Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia-Herzegovina is a mostly landlocked Southeastern European country with varied terrain and climates. In olden times, the Romans, the Ottomans, and the Austro-Hungarians all came through. Bosnia-Herzegovina was part of Yugoslavia until 1992. Serbs, Croats, and Bosnians had a high-level ethnic conflict for the following three years, and many cities including Mostar were seriously damaged. Bosnian and Serbo-Croatian languages are close enough to be mutually intelligible. Sarajevo is a pretty major travel destination due to its historic and cultural sites. Me─æugorje draws Christian pilgrims. Skiing, hiking, and whitewater rafting are also compelling reasons to visit, and the natural landscape is pretty wild.

Food is somewhat of a mix of Central European, Mediterranean, Turkish, and Middle Eastern cuisines. Tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, and zucchini are staple vegetables. Some specialties are pilav, gula┼í (goulash), and a red pepper-eggplant relish sometimes called vegetable caviar but formally known as ajvar. Plums and local versions of baklava and halva are popular sweet items. Sarajevo has macrobiotic and organic shopping plus Asian, Middle Eastern, and Indian food of the vegetarian-friendly and organic variety. Mostar’s restaurants have more of the local flavor, and you can also pick up healthy provisions.