Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Visiting Lukomir [Part 2/3]: Inside the Village

As the day in Lukomir continued, we moved away from the hills that were overlooking the village and moved into the village itself. In this second part I want to show you the village up close as well as some wide landscape shots of the area. Join us again, and make sure to return for the final part on Friday.

This is a multi-part travel series. Other parts include:
Part 1: On the Hills around Lukomir
Part 2: Inside Lukomir
Part 3: Sights from the road back Home

 click on the images for a bigger view 


Views from afar

It was getting pretty cold in the hills here, but the views were just so gorgeous that we couldn't up and leave too quickly. If you spend some time here, you will undoubtedly come across other hikers and visitors, as we did. People will stop and ask you where you're from and it's all friendly business here. I got a better view of the half grown hill, and still don't know why the vegetation stops mid-hill, but it's very interesting to observe. My guess is that the ground is different on the southern parts which causes the stop in growth.





From up here, you can enjoy many views: look up north and you will see Lukomir in front of you. Turn south or west and beautiful mountain vistas will greet you. I love gazing into the distance. Bring a blanket with you and you can sit here and simply take it all in. Of course the cold can be a challenge in that plan.



Hiking in and around Lukomir

Lukomir is the highest and most isolated village in the country. Indeed, access to the village is impossible from the first snows in December until late April and sometimes even later, except by skis or on foot. A newly constructed lodge is now complete to receive guests. From there, you can do some magnificent hiking in the area along the ridge of the Rakitnica Canyon, which drops 800m/2624 ft below






Entering Lukomir

Lukomir is known for its traditional attire, and the women still wear the hand-knitted costumes that have been worn for centuries. Present-day Lukomir can trace much of their ancestry to the Podvelezje region of Herzegovina. These semi-nomadic tribes would come to Bjelasnica in the summer months because of the abundance of water. Podvelezje, a dry plateau above Mostar, could not provide the herds with enough water to sustain themselves over the summer months. For reasons not entirely known, many of the villagers from the Podvelezje region eventually made permanent settlements in the canyon and later in the place where it is now located.






Children were playing basketball on an improvised hoop which was fun to observe. We brought them some candy, since we heard that their parents can't get away to the markets regularly to get it for them.

All houses look old here (and they indeed are), but somehow life inside of them continues. We asked some of the people about their lives, and they said, that most of them will move out of the houses by the start of November, or when the snow starts, and head towards Sarajevo.




During our visit we saw a lot of people working in the fields, taking potatoes out of the ground, making sure to package it all up for the farmers market. But I'm sure some of it is for themselves as well. You will find chicken roaming about freely as well as cows. It's a very unique and impressive sight.





The cold was growing stronger, so we headed towards the small restaurant which is attached to one of the houses. We ordered our food, but more on that, as well as our return home in the final part.


End of Part Two
To be continued...

 Where I'm Linking To

48 comments:

  1. I do hope you have a shotof the peoplein their clothinginthe final post. Now the viewsareuttrfly amazing and I love the old houses with their roofs. Such character in the stone work etc. Thanks for sharing

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    1. On the day of our visit, people were working in the fields and had regular clothing, so I didn't get to photograph the traditional attire. But I will include a shot from another source to show you.

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    2. MAny thanks for doing that. The costumes are lovely.

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  2. It is a unique place and well worth recording.

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  3. Wie ein Märchendorf....wieder sehr schöne Aufnahmen.
    Liebe Grüße

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  4. It is always very interesting for us in the more common lives to see old cultures and traditions still working. And it always amazes us why they stay that way in a very remote difficult lives, but we find it beautiful and feel a little envious for their simplicity. In that area i can't imagine where they get wood for fire when the mountains are so barren and rockies. But the views are incredible.

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    1. They probably get the wood from nearby forests, which you will see in part three. Yes, this part of the landscape is barren, but just around the corner lush green woods await.

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  5. Prelijep je ambijent i jako interesantna arhitektura, naročito ova džamija.

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  6. And again wonderful photo's of an aera i haven't seen jet but maybe someday
    thank you for taking me along on this trip



    Have a nice ABC-week / day
    ♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (abc-w-team)

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  7. I love seeing all of the beautiful places you blog about. This place is particularly pretty. It is nice to know that there are people who continue these traditions.

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  8. It must feel as though you're on top of the world. It certainly looks that way in the photographs.

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  9. That looks like an amazing place and the views over the valley are amazing. The village looks interesting, very medieval looking.

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  10. I was wondering how modern-day people would want to live in an isolated area during winter, but now that I know most of them will head for Sarajevo for the cold months I understand it better. What a contrast for them to spend their summers high in the mountains but their winters in a modern city!

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  11. Magnificent landscapes and wonderfully unique village. It reminds me of the cottage of Heidi's grandfather in the Alps in the movie, "Heidi."

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  12. the whole town is impressive to me, i have never seen anything like it, even the hills are different from anything i have seen. that hill with the green patch is really different. i used to dig potatoes when i was a child, they were on the flat top of a mountain. number 9 is my favorite view today

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    1. It was a new experience for me as well, even though I live here. It's just so different and very striking in its beauty.

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  13. With views like those, I would've lingered as long as I could too! Nice photos of the old buildings.

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  14. Superb captures as always, Mersad! They are like stepping back in time! Thank you for sharing! I hope you're enjoying a great week!!

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  15. Thank you for showing us your beautiful country. These houses look very unprotected against rain, wind snow and other beastly weather. How do they manage to survive a winter if they don't go to Sarajewo? Your photos are excellent as always.
    Wil, ABCW Team

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    1. They do go to Sarajevo and other towns and cities. They don't stay in the village during winter.

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  16. Lukomir looks very rustic and beautiful. I can't imagine that those houses can withstand the cold and snow, so it's good the majority of people go to lower elevations in winter. It's nice to see an ancient way of life with customs and traditions passed on.

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    1. It's definitely interesting to observe. I haven't seen such a way of living before.

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  17. I love the village pictures. I presume the tower is part of a mosque. I look forward to the next batch.

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    1. Yes that is a small mosque in the village.

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  18. Love your images of .Lukomir.. fascinating!

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  19. Marvelous images! We have mountaintops here called "balds" because nothing tall grows there.

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  20. Ich mag solche Begegnungen und finde es immer schön wenn man in ein Gespräch kommt, egal ob mit Wanderern oder auch mit den Bewohnern. Man kann immer soviel erfahren und besonders schön finde ich auch wenn Traditionen gepflegt werden. Finde es immer schade wenn Kulturgut verloren geht. Die Trachten sind echt toll!! Dieses Dorf hat wirklich etwas ganz besonderes und irgendwie schwer vorstellbar dort (auch wenn nicht ganzjährig) zu wohnen.

    Übrigens, der eine Turm sieht aus wie ein Minarett, ist das auch eines?

    Liebe Grüsse

    N☼va

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    1. Ja, das ist ein Minarett, da eine kleine Moschee im Dorf ist. Danke für deinen Besuch!

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  21. I have thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful visit to a village in your country! It is amazing to see such scenery and "experience" village life there! The old buildings of stone are so well weathered!
    Beautiful!
    Christineandhercamera.blogspot.com

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  22. Such beautiful views, and what an interesting village! I love your photos, thank you for sharing. Visiting from Little Things Thursday.

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  23. How simply beautiful! Lovely little village! Beautiful photos!

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  24. Enjoyed viewing the gorgeous picture gallery!

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  25. the hills are beautiful! the village is quaint. lovely views. thanks, mersad!

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  26. That's one of the most charming places I've ever seen and your photos are amazing!

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  27. What an interesting place to visit. It looks very rugged and barren there so I can understand it is mainly a summer place to live. I noticed the stone fences in the fields all over the hills and dales. Thank you for sharing your visit there Mersad.

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  28. Wow these are amazing shots. - The countryside is just stunning. The way the hills roll and the curves of the fencing were beautiful. Loved seeing the people of the area and their most unique looking homes.

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  29. Straight out of a fairy tale! Love those landscapes!

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  30. What an amazing journety you have shared with us.

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  31. This is one of your best posts, Mersad. The photographs from the hills are beautiful, but once you got to the settlement and showed us about the lives of this most unusual group of people, I was fascinated.

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    1. Thanks so much Jack. Really glad you enjoyed the travel series to Lukomir.

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  32. beautiful vistas, neat village, and very nice old fences.

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  33. Thats some great views that you show us.

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  34. From the shape of their roofs, they must get a lot of snow. Loved their national dress and quaint houses.

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