Skipping Through the Balkans: #5 Bosnia and Herzegovina

HA! And you thought I’d completely blown-off my (near 500 post strong) little travelogue here at TravelnLass.  Nary a single post in February (a first for TL – an entire month without a peck).  I explained why I’ve been a little distracted here lately in THIS post two months ago, and my sentiments back then remain the same:  TravelnLass remains a priority – just not my numero UNO priority.  Currently it sits at about #4 (just beneath researching for my next adventure to Africa). 😉

But it’s been more than a full YEAR since I last pecked a new tale from my (seriously idyllic) 8-country romp through eastern Europe.  And I am deee-termined to get back on-the-wagon here; to put-nose-to-grindstone and churn out the remainder of my Balkan marathon tales (likely a half-dozen more including Dubrovnik, Croatia, a most wondrous rest-up in Montenegro, and at least 4 posts detailing my happy skip around Turkey).  And of course trust that I most certainly have pictures a-plenty of all still to share.

That Said, Let’s Get On With It, Shall We?

When last we left off, I’d just enjoyed a brief meet-up in Zadar, Croatia with an old friend and English student of mine from Cuenca.  And from there I headed by public bus to Split – a most disappointing (read: achingly in-your-face touristy, not to mention unremarkable) destination not even worth the single overnight to break up my long skip down the Adriatic coast of Croatia.  Nonetheless, it proved a fine jumping-off point for a quick detour (I was outta there the next morning on a 9:30 am – 4 hour bus) to Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Let’s start with the (all-important) sleeps in Mostar.  I couldn’t have picked a better place for my single night stay than Hostal Dino.  Uber-clean, uber-convenient (within walking distance to Mostar’s prize attraction the “Stari Most” bridge), uber-quiet, uber-friendly staff, and… just 9€ for a bed in the dorm – which I had entirely to myself!

And heaven forbid should I neglect to share the requisite TravelnLass’ “Toes in Situ” as I tiptoed amid the polished stones of Mostar’s 15th century cobbled lanes.

Why Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The most poignant point of visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina (beyond the fact that Mostar is exceptionally beautiful and but a day trip from the Croatian coast) was witnessing the sobering remnants of the country’s civil war – little more than 25 years ago.
Though I don’t presume to fully understand it all, suffice the 44 month conflict (from 1992-1995) was among the most bloody in Europe since WWII, and the genocide of Bosnian Muslims not unlike that of the Nazis.  One of the best articles I could find on the subject was on The Atlantic website marking the “20th Anniversary of the Bosnian War” (be sure to scroll down through the images to the “Before/After” pics starting at #40).

But to me, what makes it all especially sobering is that this all happened in modern Europe – less than 25 years ago!  And apparently the tensions between the separate faiths among the Bosniaks (Muslim), the Croats (Catholic) and Serbs (Orthodox) live on.  Should you want to learn more, here’s a YouTube documentary that sheds some light on the continued tensions in Bosnia and Herzagovina today:  Bosnia and Herzagovina: An Ethnically Divided Country.

And on the Sunny Side…

There was the lure of taking a peek at yet another new country, plus the delicious array of beautiful woven textiles and trinkets to drool over.

Confession: Fully 3 weeks into my 6 week, “rollie ‘n a backpack” DIY solo marathon itinerary, I clearly had precious little room for the many “pretties” I was tempted to drag home to Ecuador as I made my way through 8 different foreign lands.  Thus here in Mostar, I purchased absolutely nothing save some old Yugoslavian notes (from a Mostar bank) for my dear Cuenca landlord who uses me as a runner to bring him stray currencies from my many travels.

Plus I was keen on getting a glimpse of Mostar’s famous “Stari Most” (literally “Old Bridge”).  Built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, the Stari Most stood for 427 years, until it was destroyed on 9 November 1993 by Croat military forces during the Croat–Bosniak War (and rebuilt in 2004 using the same centuries-old materials and construction methods).

And then of course there was the opportunity to sample authentic eats of the region.  Proof that even a single overnight in a new foreign country can hold some (deliciously) memorable experiences – my dinner amid the most charming leafy outdoor setting of Restaurant Sadrvan: “Mostarian sahan” (small sausages, “japarak” – cabbage, minced meat, carrots, rice and parsley – and sogan dolma, topped with sour cream) all for just 7€!

And finally, a short slide show of stray pics…

Whew! 5 Balkan “Skips” Down – 3 To Go

But don’t hold your breath waiting for my next TravelnLass monologue.  I make no promises as to WHEN I might manage to peck the next Balkan installment (Dubrovnik, Croatia).  But “poco a poco” as they say here in my adopted Ecuadorian home.  “Little by little” I’ll try my best to keep my tales of “dodderin’ derring-do” coming! 😉

P.S. New here and curious who I am?  Check my bio to learn more!  Better yet, subscribe to my email list (so you never miss a single post) and get a pdf of my 30+ Best Travel Tips (trust me, at least one is sure to be a revelation).

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