As promised I am posting the pictures from my trip in Bosnia.
The first ones are from Sarajevo and the second ones are from the historic town of Mostar.
Also, here is a draft version I am currently writing for my website on figs in the Balkans. Once I will complete a spellcheck and add more content I will add all relevant references to the text.
(Keep in mind this text is incomplete)
When most of us think of fig tree cultivation we will mainly associate it with countries such as Italy, Turkey and the state of California in the U.S. Nonetheless, one has to take into consideration the reality of the presence of fig trees in the Balkans and other parts of the world. During September 2010 and May 2011, I had the chance to visit Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and eastern Croatia. In each of these countries, I was able to spot fig trees growing in different areas. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to explore all the countryside areas but in each case I was able to spot fig trees in major cities such as Sofia, Belgrade and Sarajevo.
From a historical perspective, the western Balkan states are bordering the Adriatic sea. In this context, historical data points the introduction of fig cultivation during the age of Illyarians and Greek colonization. Additionally, we should consider the impact of the Byzantine Empire, Ottoman Empire and others as a mean of introducing fig cultivation into the Balkans. Evidently, this is beyond my ability to pull all possible historical data relating to fig cultivation in the Balkans. Nevertheless, one should keep in mind the influence of these former empires as an element of introducing fig cultivation into the Balkans.
The varieties in this region are different and one should not expect to find such fig varieties as Hardy Chicago, Sultane and others. In fact, this region has distinct varieties with their own characteristics.
The first pictures are from Sarajevo
The second part are pictures from the historic town of Mostar
