Such dynamic leadership troubles me. In the process, I learned some eerie things about Sarajevo. About a million people live there. Surrounded by hills and divided by a river, it is a city of parks, commerce and culture. Sarajevans love their cafes and the outdoors.
Skiing is close.
The ocean's not far. Indeed, a Bosnian woman told me that upon arriving in Portland, she was struck by our city's resemblance to pre-war Sarajevo. So to understand what happened to Sarajevo, imagine what it would be like if all of Portland's population was forced into downtown, under constant fire from heavy tanks lining the east side of the Willamette and from artillery guns in the West Hills. Further imagine snipers firing down from OHSU and the U.S. Bank Tower. You have to dodge bullets while crossing Pioneer Square.