Countries, some more than others, that have a very bloody recent past with the disintegration of Yugoslavia and subsequent wars during the 1990s. The region has however experienced fairly constant conflict, foreign occupation and disputed borders for centuries. Therefore the multitude of ethnicities and religious beliefs is vast, and despite the tension felt when talking to different groups, they live side by side with a strong national, or better yet, strong ethnic consciousness.

For me, who arrived in the Balkan Peninsula in 2006, when Bulgaria was already on the verge of entering the European Union (2007), such wars seemed a very distant past. The only echoes during this trip were some bombarded buildings, the travel advice to not wander off on unasphalted roads or non-urban areas in Bosnia due to the high concentration of landmines (er… what?), ah yes and the repeated mild questioning at the Serbian border about my previous visit to Kosovo after its declaration of independence in 2008, given away by the proud Kosovar visa stamp on my passport.

Travelling through these countries at the pace we did, what stands out most are the virgin landscapes, the eclectic human interventions, and the contrasts or similarities between them. Within little more than 24 hours, we went through a Serbian motel along the E75 where the traditional white cheese and Turkish coffee are brought out for breakfast; pristine Croatian motorways; Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana which feels like Central Europe but you still say ‘hvala’ for ‘thank you’ just as you do in its southern neighbours; the Julian Alps where snow capped mountains charmed our passage, to arrive in the sunny and undulating Tuscany.

The return journey was by no means less contrasting, from being one day at the hustle and bustle of touristic Florence to the peaceful Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia the next. [For a full photo story on these lakes click here] I wish we could have stayed there for a month, but we had to continue towards Split, on the Dalmatian coast. The vibrant city is built on the remains of a Roman palace and has a strong Italian, Mediterranean style after nearly 4 centuries of Venetian rule.

Later on we moved towards Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) via Mostar. Progress started to be slower with no motorways in sight and without much time left my stop at Mostar was a brief one. It has been impregnated in my mind since 2005, when I was still in London working for a photojournalism agency and put together a selection of images to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Bosnian war. The most striking and positive images were the ‘before and after’ of the 429 years old bridge built by the Ottoman Empire, bombarded by a tank during the war in 1993, and the brand new bridge built to the same design in 2004. I had to see it. I arrived in Mostar a couple of seconds too late to see a diver jumping from the bridge into the river Neretva. I just had time to feel the excitement of his/her family and friends. I shall have to return another time.

Sarajevo announces itself through big advertising billboards, the start of a dual carriageway and tired looking tramways running alongside us. Interestingly it is claimed to be the oldest full-time (dawn to dusk) tramway running in Europe since 1885, and started as a test line for the Austro-Hungarian empire. As we reach the city centre, the obvious presence of varied religious groups in the city rubbing shoulders with one another alongside signs of Sarajevo’s dramatic recent past are clearly visible. The next day we return home through green mountains and scattered villages and farms, without wandering off our asphalted road of course, just in case.

The photos presented here are captured impressions of my experiences and moments that struck me most in terms of social relevance, colours or shapes.

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With the advent of cheap air travel in the 1970s and the consequent departure of masses of tourists towards warmer resorts in Europe, the English seaside suffered a sharp downfall on the number of visitors all year round, increasing its overall degradation.

:: Project shortlisted for the Observer-Hodge Award 2006, UK ::

In today’s Sofia, Bulgaria, this legacy is also seen in the form of suburbs made up with concrete pre-fabricated apartment blocks – a heritage from the Communist social architecture. Such neighbourhoods were created by the regime to house the capital’s increasing population brought from the countryside to work in the heavy industries.

Mladost, meaning ‘Youth’, is one of these neighbourhoods. Others, with equally inspirational names, include Druzhba (‘Friendship’) and Nadezhda (‘Hope’).
Today Mladost, one of the 24 Sofia’s munipalities, is thriving with non-stop construction, business and shopping areas and is already linked to Sofia’s metro network. However degrading buildings from the past continue to be part of present-day life.

:: Project featured on Vagabond magazine, Bulgaria; and Mutante magazine, Portugal ::

Rose oil is one of the national treasures of Bulgaria, and today the country is the leading producer with 70% of the worldwide production. It is mostly used in the perfumery industry, with well known brands such as Chanel, Christian Dior or Kenzo preferring the Bulgarian rose oil.

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Here is a selection of my favourite travel snapshots.

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