Thanks so much, William! Appreciate the kind words and glad you enjoyed the memories. However the Sarajevo Games were not thirty eight years ago. Nope. No way. Not possible. Nope, nope, nope! 😎😎😎
First, let me say that I enjoyed listening to you read your newsletter as I followed along on the page. I feel like I know both of you a little bit, and I know that is so presumptuous of me because we have never met. But, this newsletter is what allows me to feel like you are friends. :)
I had tears in my eyes as I look at the pictures; the Sarajevo games hold my fondest memories of Olympic Winter Games, and seeing these pictures are just sad. I don't know that I'm to the point yet that I can see this as "art" and that it needs to be left alone, but I do appreciate your point of view. I grew up in Southern California and lived there off and on for the majority of my life, and "graffiti" littered everything. It's hard to look at any graffiti and see the benefit of it, but I'll try.
Thanks for this walk down memory lane, sad as it is.
So glad you enjoyed! I couldn't stand to listen to it as the sound of my own voice -- shudder. LOL.
As for the boblsleigh runs -- man, I don't want to show you what we saw today. It was the facility where awards were handed out and I think ice skating events happened. And there's nothing "artistic" about it at all...
Oh, I don't think I want to see it. I've read several articles about it and it just kills me thinking about it. I know Torvill & Dean did a documentary or interview or something about the effects of the war on the Olympic sites, but I haven't pursued it yet. I can't imagine how all of the Olympians feel having competed and then they see the Olympic facilities in ruins. But it was a great newsletter and as usual, the pictures are wonderful!
Thanks. I can't wrap my mind around what the average Sarajevan feels walking around and seeing not just the damage to the Olympic venues, but the rest of the city as well. There are so many bullet holes, it simply staggers the imagination....
Hello Michael and Brent, We visisted https://www.medjugorje.org/ in mid 1990s during the war. Our groups goal was visit the sacred site and bring medical and general supplies to the local ophanage. Fun memory when walking during the evening hours people would ask us to pray the rosary. The Italian NATO soldiers would place guns in huge pile and proceed to evening mass. During this time there was only one "large" guest house in the town almost filled by our group of 20. We visited a drug/ alcohol detox resdidental facility. I remember the young man giving us a lecture on the history and mission of the facility. He said "I could not give up drugs until I experienced physical labor with Mr. Shovel". Our local tour guide was a young doctors wife and mother of two from Mostar. She would travel each day and say "Do not worry the war is in Mostar 20 km away".
Check out this life changing town . I wish you both safe and interesting travels.
Funny "On 12 May 2019, the Vatican officially authorized pilgrimage to Medjugorje." 25 years later.
Hey Steve, Thanks for sharing that story. Sounds like a truly great trip. And thanks for the tip to visit Medjugorje. Alas, it's the exact opposite direction of where we're headed next, so I'm apraid that won't be happening this trip. But I'll bookmark it for the next time we are here. Stay safe!
This was a really interesting article to read. I couldn’t help but compare the condition of the Sarajevo track to that of Lake Placid in the US -1980 games . However no war in NY.
Immediately after the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics concluded, I happened to be skiing in Kitzbuehl, Austria during the World Cup Races held on the famous Hahnenkamm trail. The Austrians hadn’t performed well in the Sarajevo Olympics, but they redeemed themselves and swept the Hahnenkamm races first (Franz Klammer), second and third. Many of the international sports media that had covered the Olympics were present and reported on the sweep. After the race, the media and the euphoric Austrians hosted an all-night victory party in Kitzbuehl at the Londoner Pub and lucky for me, I was in the bar when the party started. It was memorable and great fun. I spoke with several of the media people, and they told me how pleased they were with the Olympics, carried on without incident notwithstanding the religious and cultural divisions. With the success of the Winter Olympics the world was hopeful the bitter divisions were over. Seven years later all hell broke loose in Sarajevo, all the traditional divisions based on religious and ethnic lines erupted. I had visited Sarajevo a few years ago and missed this. Thanks for the post & memories.
I'm with you on the opinion of leaving the bobsleigh site just as it is. It is now a historical site, an outdoor urban art gallery, and keeper of many memories. While reading your article and looking at your excellent pictures, I was taken back 38 years to the 1984 Winter Olympics and the images I remembered about them.
Thanks so much, William! Appreciate the kind words and glad you enjoyed the memories. However the Sarajevo Games were not thirty eight years ago. Nope. No way. Not possible. Nope, nope, nope! 😎😎😎
First, let me say that I enjoyed listening to you read your newsletter as I followed along on the page. I feel like I know both of you a little bit, and I know that is so presumptuous of me because we have never met. But, this newsletter is what allows me to feel like you are friends. :)
I had tears in my eyes as I look at the pictures; the Sarajevo games hold my fondest memories of Olympic Winter Games, and seeing these pictures are just sad. I don't know that I'm to the point yet that I can see this as "art" and that it needs to be left alone, but I do appreciate your point of view. I grew up in Southern California and lived there off and on for the majority of my life, and "graffiti" littered everything. It's hard to look at any graffiti and see the benefit of it, but I'll try.
Thanks for this walk down memory lane, sad as it is.
So glad you enjoyed! I couldn't stand to listen to it as the sound of my own voice -- shudder. LOL.
As for the boblsleigh runs -- man, I don't want to show you what we saw today. It was the facility where awards were handed out and I think ice skating events happened. And there's nothing "artistic" about it at all...
Oh, I don't think I want to see it. I've read several articles about it and it just kills me thinking about it. I know Torvill & Dean did a documentary or interview or something about the effects of the war on the Olympic sites, but I haven't pursued it yet. I can't imagine how all of the Olympians feel having competed and then they see the Olympic facilities in ruins. But it was a great newsletter and as usual, the pictures are wonderful!
Thanks. I can't wrap my mind around what the average Sarajevan feels walking around and seeing not just the damage to the Olympic venues, but the rest of the city as well. There are so many bullet holes, it simply staggers the imagination....
Hello Michael and Brent, We visisted https://www.medjugorje.org/ in mid 1990s during the war. Our groups goal was visit the sacred site and bring medical and general supplies to the local ophanage. Fun memory when walking during the evening hours people would ask us to pray the rosary. The Italian NATO soldiers would place guns in huge pile and proceed to evening mass. During this time there was only one "large" guest house in the town almost filled by our group of 20. We visited a drug/ alcohol detox resdidental facility. I remember the young man giving us a lecture on the history and mission of the facility. He said "I could not give up drugs until I experienced physical labor with Mr. Shovel". Our local tour guide was a young doctors wife and mother of two from Mostar. She would travel each day and say "Do not worry the war is in Mostar 20 km away".
Check out this life changing town . I wish you both safe and interesting travels.
Funny "On 12 May 2019, the Vatican officially authorized pilgrimage to Medjugorje." 25 years later.
Hey Steve, Thanks for sharing that story. Sounds like a truly great trip. And thanks for the tip to visit Medjugorje. Alas, it's the exact opposite direction of where we're headed next, so I'm apraid that won't be happening this trip. But I'll bookmark it for the next time we are here. Stay safe!
This was a really interesting article to read. I couldn’t help but compare the condition of the Sarajevo track to that of Lake Placid in the US -1980 games . However no war in NY.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Outstanding photos!
Thank you very much!
Immediately after the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics concluded, I happened to be skiing in Kitzbuehl, Austria during the World Cup Races held on the famous Hahnenkamm trail. The Austrians hadn’t performed well in the Sarajevo Olympics, but they redeemed themselves and swept the Hahnenkamm races first (Franz Klammer), second and third. Many of the international sports media that had covered the Olympics were present and reported on the sweep. After the race, the media and the euphoric Austrians hosted an all-night victory party in Kitzbuehl at the Londoner Pub and lucky for me, I was in the bar when the party started. It was memorable and great fun. I spoke with several of the media people, and they told me how pleased they were with the Olympics, carried on without incident notwithstanding the religious and cultural divisions. With the success of the Winter Olympics the world was hopeful the bitter divisions were over. Seven years later all hell broke loose in Sarajevo, all the traditional divisions based on religious and ethnic lines erupted. I had visited Sarajevo a few years ago and missed this. Thanks for the post & memories.
Wow! What a fun group to run into. Glad you enjoyed the memories and every day as I walk around Sarajevo, I'm reminded of the tragedy of the war.
Dear Michael:
I'm with you on the opinion of leaving the bobsleigh site just as it is. It is now a historical site, an outdoor urban art gallery, and keeper of many memories. While reading your article and looking at your excellent pictures, I was taken back 38 years to the 1984 Winter Olympics and the images I remembered about them.