I discovered a special place the other day - Dariva, an 8 km walking path that runs along the river. I'd been craving nature and a Sarajevan had recommended it to me. I had gone looking for Dariva a few days earlier but had not been able to find the start. It had been a grey chilly day and the small adolescent couple I'd chosen to follow ended up turning into a residence so I slyly turned around and headed back towards the town. I'd even seen a few cyclists speed up and pass me but it seemed they were disappearing into a dark (and pedestrian unfriendly) tunnel. On Wednesday it was a clear blue sky day and I decided to try again, this time turning down a deserted looking narrow road before the tunnel. At the end was a small rusty sign reading 'Dariva' in green letters. The presence of some other locals out for a leisurely stroll also boosted my confidence. I was on the right path...
About a quarter mile from the start the path opened up to spectacular views of hills, sheer rock sides, trees and flowers, and the river gushing in the valley below. Along the path people sat on benches staring off into space, reading the paper, or cuddling with lover. Groups of men passed by, deep in conversation. Stray dogs lounged in the sunshine. There were even rock climbers scaling a portion of the cliff shown in the photo below. What a treat. I'm left wondering if it will be passable in the cold months ahead.