An unforgettable trip to BiH...

I don't know how it started but we both have been dreaming of this vacation. Without any planning ahead and with no proper preparations, he bought the tickets! 

Bon Voyage!

We departed on the 6th of September 2017 from KLIA with Turkish Airlines B777-300ER. my wonderful neighbour Datin Farethah and Dato Azman sent us to the airport and Abe Ghazali Johan and Yan with their 3 handsome sons were there too. It was so very nice of them. I love my neighbours!!!

We made Subuh Solah in Istanbul Airport. There were so many passengers of different nationalities.  we only have 2 hours transit and the Surau was full. MasyaAllah. But we managed to squeeze in. Flight from Istanbul to Sarajevo was B737-800 and departed at 0715 hours. 

It was 0930 hours, 7th September 2017 when we arrived at Sarajevo Airport.  We were greeted by the hosts Azmi and Azi in their VW . We drove for 2 hours approximately to MATUZICI.  and all throughout the way, Azi was talking about her late father and in between times she cried. I know how she misses him. The highway which we took is only 50km long and was built after the Bosnian War.  Then we took the state road. The view along the way was so beautiful. Hills and mountains all around and not forgetting the river......from every corner, there are greens. From time to time, we saw the remnants of the war which was left untouched either intentionally as a reminder or because of the tight economy. 

We passed DOBOJ, a place that was heavily attacked by the Serbs. It was sickening when come to think about it. Many destructions and many lives lost! 

We arrived at Che Man's home and were greeted warmly by Azi's family. We hope with our present could light up their days onwards because  Mohammad, Azi's father who was an Imam, a well-known teacher and preacher and wonderful and loving father passed away last August the 13th 2017. Everyone whom we met, missed him badly. There are always tears in their eyes when his name was mentioned. He must have been a well-loved person!  
Al Fatihah.....

Bosnian Coffee

Azi proudly took us around her house to her late father's garden. There were Grapes, Raspberries, Pears, Strawberries, Tomatoes and many more. Just plucked and into your mouth!!! so fresh and so sweet.......and not forgetting the flowers!

 

It was a two storey house and the only one that has air conditions installed!  The late father understood that Azmi cannot stand the heat in Summer. He did it out of love towards his family.  There are always people chatting in the house and sometimes there are laughter roaring. This is because Azi's sisters Sahabata and Hana with their family members are always around to keep their mother whom they all called Majka company and happy. This was to avoid their mother to think too much about her loss. 

   

After washing up and had a taste of Bosnian Coffee and Majka's desert, Azmi and Azemina drove us to a town called TESANJ. Azi's cousin, Rashid who is the secretary to the Islamic Council in Tesanj explained to us about the Islamic Council Role.  Then we had some local delicacies in the nearby restaurant owned by the council. 

We made Asar in a 500 years old masjid, the Ferhadija Mosque 1563 during Ottoman power by a Bosnian Sandzak bey- Gazi Ferhad Bey. it was under his rule that Tesanj grew rapidly and prosperously. He died in 1568 and he was buried in the yard of the mosque.  Alhamdulillah.

The interior of  Ferhadija Mosque 1563

We then climbed the  Tesanj Castle which was built before the Romans used during the Slavs and  Ottoman period. It is one of the most significant and the biggest castle in Bosnia with an area of more than 67 thousands square feet. From the top, we saw around Tesanj with many idyllic villages and houses owned by the warm-hearted people and there's always graveyards with their tombstone made from white marble. Very prominent!. 
Can be seen from afar!

Lines and lines of graveyards, most of them are  Shahids.

 

 

 

 

Flowers blooming in Azi's Garden.