Day 3 in BiH.....So long MATUZICI!!

Yesterday late afternoon, we went out for tea with Rashid and his wife Mira. Both their daughters Lamiya and  Ameena are grown up girls. One of them is a Hafizah. MasyaAllah. Mira and Az are cousins and they grew up together. They look alike especially their chin! 

Along, came Azmi's sons Hadi and Hanis. Somebody must have driven them here. That was the first time we encountered with Ibrahim or IBRO .....Remember this name! He played the most important role in this trip around BiH.

 Ibrahim....Ibro

This morning, Saturday the 9th of September 2017,  we are leaving MATUZICI to TUZLA. Tuzla is the third largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina after Sarajevo and Banja Luka. This city is situated in the Northwest of Bosnia. It is an educational centre and is home to two universities. Tuzla is home for the one and only salt lake in Europe, The Modrac Lake. 

Before leaving, Mayka and her daughters prepared Bosnian breakfast plus leftovers of fried Pastrmka. Azmi said we had to finish the fish because if we don't nobody will!  Mayka gave us two packets of Bosnian Coffee, a packet of sugar cubes, boxes and bottles of juices, fresh vegetables and her famous Mint Tea which she made herself! Mayka reminded me of my Almarhummah Mak. All mothers behave equally the same when comes to children. In their eyes, we are still their little ones. So that is why parents never see us like grown-ups and we have to listen to them. Without realizing, we are doing it to ours too. Hahahhahhaha. That is the life cycle.

 Ibrahim or Ibro is 28years old. Married to Rukija and they have a 3 months old daughter,Nehla. He studied in Madrasah and graduated from the Sarajevo University.He can be an Imam should he chose to but he took Literature instead. This young man reads a lot and knows the history of his country well. We were so lucky having him to drive us around and feeding us with pieces of information regarding the places that we visited. With him, our understandings towards the people, culture, attitude and behaviour made easy. Alhamdulillah.

Azmi and his family accompanied us to our apartment in Tuzla. So very nice of them. Then they left Tuzla to Stuttgart leaving us the three stooges. It was a nice and simple apartment situated just a walk away from the nearest Masjid and the Old town. When we first got in that city, everything looked so old. Most of the building which was destroyed during the war were not repaired. Bullet holes were everywhere......so scared. I cannot imagine what life was during the war.

That late afternoon, Ibro brought us around Tuzla. We visited the Behram-Begova Medresa which was first operated in 1626, making it the oldest educational institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The building architectecture is the Arab Moorish style and throughout the years and history, it underwent restored and rebuilt repeatedly.

He teaches English in the Medresa.

 

some of the facilities in the Medresa

We were lucky to be privately toured the Medresa by one of the staffs. It really amazed us! The facilities are up to date. They have around 30 classes, laborataries, a hall, a big library, a huge Masjid, cafeteria, cold room and a laundry room just to accomodate  500 students, girls and boys and 45 staffs. The language used is Bosnian Language. Just when we were about to leave, we bumped into one of the most important person in this city....the Mufti of Tuzla. MasyaAllah. It was very nice of him to greet us and we took the opportunity to take some photographs with him. It was a real surprise for us.....

The Mufti of Tuzla.

Then we visited the Old Town Tuzla dan there were many  
visitors. It happened that there were many groups of Big Bikers gathered in this city. Ibro was so excited because his dream is to own a super bike. InsyaAllah someday he will.
Ibro showed us around. We visited an old Masjid and then to a place called the Kapija. This was the spot where a massacre of civilians committed by the Army of Republika Srpska on 25th of May 1995 during the Bosnian War. 71 people were killed and 240 were injured between the ages of 18 to 25 years old. It was very inhuman of them! Some put flowers at the the memorial  and some just stand in silence. I  made dua for them.  All the victims names who were dead, were written on the wall. So very young....what a waste!

My two Ibrahim. The Senior and the Junior.

The colored tiles was the place where the massacre took place.

Day 2 in BiH.....MATUZICI

Life experience  is the best knowledge!

Last night, we both slept like babies. Even though it feels cold but we are okay with it. The hosts did everything to keep us comfortable. Alhamdulillah.

Good morning Matuzici! We performed Subuh at 4.30am  as shown by the Islamic Finder App in our phone but the Adzan was an hour later. We were puzzled! So we did our prayer again.  When Azmi explained to us at breakfast, we fully understood! It was a misty morning. Visibility is around 15 to 20 meters only. But it is a beautiful morning.

Sunrise...eventhough we were late, it still looked beautiful.

After breakfast, the hosts took us around the villages. We wanted to witness the sunrise but was a bit too late for that. The sun is already up and it was laughing at us..... Nearby were houses and a lady came out and greeted us. So nice of her that she showed us around her house. As the lady of the house, she will d everything from scratch. She did her own farming alone. She had cows , chickens and vegetable garden. 

There were lots of pumpkins and some were chopped. It surprised me when she said that they were meant for the cows when they are in the barn at night. Their cows eat pumpkins, apple and all kinds of vegetables besides grazing the grass in the field during the day time. No wonder their cows are bigger in size, fatter and looks healthier. They were given the best and only the best produced the best. From the cows, they will get the milk. From the milk, they made their own cheese of different kinds and categories, KAYMAK [ is creamy dairy product], butter and yogurt.

Chopped pumpkins for the cows.

A small chicken coop is made by attaching a wire fence at the back or at the side of the barn. The chickens produced fresh eggs for them and not forgetting the meat. they feed their chickens with corns.

In her vegetable garden, she planted rows and rows of corns, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, turnips and so on. Just name it, she has it. As preparations for the coming winter, corns are pluck in large amount and were stored in a little house called the KOSH. Corns saved can be consumed by both humans and animals at all time.

The Kosh...for keeping corns.

All the villagers had the same arrangement. Meaning almost everybody has cows, chickens, some have sheep, all of them grow vegetable and at last, they have an abundance! Some of the vegetables were left to rot in the garden. So that is why I assumed that they were able to feed the animals with good choices of vegetables.....lucky animals!

Tomatoes

Corns

Turnips

Pumpkins.

We then went round to the places called Mektab where the late Mohammad  used to teach.  It is not in used anymore because they preach mostly in the masjid. He really did well for the community that the people who used to be his students remembered him , his teachings and how he treated them with his jokes. How they missed him. The best thing to do in life is to be good to all because when you die, people will remember you in the best manner. That is ultimate.

The Bosnians are very close and strong when comes to family relationship. To them, cousins, in laws are like brothers and sisters. They are loud and laugh even louder. They like teasing one another. They love to talk and everybody enjoyed talking and listening  to one another. They respect each other . Families always come first.  

The elders are treated well and in most families, they stay in the same area for many generations.  The little ones are taught the responsibilities, skills, cleanliness and most of all respect... as young as 4 years old! But most of all, they love their own Bosnian Coffee. All the time and any time of the day...Bosnian Coffee it is!  Everybody who saw us, will offer coffee even though we are strangers! Then they will call their family members of all generations to greet us and sit together with us. But I have to confessed that Bosnian Coffee taste nice even though a bit thick. They drink in small little cups like the Chinese did when serving tea. But we Malaysian used that small little cups to make steam cake called the Kuih Lompang! hahahahhahahha......it is true! They enjoyed coffee differently. Sipping coffee bit by bit and at times closing their eyes as if they were in another world. It is an art actually.

Kuih Lompang

We spent the whole morning until afternoon going around the villages and meeting the locals and truly, I really like their attitude. They are very warm hearted people and sincere. We enjoyed their hospitality very much. And on the way back to Matuzici, we stopped by a fish farm and bought fresh PASTRMKA or Trout.  The owner is a man of late 30's. Azmi told us that he worked hard after the war and it pays. He now owned his own fish farm, a big restaurant and his house which was shelled during the Bosnian War is now one of the biggest in the village. He deserved it!

We made a stop at the nearest masjid. The village is called LEPENICA. The man who was in charged of the mosque took us for a short tour which is inclusive of climbing a very steep staircase of the tower. It has it's own library and since it was Friday , my husband read the first 10 ayah of Surah Al Kahfi. Alhamdulillah.

Dzamija Lepenica....Masjid Lepenica

Library in masjid .

The men performed their Friday prayer at  the mosque where the late Ceman involved in building for he had been dreaming about it for 40 years! Subhanallah. 

Pastramka...Trout

That afternoon we had fried Trout with bread, cheese and salad which we have to adapt for the time being. If only rice is served, the Trout will taste even better!  I realised that they prefer veal more. Fish is not so popular. But as MUSAFIR [travellers], we must behave accordingly. Taste the local food and experience the different ways of preparing and eating. Rice is top of the list back home in Malaysia but it is part of the side dishes in Bosnia. They consume a lot of bread for all meals and it comes in different shapes and taste. I must say that I enjoyed their kind of food.....so different from ours but very nice.

Bread of Bosnia. I hope I got the names correctly! Sorry if I'm wrong.

Kifle 

Pide 

Lepinja

Pita

  

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.

Kerana.... aku temanmu

Dalam suka

dalam bahagia

dalam duka

dalam derita

dalam sihat

dalam sakit

kau  merujuk kepadaku

kau mempercayaiku

kerana...... aku temanmu

setiap hari aku diintai

aku dibelai

aku ditatap

dan.....aku bercerita kepadamu

tanpa ada jemu mahupun lesu

aku sentiasa bahagia disampingmu

kerana..... aku temanmu

tiba masanya nanti

Malaikat Izrail datang menyapamu

merentap rohmu

dan....

kau terkulai layu

terbujur kaku

maka menangislah semua yang melihatmu

ibu.....bangunlah  ibu

sayang....mengapa kau tinggalkan aku...

ratapan anakmu

rintihan suamimu penuh sayu

siapa yang melihat pasti terasa sendu

tinggallah semua

tinggallah kecintaanku

suamiku....anakku....cucuku.....sahabat ...jiran

aku pergi dulu

air mata tidak tertahan lagi

namun......apakan dayamu

wahai temanku

dalam hingar bingar ratapan mereka

menangisi pemergianmu

aku tersenyum memandangmu

aku tetap berada disisimu

segalanya sudah dipersiap buatmu

menanti ketibaanmu

aku akan bersamamu

kerana....aku temanmu

ketika jasadmu diturunkan ke liang

destinasi akhir tiba sudah

selamat tinggal dunia

selamat tinggal keluarga

tetapi, usahlah kau takut

kau tidak keseorangan

aku ada

aku tetap bersamamu

aku akan menemanimu

akuakan membelamu

biarku jawab segala persoalan

kerana.....aku temanmu

semasa hayatmu

kau menjagaku

aku sentiasa disampingmu

kau merujuk segala permasalahan denganku

aku bangga denganmu

aku bukan sekadar perhiasan didalam almari cerminmu

akulah tempat kau mengadu

setiap hari kau bersamaku

kau cium aku

kau peluk aku

bahagianya aku

Teman.....

Akulah Al Quran

didalamku adalah 

kalimah-kalimah Allah

perintah-perintah Allah

kisah teladan

panduan hidup  

kisah duni dan akhirat

segalanya

akulah pelengkap 

penunjuk arah

agar kau tidak sesat

namun....

kau turuti segalanya

tahniah buatmu

bangga aku denganmu

kini tibalah giliranku

biar aku menjagamu

kerana....aku temanmu

Akulah

AlQuranmu