About the story

RUMELi :A Balkan Dream Left by Summer
Between the Arda and Danube River
 
Balkans is the name for the place of high mountains, endless fertile savannahs, and wide streams. It is the entire area between the Arda river and the Danube river.  Periods of peace and silence are longed for in this region where rebels are always ready to make a stir. Clashes on the boarder are very common as each side would like to establish their own “Great” state.  Disappointment and broken dreams are left after defeats but to no purpose - as people continue to fight.  
 
In the lands we call Rumelia,  people live side by side but lead separate lives.  An energetic Balkan atmosphere instantly brings everyone together. A cup of strong coffee allows everyone to forget about their worries. These people are sincere both when they fight and when they love.
 
My tens year of traveling to different parts of the Balkans was not enough time for me to get to know, understand and figure out this complex geography. But one trip was enough for me to fall in love with these lands. Roads, trips, memories and specific moments are captured in this book. There are snapshots from different moments of my journey starting from Sirkeci, continuing on over to Thessaloniki and ending at a train station near the Adriatic coast. There are traces and projections of observations and experiences from between the Arda and Danube rivers. 
 
We will relive history in Thessaloniki and will enjoy the day in Athens. We will sing the folk song “Vardar” in Skopje and experience freedom in Kosovo without forgetting the painful memories of yesterday.  In Belgrade, we will swim in the Danube river and walk through the Bascarsija in Sarejevo. We will jump into the green waters of the Neretva River in the city of Mostar and reach peace in Dubrovnik.