South to Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina (via Ljubljana and Sevnica)

I left Lake Bled, Slovenia, this morning with the sunrise and had a peaceful drive south through the countryside on the way to the capital, Ljubljana. Later in the day I passed through northeastern Croatia and back in Bosnia and Herzegovina where I stayed for the night.

Slovenia seems to be the most well developed and prosperous country I visited so far. Many of the houses in the countryside are beautiful and look like upscale ski lodges. The cities are clean and well maintained. Even the roads are in good shape and well designed. It also seems that there are far fewer smokers than prior countries, and the drivers seem less reckless and more courteous. That said, folks in every country have been wonderful to interact with.

Here are some photos from my short morning visit to foggy Ljubljana.

Hard to see, but there are actually three bridges, side by side.

The “Monument to the Revolution” (Spomenik Revolucije) was unveiled in Ljubljana’s Republic Square in 1975 to commemorate the victory of Yugoslav Partisans in World War II and their Socialist Revolution against fascist forces.

I also passed through the beautiful, riverfront town of Sevnice, Slovenia, the hometown of Melania Trump. I drove by her former family home, and by where a statue in her honor formerly stood. Formerly, because someone absconded with the bronze statue earlier this year. All that remains of the large bronze statue are the feet – and the sic foot tall tree stump they were standing on. (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg7egyrk40o.amp)

Just the feet left on top of the bronze statue

There were many groups of 10 to 30 grade school kids with teachers walking along the roadways and nearby trails this morning. Not sure if they were out for exercise, sunshine and fresh air, or a field trip of some sort.

An interesting Orthodox Church color scheme

A Note about Bosnia and Herzegovina

Borders and alliances in the Balkan’s are complicated. Although Bosnia and Herzegovina is one independent country, recognized internationally as a single state, it is composed of two autonomous entities (1-the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 2-Republika Srpska) and the Brčko District.

Country Structure

Entities: The country consists of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (largely Bosniak and Croat) and Republika Srpska (primarily Serb).
Brčko District: A separate, self-governing district that is not part of either entity.
Federal Government: These entities and the district operate under a federal government and a rotating presidency.

Historical Context

Dayton Accords: The current structure was established by the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords, which ended the Bosnian War and the breakup of Yugoslavia.
Constituent Peoples: Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs are recognized as constituent peoples throughout the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

I ended my driving day in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 2nd largest city at about 151,000 residents.

Govornica Slobode Govora Megafon (or Freedom of Speech Speaker Megaphone)

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior (below), built on the site of the original Holy Trinity Church, was reconstructed in 1993 after decades of destruction. Adorned with gilded domes and intricate interiors, it now serves as a key Serbian Orthodox landmark and tourist attraction.

The Central Memorial (above), a new monument under construction, is a memorial to the fallen and missing soldiers of the 1992-95 Bosnian war and began construction in June 2023. It will feature 62 pillars, a yew tree, and an underground museum, and it is expected to open in late 2025.

I had my first Balkans pizza for dinner! A delicious Pepperoni Pizza and my new favorite beer, Jelen. It is a pale lager produced by the Apatin Brewery in northwest Serbia that belongs to American-Canadian concern, Molson Coors.