One of the
projects I am involved with is sitting on the organising committee for this
year's Diplomatic Winter Bazar. Winter bazars are big events here in Sarajevo
and provide the chance for the community to get together and raise a lot of
money for a variety of local charities.
This year's
event promises to be bigger and better than ever, thanks to the united efforts
of the Diplomatic Wives Club, Helping Hands and Hearts Foundation and the
International Women's Club.
Embassies are
all invited to attend and sell food, drinks and good all relating to their
county. So there will be a wide range of delicious things on offer, from wine
from the French, raclette from the Swiss, Carlsberg beer from the Danish and
homemade jams and chutneys from the British.
In additional
to the various stalls (there will be approximately 200 exhibitors), there will
be a kids zone, so parents can leave kids for an hour or so, whilst they go off
and shop (and try the wine), Father and Mother Christmas will also be making an
appearance and kids will be able to have their photo taken with him (and Dads
can have their photo take with Mrs C)!! There will be entertainment throughout
the day, including the local International choir singing a selection of much
loved Christmas Carols.
And there
will also be a Grand Raffle, with some amazing prizes on offer, which have been
donated by a large group of wonderful sponsors.
This year the
funds raised will go to four beneficiaries:
-
Helping Hearts and Hands Foundation, Sarajevo
- EDUS in Mjedenica, Sarajevo
- Association for Children with Special Needs, Doboj
- And under the umbrella of one NGO in Gorazde;
- Primary School
“Fahrudin Fahro Baščelija“
- Association for
Helping Persons with Learning Difficulties
So, put the
date in your diary:
When: Saturday
1st December, 11:00 - 18:00
Where: Collège
International Francophone Sarajevo (CIFS), Paromlinska 66,
Tickets cost
5KM for adults and kids under 12 years old.
Tickets can
be bought in advance on Saturday 24th November between 11:00-15:00 in front of
the BBI or on the door.
As
the temperature has dropped marginally, I have dug out the baking tins. There
is the most wonderful selection of fresh berries in the markets at the moment.
Whilst we an abundance of strawberries earlier in the summer, the raspberries
are still going strong and the blackberries have just started to come into
season.
We
have been eating these fresh every morning, either in fruit salads or smoothies
- when a one kilo of raspberries is around £1.20, it would be rude not too!
This
week it was our language teacher's birthday, so I knocked up a batch of
Blackberry, Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins. The result was perfect, tasty,
fresh and moist, ideal for breakfast with coffee or mid-afternoon with a nice
cup of tea.
One
of the many delights of living in an ex-communist country, apart from the
architecture and the availability of Tito 2012 wall calendars has to be State controlled
heating.
This
morning, our heating was turned on. We had not made a conscious decision that
this was necessary and if we were in the UK in control of this and the
temperatures were the same, we would be putting another jumper on, before
giving into autumn!
However,
here, in our ex-Yugoslavian style flat, someone within the depths of the state electricity
department has deemed it an appropriate time for us to have heating again.
Rumour has it, that for this to happen, the temperature has to drop below a
certain level for three consecutive days. The last two days have been grotty,
but today for the foreseeable future; it is going to be around 25 degrees!
So,
the summer clothes are not being packed away quite yet and we will have to go
against everything we have learnt about saving energy and throw the balcony
doors open for a bit longer yet!
This
Saturday I found myself standing in the middle of a cricket pitch, fielding for
an international cricket team playing the Pakistan Embassy. I had one of those
moments where I thought, how did this happen, playing cricket, in a field on
the outskirts of Sarajevo, in the beautiful sunshine on an October afternoon.
In
true Bosnian style, cucumber sandwiches were swapped for cevapi.
Sadly
we lost team lost to a much stronger Pakistani team. Maybe if we start to
practice now, we might be in with a chance next year!!
Oh no it's not.... Oh yes it is...!
A pantomime is something quintessentially British! So, when overseas it seems apt to get together a group of internationals and put on a show where women play boys, men play old dames, there is lots of booing at the evil king and someone has dress up as the back end of a cow!
Sarajevo and London Amateur Dramatics Society (S.A.L.A.D.S) was establish two years ago, to bring together the international community through the power of acting, raise some money for local charities and give people something to do in the cold, dark months of October and November! The previous pantomimes have been great successes and this year, I have become involved in show number three.... Jack and the Beanstalk!
Along with around 12 other internationals, we will produce, design, promote and act in a (fingers crossed) fun, colourful performance just before Christmas.
I have no doubt that I will blog more about this over the coming months, as rehearsals get underway!
As per a previous post, we have already been up to Igman, and viewed the disused ski jumps perched on the side of the mountain. To get the full set of Olympic venues, a trip to the disused bobsled run was still outstanding. After a couple of failed attempts (we got totally lost trying to find Trebevic), we eventually made it this weekend.
It was definitely worth the wait as it is a quite a remarkable sight. Now we know where it is, it is quite easy. Follow the signs up to Trebevic (via Grbevica), cross the transit road and the pass a petrol station on your right. Turn left at the T-junction (sign posted Pale/Jahorina) and then stay on this road for about 10km. It is quite a road. Beautiful views, but the road itself is in dreadful condition. At one point, there is only one side of the road with tarmac as the other side seems to be slipping away. Eventually, you will reach a large car park (on both sides of the road) and there is a section of graffiti’d bobsled track. Take a left here, drive through the car park and keep going. After a 1km or so, it will be in front of you... the back and underside of a large piece of track. Drive under the track and you can park in the little car park.
At this location, you can get a great view of a small section of the track, which is now covered in graffiti. It is also possible to get onto the track and walk up and down it - although please be careful! Be warned, do not walk off/around the track, I understand the area is heavily mined; therefore stay only on the tarmac.
We took a short walk up the track, there was a lot further we could go and we will go back at some point as I would love to walk up to the start. I understand that further down the course, the track has been heavily damaged and there are sections missing, therefore if you are faced with a gap do not just jump onto the ground and climb up on the other side, it is recommended you take someone who knows the area and the mine threat.
