Exploring an Abandoned Olympic Bobsled Track in Sarajevo

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Up in the hills above Sarajevo lies an abandoned bobsled and luge track from the 1984 Winter Olympics. After the Bosnian War in the 1990s, it was left to decay. The concrete relic is now overgrown with vegetation, yet it still stands as a haunting reminder of the city’s complex past. It also serves as a symbol of Sarajevo’s resilience. Despite the destruction caused by the war, the city has rebuilt itself, and the bobsled track remains a piece of its sporting legacy.

The track sits on Trebević Mountain, a beautiful area filled with lush forests and trails. It is completely open to the public and is actually quite well known as a tourist attraction. If you take the cable car up the mountain, the track begins just a short walk from the top. There is even a map on how to get there, and you can also find the exact location on Google Maps.

Urban explorers may be slightly disappointed, as you most certainly wont have this abandoned site all to yourself, at least not on a beautiful summer day. Nonetheless, it is still a very unique urbex spot. And the further down the track you go, the less busy it gets.

Those interested in street art and photography will want to spend at least a few hours going down the entire 1200 meter track. There are some really well done pieces all the way down. The way the forest engulfs the structure more the lower you go is also very cool to see. It contrasts well with the natural beauty of the area.

These are my favorite shots from when I visited in July 2024:

24 Hours in Taipei, Taiwan

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Taiwan always seemed like an interesting place full of quirky Asianness. So when the opportunity of a 24-hour layover presented itself, of course I took it.

EVA Air was nice enough to reach out and book my hotel for the evening (this is something that certain airlines offer, but normally not unless you inquire yourself). If they didn't, I probably would've opted to just slept in the airport because Taipei Airport is one of the nicest airports ever! It has complimentary massage chairs, an orchid garden, a cinema, and many other wonderful features to pass the time.

Anyways, here are some of the things I saw during my 24 hours in Taipei:

I first made my way over to Ximending, which I read was the hip, young, weird part of town. The first thing I noticed was that there were many shops selling penis cake. I kinda wish I bought one looking back.

There were many claw machine game stores, which was very reminiscent of Japan.

Bubble tea was invented in Taiwan and I couldn't wait to try one here, as it's one of my favourite drinks. This particular chain, Xing Fu Tang, seemed to be super popular.

I'd never actually seen the tapioca bubbles being made, so this was cool.

I didn't want to wait in line, so I went down the street to a cheaper, no name bubble tea stall. Theirs looked just as good, and I'm sure it tasted good as well!

The must-do tourist shot of the brown sugar milk bubble tea. Mmmm...

There is also a lot of street art in this area.

Rows and rows of coin machine games.

This is Taipei 101 Tower.

Google's office is at the top. My friend Joel works there and he gave me a tour! What an amazing view.

This is a random street in another area I dropped by before going back to the airport.

These are good luck charms I believe.

Atlantis: Mexico City’s Abandoned Water Park

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Atlantis is a water park in Mexico City which closed in the 90’s. Over 20 years later, much of the parks structure still remains intact. It is a very unique and fairly easy spot for urban exploration.

The water park used to hold marine animal shows and you can still see the tanks where they used to hold them. Right next to the park is a water slide park, where the slides and wave pool are now covered in graffiti. The two parks are often both referred to as Atlantis, although they are technically different businesses. The water slide park originally opened as La Ola, and was later bought out by a company called El Rollo.

They are located in the third section of Chapultepec Park, or Bosque de Chapultepec. If you are familiar with Mexico City, you know that this section is very far from the main area of the park. It almost feels forgotten, as there are other abandoned areas, few people, and denser forest. It is not recommended to go here alone, especially at night.

I visited the parks in August of 2019. We took an Uber from where we were staying in the city. It’s very easy to find, if you Google ‘Atlantis’ or ‘El Rollo’, they still show up on Google Maps. To enter Atlantis, there was a hole in a fence that clearly had been trodden through many times. We exited La Ola/El Rollo through a door in a gate which was wide open.

We didn’t encounter anyone else throughout our visit. If you do come across security, supposedly 100-200 pesos will allow you to stay.

There is very little English information online, but lots in Spanish, so if you’d like to learn more try searching ‘parque acuatico Atlantis abandonado’. Here are my favorite photos:

Ospedale al Mare: An Abandoned Hospital in Venice

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The Ospedale al Mare ("Hospital of the Sea") is located on the island of Lido in Venice, Italy. It opened in 1868 and was once used mainly as a tuberculosis treatment center, offering alternative treatments such as heliotherapy and hydrotherapy, which went along perfectly with its beach-side location. In 2003 the hospital was closed down, and over a decade later, the site still remains (source: something-interesting.com).

During the summer of 2016, a fellow traveler I met told me about this place. He had actually been living there for months, as the buildings are now used as squatter housing. It was an absolute pleasure to meander through the halls. There is still some medical equipment left, which gives the site an eerie feel. Artists have claimed entire rooms as their canvas. Some have created sculptures with the remaining materials, others have added murals and graffiti.

If you happen to visit, make sure to allow an entire day to explore! I arrived a bit too late in the afternoon and so what you see here is just a glimpse of the many buildings. There is apparently a concert hall and a chapel which are difficult to enter, but quite the visual feat for those who figure it out!

Teufelsberg: Abandoned Spy Station in Berlin

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Teufelsberg (which is German for Devil's Mountain) is an abandoned Cold War US Spy Station, located in Berlin. It was constructed in the 1960's, specifically in the period following World War II. At the time, the building and huge domes you see depicted were used for listening and intercepting radio signals. Today, the building still remains standing. What makes the site so unique is that graffiti artists have covered every inch with beautiful artwork.

These photos were taken back in 2013. Teufelsberg used to be accessible only by sneaking in. However, over the past few years, a group of people claiming to 'own' the site, will stand at the front gate and charge an entrance fee. Regardless of how you get in, the history and eeriness, combined with the modern graffiti art that is symbolic of Berlin's culture, truly create a unique urban exploration experience. There are about 10 floors worth of graffiti to see, and once you make it to the top dome, the echo in that place will blow your mind! There are many abandoned sites in the world, but nothing like this.