Ratko Mladić, the American Civil War, and Two Broadway Musicals

November 21st, 2017....An Important Day for Bosnia and Hercegovina

While the rest of you were preparing for your Thanksgiving holiday, Wednesday Nov 22nd was an important day here in Sarajevo. Ratko Mladić, the commander of the Bosnian Serbian forces during the 1992-1995 war, was sentenced to life in prison for war crimes against humanity by the an International Criminal Tribunal.

Ratko Mladić, 74, during his war crimes trial.

Mladić have been on the run for nearly 20 years before he was captured in Serbia in 2012. For a long time he was living in relative openness in Beograd, the Serbian capital; protected by a squadron of Bosnian Serb bodyguards as well as insiders within the Serbian military. As international pressure increased and Serbian leadership changed, the heat intensified and Ratko was forced underground. He was finally captured in the home of a cousin.

Mladić during his years as the head of the Bosnian Serb forces.

Mladić's sentencing hopefully will hopefully provide some closure to many of the wounds still open from the war. While atrocities were committed by both sides during the conflict, the most egregious acts of genocide occurred under Mladić's direction. This includes the siege of Sarajevo, the massacre at Srebrenica, and the ethnic cleansing that occurred during the first (and most bloody) year of the war (1992). The video that I have linked below is Mladić speaking to Srpska TV cameras as he and his troops prepare to enter Srebrenica in July 1995. Within a three-day span over 8,000 unarmed Muslim men and boys would be executed.

Mladić Interviewed on TV Before Entering Srebrenica

A few weeks ago Dionne and I were in Srebrenica doing a women's health project. Some of the women who benefited from this project lost their husbands, fathers, and sons during that 3-day period.

A Country Deeply Divided

Media coverage of the sentencing was extensive in Sarajevo. Camera crews roamed the downtown area and the verdict was shown live on a large outdoor screen. There was not, however, much passion that we witnessed on the streets. Most people seemed tired of thinking about the war and resigned to accepting whatever verdict the courts rendered. A local camera crew captured these reactions (pro and con)...note that their editing process is clearly subjective. But these two sets of reactions just show how deeply divided this country remains.

On the Street Reactions at BBI Centar

On the Street Reactions from East Sarajevo

Newspaper accounts and interviews also highlighted the very diverse reactions (between Federation and Srpska) to the sentencing.

Federation voices applauded the sentencing. The Bosniak member of the presidency, Bakir Izetbegovic, said "Ratko Mladić is a criminal and a coward because only a coward can imprison civilians, women, and children." "It shows that you cannot commit crimes with impunity" said Fikret Grabovica, a representative for a victim's group.

Srpska voices, however, complained that Serbs were not being treated fairly. The current mayor of Srebrenica, a Serb, said "Mladić will be remembered in history and this sentence only strengthens his myth among the Serb nation, which is grateful to him for saving it from persecution and extermination." Sprska president Dodik remarked "we see this as a slap in the face for Serb victims, of whose suffering no one has been convicted."

You've Got to Be Taught

I am going to transition now from reporting the news to offering some personal insight and opinions. I understand that I am just an outsider looking into a country that I do not fully comprehend. But sometimes an outsiders opinion can be useful.

Lately I have found myself humming the lyrics to "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught," a song from the Broadway musical South Pacific.

Lyrics:  You've Got to be Carefully Taught 
South Pacific

You've got to be taught to hate and fear
You've got to be taught from year to year
It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught

You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade
You've got to be carefully taught

You've got to be taught before it's too late
Before you are six or seven or eight
To hate all the people your relatives hate
You've got to be carefully taught

People here in Bosnia love to talk about the problems here. They especially like to complain about how the "others" are making their lives miserable. The "others" usually mean the politicians, the government, the police, the employers, the workers, the mafia, members of other religions, etc. If only Tito were to return, so the story goes, our lives would be blissful.

What I have observed, however, is that the people I talk to are actually the "others" that are causing the real the problems. No politician could fool the Bosnian people with type of nationalistic rhetoric if the people were unified. But this country is a simmering pot of anger that is ready to explode. And, like most problems, it starts in the homes and in the families.

People here are taught to hate "all the people your relatives hate." Hate and anger are taught at home. And then they are reinforced by the culture, the society, and the politicians.

Not everyone, mind you. But far, far too many.

A Muslim friend of mine was explaining to me how it works. First, the societies are kept separate. Muslim children go to school with other Muslim children. Orthodox children go to different schools or at different times. Second, they are discouraged from playing with children who are not of their faith. Third, neighborhoods and villages are slowly separating...houses are sold or rented based on religious affiliations. Fourth, the rate of interfaith marriages have plummeted. While I know of some, there are far less of these type of marriages than 20 years ago. Far less. Finally, peer pressure is applied to make sure one understands his place in the world. My friend has been told things like "you should not have any Serb friends because you would be disrespecting the memory of your father who was killed by them."

You've got to be carefully taught.  This is the reality of Bosnia today.

Voluntary Separation

The city of Mostar is a wonderful case study for understanding Bosnia. The city is comprised of two Bosnian groups, Catholics (Croats) and Muslims. While governmental control rotates, the reality is that the two groups live almost completely separate lives within the same city.

Fall in Mostar, one of our favorite cities in the Balkans.

Catholic and Muslim children go to different schools (the only exception is Los Rosales, the center for children with disabilities). They have two different hospitals. They generally live in two different areas of the city. They have two different bus stations. Basically, the two sides live together in disunity.

Every resident of Mostar understands this reality. Because they have been carefully taught. It takes outsiders a while to figure everything out, however. It is so bad that I've heard stories about Croats (they were the ones who destroyed the old bridge during the war because they considered it Muslim) who still refuse to walk across the restored bridge today.

This is happening everywhere. Before the war, Sarajevo was about 50% Muslim. Today it is almost 80%. Entire villages are becoming 100% ethnically separated. A Serb village might be 5 km from a Muslim village but there will be little mixing between the two groups.

The American Civil War

What is happening in Bosnia seems familiar to me because of our own experience dealing with the aftermath of the American Civil War. I grew up far from the South but our most often told family story was of John Henry Cato, a Confederate soldier who was captured and died in a prison camp in Alton, Illinois. One hundred years after the fact, I was not told this story in a hateful way. But I always felt that my ancestor had died because of gross negligence on the part of the camp officials. He and others like him were basically starved to death.

The Civil War prison at Alton, Illinois where John Henry Cato died.

I know many who were raised in the South and were taught how the South had been victimized by the North. And I am old enough to recognize subtle racist things that were a part of white 1970s American culture. I have a very close friend who is African-American who has told me that some (but not all) of his relatives taught him to distrust all white people.

America has never recovered from its Civil War. As much as we like to pretend that it is "ancient history," the wounds remain.

Bosnia's civil war was just 20 years ago. And unlike the American Civil War, there was not a winner or a loser declared. It just ended. The participants were left with the horrific reality of what had occurred. But the animosity and issues remained unresolved.

Few people were actually persecuted for war crimes from the war. The people in power remained in power. Imagine being held in one of the notorious rape camps and finally escaping. And then imagine returning to your home after the war and finding that those that had raped you were now government officials. The same goes for the soldiers that you fought against. They are now the local police force.

At least there were Union and Confederate states that soldiers and victims could go home to. Bosnia is a massive mixing pot. In order to heal many feel a need to pull back into the relative safety of their religious community...so it is little wonder that people are voluntarily separating. It seems to be the only way they can self-heal.

For a while Western governments were active in Bosnia. I talked to a friend who worked for several years as an EU-employed facilitator for a small Eastern Bosnian town. His job was to convince the Muslims and the Serbs to work together. And he felt that he was able to get some cooperation on some things. But it required a third-party facilitator. And soon Western government money and interest ran out. And so that was that.

Diversity Studies and Bosnia's Potential

I wish to take a short diversion into the world of diversity studies. Researchers have been actively looking at which types of teams produce better work; homogenous or diverse. The politically correct answer, of course, is culturally diverse teams. But the research has been mixed.

It turns out that homogenous teams have some substantive advantages. And there are many types of projects that are best suited for homogenous teams.

Culturally diverse teams can be quite messy. It takes longer for them to get functioning. There are communication issues. Research demonstrates that in the early stages of a team's life, diverse teams perform poorly relative to homogenous teams (which are usually quicker to establish effective operating procedures).

And culturally diverse teams can be a disaster if issues are not fully dealt with. If diverse teams do not deal with their differences in an honest and forthright manner, the team's output will be substandard.

Conclusion about diverse teams from recent research paper.

The good news is that a well-functioning culturally diverse team can outperform a homogenous team on tasks that are complex and require strategic insight.

All of the pieces are in place in Bosnia. All of its country neighbors are homogenous teams. And so it not surprising that they are all outperforming Bosnia at the moment. But none have the cultural diversity that Bosnia has. So none have the same potential for creativity, innovation, and global appeal as Bosnia does.

To achieve it's potential, Bosnia has to embrace its diversity. Differences cannot be suppressed; they have to be resolved. One point of view cannot dominate the other. All have to be open and free.

Right now, this is not happening. Which is why Bosnia is such a poor performing team. But the potential for greatness is there.

Like a Fiddler on the Roof

Fiddler on the Roof tells the story of a small little Jewish community located in the fictional village of Anatevka, Russia. For most of the play, the community seems to be the only occupants of this little village. But slowly the audience comes to realize that there "are others in this little village of ours." The "others" are ultimately portrayed as the villains who forcibly kick the Jews out of their homes. But let me suggest that the disaster was inevitable and that the Jewish community was partially to blame.

In my opinion Bock and Harnick's play is vastly under appreciated. 

What good can come of isolation? Especially cultural isolation when you are surrounded by "others." Like it or not, we all live in a vast global village of ideas and cultures. Isolationism can only lead to distrust, anger, economic stagnation, and conflict. I ask again. What good can come of isolation?

Doctor, Doctor...Teacher!

November is flying by! We have an official release date and have now booked all our post mission flights home. Not sure we are quite ready, but the reality is we will be leaving Sarajevo in 64 days  (January 22), enjoying a 10 day cruise from Barcelona, Spain through the Canary Islands and then arriving in Kansas City on Wednesday, Feb. 7.  It's hard to believe that our time here is almost over and we have very mixed emotions. One thing we do know is that we will return, maybe not as missionaries, but we will be back sooner than later!

Running at full speed best describes the past two weeks. We've mentioned the Maternal Newborn Care (MNC) project in previous posts, but this month we got to see first hand how this project works. We were so impressed by Dr. George Bennett and his wife, Marcia as well as Dr. Mark Underwood, who are the specialists that oversee the MNC in Bosnia. The Bennetts spend well over half of the year traveling to various countries around the globe to conduct the training workshops for MNC. Dr. Mark Underwood, Chief of Neonatology at UC - Davis, offers his expertise several times a year. These people volunteer their time and talents to help train doctors and nurses around the world how to perform newborn resuscitation. As a result of their efforts hundreds of babies lives are saved by the doctors and nurses who have learned proper resuscitation techniques. In the past 12 years since the program has been implemented in Bosnia, the infant mortality rate has been cut nearly in half and now approaches the same statistics as the U.S. To say this project has made a significant impact is an understatement. While many projects improve the quality of life in one way or another, this project literally saves lives. It is a "train-the-trainers" model which provides the skills doctors need to train even more newborn specialist how to save lives long after LDS Charities conducts the training workshops. It is a great example of empowering people to continue making a difference. 

Doctors from the hospital in Banja Luka taught the course, which
included both lecture and hands on learning components.

A nurse practices inserting a breathing tube on a NeoNatalie.

Dr. Mark Underwood oversees as doctors and nurses practice.

When the American Academy of Pediatrics 

releases an updated edition of the Newborn Resuscitation Manual, LDS Charities covers the expenses of having the manual translated from English to Bosnian and printed. Then to ensure doctors are up to date on current practices, LDS Charities offers training workshops in the various countries conducted by LDS Charities specialists. We assisted with three days of training in both Sarajevo and Banja Luka. The first day was focused on introducing new techniques and providing guidance to the doctors that would be training others during the two day training workshop. It was very impressive to watch how focused and determined the participants were in learning the skills they needed to save babies who have trouble breathing at birth. On the second day these doctors began training other doctors and nurses how to properly administer resuscitation. In all, about 130 medical professionals were trained. LDS Charities also provides each medical facility that had participants in training with a variety of materials, such as special newborn mannequins, so they can go back to their specific locations and train others. 

These simple, yet vital, techniques save many lives!

Dr. George Bennett demonstrates proper techniques.

On the Saturday between the two MNC training workshops we spent the day with more doctors. This

A doctor explains the importance of regular gynecological exams.

project, in partnership with Muslim Aid and the medical association (BIMA), provided gynecological examinations to women in rural areas of Bosnia, specifically near Srebenica, where there is a significant number of widows due to the massacre of men there during the war. Due to cultural stigma, finances and rural locations, many women never have gynecological exams. Muslim Aid offered a similar project about five years ago and found that out of 100 women over 30% of the women who were screened had significant medical issues that needed follow up care. That's a staggering number. This project will provide approximately 225 extensive screenings in five rural villages. It also includes an hour long lecture on the importance of regular exams and the consequences of neglecting to have regular screenings done. Hopefully it will prevent unnecessary suffering among these women and provide follow up care for any who are determined to need further medical attention.

This is one of the exam rooms set up in a rural school. Both of
these doctors volunteer their time to assist BIMA with
community projects such as the women's health exams. 

The extensive exam included ultrasounds of breast and ovaries.
BIMA has a great team of skilled volunteer doctors.

Volunteering with BIMA allows 3rd year medical students an
opportunity for hands on training and experience. 

Part of the group of partners, including Muslim Aid and BIMA
along with some of the recipients of free exams. 

Me with Mersiha, one of our friends at Muslim Aid.
They have been exceptional partners with LDS Charities
for many years. We are blessed to have their support. 

Women waiting for their turn for exams at a small rural school. 

Alexis discussed several ways iPads can be used, with translation
assistance from our church friend Iris. Alexis offered great insight
that helped the participants better understand the role of
technology for children with speech challenges.

Following the two weeks of MNC with women's health clinics sandwiched in between, we held our first training workshop yesterday for therapeutic and educational use of iPads. We did a small project last spring with Mala Sirena to determine the effectiveness of iPad usage among children with disabilities. Due to the tremendous positive results we are now expanding the program to include 12 other organizations that work with children with special needs. We are providing iPads and training to these organizations. During one of our visits to a center several months ago we asked them if they ever used tablets with the children. The director pulled out two tablets and said they had been donated by an NGO but they didn't know what to do with them besides let the kids play games... and they didn't want to do that so they had just put them in a drawer. So as we determined that iPads could be effective in Bosnia, we also determined that we needed to teach what a powerful tool they could be if used correctly. We completed our first of two full day training workshops yesterday. We had fifteen therapist/educators in attendance, including two people from Montenegro. In the same model as the MNC, we are "training the trainers" on this project. 

Edita and Jasminka from Mala Sirena guided participants through
several hands-on activities to help them learn how to customize
several programs into Bosnian as well as for individual students. 

I taught the basics of iPads, such as turning it on, settings, Apple IDs and all the boring, but necessary things. Alexis Wood, a church member who's husband works at the US Embassy, just happens to be a speech therapist. She graciously shared some very insightful information on why iPads are effective tools and several ways they can be used to assist with communication and education. And the third segment of the workshop was taught by Edita and Jasminka, two young ladies from our pilot project with Mala Sirena. They did a fantastic job demonstrating how to customize several programs into Bosnian language, introduced the group to many programs they have found very successful with their students and shared practical ideas they have used in their center. There was a lot of laughter as the participants were trying out some of the apps and doing hands-on practice.  Overall, it was well received and the participants were very excited to put their new iPads to use with their students. And we aren't the least bit worried that the iPads will get put in a drawer and never used. They were all talking about sharing what they had learned with others. We look forward to the second training in two weeks on the opposite side of the country with another group of people who are trying to change the world for children with disabilities!

Edita and Jasminka did an amazing job sharing their knowledge
and helping everyone have a good understanding of several effective
apps they have used with their students at Mala Sirena. 

A participant tries to "Pinch the Pepper", an activity that helps
develop fine motor skills such as holding a pencil. 

An excited participant showing what she had done on one of the apps
in the hands-on part of the workshop. She was able to create a picture
story in Bosnian using pictures she took on the iPad. Then she
was able to add her own voice to the pictures. This is just one
example of how iPads could be used to communicate.

As Thanksgiving is upon us, I have to admit that I feel blessed beyond words this year. While I miss my family and friends, I know that God has placed us here at this time for our benefit. While we may not know what's next in our journey, I know that this year I am thankful for the experiences, opportunities and people that have graced our lives over the past 16 months. And for the love and support of those at home who have encouraged us and made this mission possible. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

XIV Sarajevo Winter Olympics: Then and Now

Higher, Faster, Stronger

I have always been in love with the Olympic Games. It is, by far, my favorite sporting event. Some people love the Super Bowl, March Madness, the Kentucky Derby, the Masters, or the World Cup. I dream about the Olympics. We were fortunate enough to attend the 2002 SLC Games and I hope to visit a Summer Games at least once in my life (maybe 2028 L.A.). 

After the exhilaration of 1980 Lake Placid (Eric Heiden and the miracle on ice), I was emotionally devastated by Jimmy Carter's decision to boycott the Moscow Summer Games (Carter...for me...will always be considered the Worst President Ever due to that singular decision...worst than Watergate). And so, after 4 long years of waiting, I found myself glued to the TV set in February of 1984 when the 14th Winter Olympiad introduced me to the distant land of Sarajevo, Yugoslovia. 

As a resident of Sarajevo, I can tell you that the city has many different identities. But the one that I love the most is its identity as a former host of the Winter Olympic Games. During this post I want to take you through a little of the Olympic history...showcasing some of the drama that kept my eyeballs glued to Jim McKay's coverage along with some pictures of these venues as they exist today.

I am not sure what the event was...but I certainly am a poor loser. This Olympic podium is found on Mount Igman near the ski jump hill.

Why Sarajevo?

As I have become familiar with the countries that comprise former Yugoslavia, I have realized that Sarajevo is not the obvious choice to host a Yugoslavian Olympic Games. The obvious choice is Slovenia which is on the Julian Alps. 

Briel looking out over Lake Bled with the beginning of the Julian Alps in the background.

I do not know why Tito decided Sarajevo in lieu of Slovenia. But I do know some of the history regarding the attitudes leading up to the games. Here is an excerpt from a book entitled The Sarajevo Olympics which I found illuminating.

"In Feb 1983 the journalist William Oscar Johnson and photographer Jerry Cooke drove the length of Yugoslavia, from Slovenia in the north to Macedonia in the south, to produce an itinerary of sorts for people traveling to the 1984 Winter Olympic Games. The two men crossed at Maribor, Slovenia then stopped at Lake Bled, a resort village high in the Julian Alps. In the luxurious Grand Hotel Toplice, where in the 1961 the American chess master Bobby Fischer defeated the Soviet Mikhail Tal, they met with a man from the Lake Bled Tourist Association. 'We asked him if he thought the Olympics in Sarajevo would be well run,' Johnson wrote. 'He frowned and said, 'Tourism is not traditional in Bosnia. There will be problems...the big things, the competitions, will be very good...but the problem is the small things. Nobody changes light bulbs. The running water stops and no one fixes it. These are small things. But the small things make a big mosaic everyone remembers after the Olympics.' Johnson called it 'provincial prejudice,' for Slovenes typically viewed Bosnians as peasants and yokels and resented the fact that smoggy Sarajevo and not, say, Ljubljana, the Slovene capital, had landed the games. An Olympics in Bosnia? People told jokes about Bosnia, for everyone knew Mujo and Haso, the two Muslim ne'er-do-wells who were the Laurel and Hardy of Yugoslav jokes. The stereotype was that Bosnians were dumb. In one joke Mujo finished a puzzle and said 'Look, Haso, it took me only a month but the box here says three to five years.' In another joke Mujo declared 'I think, therefore I am,' then poof, he disappeared. 'The difference between Slovenia and Bosnia is plain,' the tourist official said. 'The Muslims there have always looked to Allah to produce for them and patiently wait until tomorrow...Do you know this word 'phlegmatically'? This is what may prevail in Sarajevo. 

If this sign that I found at the Olympic ski jump facility is any indication, bathrooms may have been on of the "small things" that were problematic.

The Slovenes were so worried about Bosnia hosting the games that they petitioned Tito in 1979 and argued that "the games should not be hosted." 

This was the site of the Olympic village. These buildings are within walking distance of our apartments. 

But Sarajevo did serve as host. And the world fell in love with Sarajevo as a consequence. Despite a few "small things" (the Olympic flag was hoisted upside down during the opening ceremony), the games were a roaring success and a source of pride for the country of Yugoslavia. Below is the first of several videos from 1984. This one shows pictures from the opening ceremonies and the venues that were used during the games.

Venue Summary from 1984

Opening Ceremonies to the XIV Winter Olympiad.

The First Real Shock of the Games

Traditionally, the men's skiing downhill race is held on the first day of competition. High-speed, thrilling, and extremely dangerous, this event takes just about an hour to contest. No American had ever won the men's downhill at the Olympics. That is until 1984 Sarajevo.

The men's downhill was held at Bjelašnica. I have not skiied their but I plan to this year since they are adding a high-speed lift. We have visited during the summer and found some hiking trails, cows, and paragliding. It is a popular summer destination.

We also rent 4-wheelers at the resort there. 

During practice runs, a brash young American, Bill Johnson, was excelling. So the American broadcasters were talking him up during the first day of Olympic coverage. So he did not come completely out of the "blue." Here's his famous run to win the gold medal.

Men's Downhill

Bill Johnson shocked the skiing world with his unexpected Olympic victory.

The Biggest Stars of the Games

Ice skating and hockey competitions took place at Skendaria, an indoor facility in the heart of town that now hosts events like Tourist Expos and International Fairs. And it was in this arena where the biggest stars of the 1984 Olympics competed. 

The Olympic logo outside of Skendaria. Note the drone which is about to take-off for a flight above the city.

For one brief shining moment, the relatively unknown sport of ice dancing stole the heart of the world. Two British ice dancers, Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean, took advantage of some rule changes which allowed more freedom in their sport. The result was an innovative routine to the classical song "Bolero" which captivated the world. And the judges. Their performance was scored "perfect" by all of the judges. 

Torvill and Dean's Bolero

Although I knew nothing about ice dancing going into Sarajevo, the hype made this competition "must see TV" for me and everyone else across the world. I cannot name another ice dancing team ever. But I will never forget Torvill and Dean.

Events on Skates

Skating events were either held in Skendaria or near the Olympic Stadium. Today the stadium is used for a number of purposes. Most dear to the heart of some Sarajevo residents is the football stadium, home to FK Sarajevo. Sarajevo has three teams but the two most prominent are FK and Zelje. I was lucky enough to attend one of their games (aka darby) this past summer. 

Taking pictures of Sarajevo from Trebević. The arrow points out Olympic stadium.

This is the Olympic stadium. A little run-down but still functional.

Haris, Elder Smith, and Elder Echols enjoying the match between FK and Zelje.

The stadium still stands despite being burnt down every year at "darby" time.

They also hold other sporting events at the Stadium. Esma, one of our close Bosnian friends, has a brother who loves to compete in short-track speed skating events at the ice rink near the stadium. 

This is Esma's brother on the short-track.

The king and queen of the Winter Olympics are generally the winners of the men's and women's figure skating events. In Sarajevo this makes America's Scott Hamilton the King and East Germany's Katarina Witt the Queen.

Scott Hamilton

Katarina Witt

This was the first of back-to-back gold medals for Witt.

Hamilton became the voice of skating broadcasts in the U.S.

A Sarajevo Icon

If you only have one day in Sarajevo, there are two places you must visit to truly get a flavor for the city. The first is Baščaršija (old town) and the second is the bobsled run on Trebević. There is something special about being able to walk the bobsled track. The locals have filled it with graffiti which makes it more personalized. 

Doing the Bobsled with Downi and Boyce.

I kinda of liked this graffiti bus. Unfortunately it was painted over six months ago. Replaced by some letters which are not as cool.

Elder Isom getting the full laser treatment from the "Wolf."

The city is quick to point out that the track is still in use. What that means is that in the autumn several Eastern European teams come and practice wheeled luge to get ready for their season. But mainly it is one of Sarajevo's top tourist attractions. 

The track cleaned up and ready for use.

People bike down it, walk along it, and jog on it. I have done the up and down jog before. 

Me mid-run.

Here's some coverage from the bobsled competition.

Bobsled

Before coming to Sarajevo, Briel, Mitch and I went down the Bobsled track in Park City. I did not realize how strong the G-Forces are on your body.

The Best Twins in Olympic History

The slalom events were held at Jahorina, This is only 45-minutes from our apartment so I was able to go skiing there 4 times last season. Remarkably inexpensive, the ski area is small by Rocky Mountain standards. They do not have many mogul runs so most everything is groomed and easy skiing. 

Anna came with us one morning. Hopefully there are ski resorts in Greece!

I am sure Brig and Jet would just jump over this minor outcropping of rock and trees.

I have not ridden a "T-bar" lift since my early days skiing Pinedale. Nearly fell down the first time up. I can't imagine trying to ride this lift up using a snow board.

In winter Sarajevo displays a majestic beauty. The snow replaces the fallen leaves which seems to bring new life to the forest. 

Once the leaves fall, the mountains of Bosnia are drab and depressing. The first snows, however, bring everything back to  life as a beautiful white blanket seems to cover the forest. The trees seem to embrace this whiteness, displaying a celestial glory as they prepare for spring's rebirth.

We were able to ski one fresh powder day. My heart was willing but my legs were not. I did not last too long playing in the un-groomed snow.

In 1984 two skiing twins, Phil and Steve Mahre, did the impossible. They finished 1-2 in the men's slalom. What a tremendous day for the Mahre family. 

Slalom Competition

The Mahre Brothers Receive Gold Medals

Phil and Steve Mahre (only their mother knows who is who).

Fly Like an Eagle

I remember watching the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics on a black and white television below a quilting frame that my mother was working on. I was fascinated with the ski jump. When I watched the ski jump live in 2002, however, I was in awe at how far they flew but found the event kind of boring. When you have seen one ski jump, it seemed to me at the time, you've seen them all. 

The ski jumps on Mount Igman.

Lesser known than the bobsled track but still as fascinating, the ski jump hills have also fallen into disarray. This means that you can climb them and see how steep they really are. You cannot, however, jump off of them...the drop is way too steep.

From this angle, the hills do not appear that steep.

However, as you climb up the jumps, you realize how steep they really are. This was as high as I could safely climb up the hill. And the thought of skiing down this thing, jumping, and then landing down where those small people are is terrifying.

The Flying Finn

Matti Nykanen began his dominance of the sport in Sarajevo.

Closing Ceremony

As Dionne and I are pondering our post-Sarajevo life, I am reminded of the thrill that a city receives while hosting an Olympics. Time seems magical while the competition is underway. But you know that it has to come to an end some day. And our end is coming way to soon.

Loving winter in Bosnia. But not for too much longer.

The 14th Winter Olympiad was a rousing success. During the closing ceremony, IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch stated that the games were "a wonderful success...I am convinced they will remain forever in our hearts and memories...doviđenja, Yugoslavia. Doviđenja, drago Sarajevo." Milton Richman, the longtime sports editor at UPI, insisted that Sarajevo's games were "beyond question the best organized and most smoothly run" he'd seen in a quarter century. "What impressed me the most is how the Yugoslavian people did everything possible, and some things that seemed impossible. The games were without wrinkle from the Opening Ceremony right down to the closing one. Nothing was too difficult for them...and when you tried to thank them, they smiled affably and said nema problema." Everyone was friendly almost too a fault. My favorite story is told by a reporter who was attending the game with his family. "My son and daughter, age nine and twelve, were nonplussed to find that when they rode in taxis alone, the taxi drivers often, as a sign of courtesy, offered them cigarettes...smoking is big in Sarajevo, but this big?"

John Denver in Sarajevo