The Kapija

27 years ago today, on a warm May evening, the young people of the northern Bosnian town of Tuzla gathered at the Kapija to celebrate national day of youth. Then a mortar shell landed in the middle of the crowd killing 71 people and injuring 200, almost all children, teenagers and young adults.

I thought a lot about my time in Bosnia when I was in Ukraine last week. The thing that worried me most was that people in Odessa have stopped going to the shelters when the air raid siren sounds. I understand why they don’t, the siren sounds 2-4 times a day and very few shells are landing close to the city, but if one does it will be dreadful.

On a more mundane note I had my eyes tested today, ready for ordering new glasses to replace those I broke in Odessa.