Postcards from Bosnia is an audio journey into the heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina, seen through the eyes of an Englishman who has made this place his home.

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📍 A Walk in the Garden, and a Few Thoughts from Čardačani

Hello and welcome back to Postcards from Bosnia.

If you heard a funny announcement at the start, no, that wasn’t a railway station speaker! It was actually someone calling a staff member over the loudspeaker in a local supermarket. Life’s little unexpected moments always make me smile.

I haven’t shared one of these “walking in the garden” updates for a while, so I thought today was the perfect day to do just that.

Recent Visitors from Austria

As I walk up the hill (you might hear a bit of huffing and puffing!), I think back over the last few days. We had Fritz and his wife Nicole visiting us here in Čardačani, that’s our little village between Banja Luka and the Croatian border.

They’ve been here several times before and have already promised they’ll be back next year. They left just a few hours ago on their motorbike, heading back to Niederösterreich in Lower Austria after a long, winding journey.From Austria into Italy, then a ferry to Greece, up through Albania and Montenegro, and finally here to us.

We spent the days sharing local food (Tamara always works her magic in the kitchen), enjoying some pivo and rakija, and simply relaxing. Yesterday, after nearly two weeks of travel, they were ready for a slow day, and we gave them exactly that.

A Magical Evening by the Water

In the evening, we took them to Slap, a beautiful little waterfall outside Banja Luka, right on the Vrbas river.

We sat down to dinner, chatted about life, and watched Fritz capturing videos and photos.

Afterwards, we drove past Banja Vručica, natural warm pools on the river. Even as the evening got chilly, people sat happily in the steaming water, beer cans in hand, soaking in the supposed healing properties.

I love these places. Spots you’d easily drive past without knowing they exist. Fritz and Nicole both said they would never have discovered them on their own.

Off the Tourist Trail

When you come to Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially the northern region of Krajina, you’re visiting an area still wonderfully under the radar.

If you choose to stay with us, we can show you places far away from the usual guidebook suggestions. Places you might miss unless you know a local. We move slowly, enjoy each moment, and encourage guests to embrace local food and traditions.

As Fritz and Nicole said, they felt they’d seen a different side of Bosnia, and that’s exactly what we want to share.

A Walk Through Banja Luka

After the pools, we took a slow walk through Banja Luka. They were amazed by how clean and orderly the city felt, and by its fascinating blend of architectural styles: from sleek modern buildings, to the heavy, concrete lines from the Yugoslav period, to elegant Austro-Hungarian facades, and finally the older Ottoman houses.

We passed a church where a small group of young people were singing under the guidance of a choir leader, a Syrian woman, an Orthodox Christian who now calls Bosnia home. Their voices carried beautifully through the evening air.

I managed to pull out my phone and catch a rough recording, which is at the end of this podcast episode.

Weather, Orchards, and Changing Seasons

As I walk, I notice the brown patches in the grass, we’re still in the middle of very hot days, up in the mid-to-high thirties. Rain is expected tonight, and we’re hoping for a good, heavy downpour to quench the thirsty land.

The weather patterns have shifted...