines so I could point them out if asked. I later told my fishing guide the story and he confirmed that it happenes.
My friend that runs a pretty amazing tourism business in the Balkans arranged all my transfers in BiH. Her name is Dijana and if you do a search of the Rick Steves forum "Dijana" you can find contact info and reviews. For a place like BiH, for me at least, its just easier with someone that has experience with these things.
My driver arranged by Dijana, Elvis, was on time. Oh, why the name Elvis? BiH is a pretty fractured culture and the parents wanted a name that would not identify him as one group or another so he would have fewer obstacles in life.
Anyway 3.5 hour trip ahead. For a first visit one would make it an all day excursion with stops in Travnik and Jajce. https://youtu.be/NBna529LNSk?si=VR4FfDSOkWCy87bo and.
https://youtu.be/ddBglLbvuhA?si=WPa7Ixg1k26xUhwa. Elvis is a licensed guide, and he could do that for you too. Its trip 4 for me, so I've done all the stops in the past, and they are great.
The hotel is still beautiful, and i have a balcony room looking at the river. It's almost 4 pm. I have a plate of cheese and meat suitable for 4 people and a cold beer. Time to relax: https://youtu.be/QNpUWXV3RkI?si=GZOeLhxgCfvz7xDl. Tomorrow fishing.