Blogs from Mostar, South, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Europe - page 8

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Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » South » Mostar October 25th 2008

"Look at the silly tourists wandering around confused with their big backpacks, let's go and scam the fuck out of them" was what went through a taxi driver's mind as he pulled up next to us as we contemplated the long walk from Mostar train station to the Hostel Nina. After we agreed a five euro ride, he first asked if we were Swedish (must be my flowing blonde locks), before dropping us at a place with Pansion Pulzic emblazed on an illuminated sign above. "This, Hostel Nina", he triumphantly assured us despite the evidence to the contrary, and shouted up to an old man, who didn't look like a Nina, on the balcony above. This chap took us in hastily and showed us to a double bedroom. Alarm bells were ringing and sure enough, a ... read more
Graveyard
Former front line
Warning sign

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » South » Mostar September 20th 2008

Moin Leute, heute sind wir von Ulcini nach Mostar gefahren, die Stadt duerfte dem einen oder anderen aus dem Bosnien-Krieg und vor allem durch ihre mittelalterliche, damals zerstoerte Bruecke bekannt sein. Der Eintrag faellt leider etwas kuerzer aus, da der bloede Internetbetreiber keine USB-Sticks erlaubt. Hochachtungsvoll, j.... read more

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » South » Mostar August 21st 2008

Groeten uit Mostar! Bekend van die brug die 't bijna 500 jaar heeft volgehouden, tot hij in de Joegoslavië-oorlog werd stukgeschoten... maar inmiddels is herbouwd. Het is hier errug warm! De man in ons hotel vertelde dat het laatst 45 graden was... Maar, vandaag zal Simone jullie vertellen wat we allemaal gedaan hebben de afgelopen 9 dagen! Take it away... Simone! ;-) Op woensdag de 13e hebben we vanuit Split met de bus naar Solin en Trogir gereisd. Solin (Salona) is een oude hoofdstad van Dalmatië uit de Romeinse tijd van keizer Diocletius em waar allemaal ruïnes van over zijn gebleven. Diocletius voerde een schrikbewind tegen de Christenen, maar de inwoners van Solin beleden hier toch hun geloof. Daarvan zijn nog diverse overblijfselen van kerken van te zien en martelaarsgraven. Ook een ... read more

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » South » Mostar August 6th 2008

I wasn't intending on going to Mostar but it seemed like every other backpacker in Europe was making the point of visiting the rebuilt Stari Most or Old Bridge. It also meant I wouldn't have to go through Zagreb twice to visit Split. I was picked up by the hostel owner from the train station and she gave me the potted history of the region during the war. Originally no one in Mostar thought they would be brought into the troubles even when all the Serbians in the area mysteriously left one day but when the war did break out she was one of many sent over to Croatia, originally only for a week or so. However, when the Croats decided that they would like the Herzegovina area for themselves and started battling with the Bosnians ... read more
Mostar 3
Mostar 4
Mostar 5

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » South » Mostar November 26th 2007

Rob left the heating on 30°C all night so we both woke up pretty warm. Neither of us wanted to go back to old town so instead we walked into a part of the new town called Lapad. We bought some stamps so that we could get our postcards sent off and then we were stuck for something to do. We both discussed the possibility of getting something to eat and began to search for somewhere. It was only when we found a pleasant Italian that we discussed with each other that we weren't hungry. After this we headed to a supermarket and bought bread, fruit, dried fruit etc for the bus journey. We sat outside the supermarket and had baguette and the jam from the previous day. Seeing as though we couldn't think of anything ... read more
Bridge and Cruise Ship
Mostar Bridge
Vegetarian Plate

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » South » Mostar September 12th 2007

A Muslim Wonderland in a Christian Backyard The diversity of the Balkan area is about more than just sights and scenery, the former Yugoslavia has multiple ethnic groups that have, at least in recent years, not always gotten along. With Orthodox Serbs, Catholic Croats and Muslim Bosniaks all living within a very small geographical area it isn’t hard to imagine how wars come about. With the end of hostility in the area in the last few years, things are starting to come back to some sense of normalcy but some areas of the former Yugoslav republics have been slower to rebuild than others. Bosnia Herzegovina is a bit behind in the grand scheme of reconstruction. While Croatia and Slovenia have been able to build strong tourist trades and industry, Bosnia has been unable to flourish ... read more
St. Blaise and the Bell Tower
Stari Most
Franciscan Monastery at Night

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » South » Mostar August 24th 2007

Allora, ci eravamo lasciati a Mostar. Come abbiamo gia' detto abbiamo trovato alloggio presso una stanza in affitto in una casa privata. La stanza e' bellissima, con un lettone gigantesco, arredamento tipo casa della nonna (avete presente merletti, credenze piene di foto, servizi, biecchierini, ecc.?) Bellissima, e la cosa piu' strepitosa e' il prezzo: 10 EURO a notte!!!!!!!!! Mostar come abbiamo gia' detto e' un gioiellino, il centro storico e' stato completamente ricostruito, compreso lo Stari Most, il ponte vecchio di costruzione ottomana (risale al 500), che era stato brutalmente distrutto durante l'infame guerra che ha colpito la Ex-Jugoslavia. Il ponte e' circondato da viuzze medievali (scivolosissime), localini, negozietti d'artigianato, moschee, casette antichissime. Mostar e' in gran parte musulmana (credo), ma una parte di essa e' cattolica. Fa davvero effetto vedere l... read more
Mostar
Blagaj

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » South » Mostar August 24th 2007

We had planned to catch the train from Sarajevo to Mostar, but the train was not due to leave until after 6:00pm and we were not able to leave our bags at the place where we stayed in Sarajevo. As we were confronted with another very hot day and neither of us were still feeling the best and also there was also no place to leave our bags at the train station, we thought we would opt for a bus instead. (Buses departed more regularly and earlier.) The person from the place we stayed kindly offered to give us a lift to the station. On the way he told us how Australia's soccer team was in trouble as it was getting too old and there were no up and comers to replace Kewell and Viduka when ... read more
Ross in the Turkish Quarter

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » South » Mostar August 23rd 2007

Allora, e' da un bel po' che non aggiorniamo il blog perche' non ne abbiamo avuto la possibilita'. Adesso finalmente, a Makarska abbiamo un po' di tempo per dedicarci ad esso. Dunque, riassunto: a Milos abbiamo perso il traghetto che ci doveva riportare ad Atene, cosa che ci ha fatto slittare tutto di un giorno (e' ci ha dato anche una bella mazzatona al portafoglio). Comunque siamo ripartiti l'indomani e dopo una notte tranquilla nel nostro solito caro hotellino di Atene siamo partiti per Bari. Qui abbiamo passato una luuuunga giornata senza fare niente. Ma la sera siamo partiti alla volta di Dubrovnik. Il viaggio in nave questa volta e' stato pessimo, causa mare agitatissimo (mal di mare a manetta) e causa ritardone di 1 ora perche' la nave doveva aspettare una carovana di pellegrini diretti ... read more

Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » South » Mostar August 21st 2007

Hi Everybody! We drove over a twisting, mountain road to get to Bosnia Herzegovina. Not long after we crossed the border, we started seeing bombed out houses. We rode by the Neretva River passing many fields of grapes. Our destination was Mostar, a city situated at the base of a mountain range. This city has a thriving Muslim community and a large Catholic community. Over half of the buildings had bullet and shrapnel holes. Some buildings were just a shell, others had collapsed roofs, and others had the doors and windows shot out. A large Catholic church downtown had hundreds of bullet-shrapnel holes. We went to the Old Town and saw the stone bridge which has recently been rebuilt after being destroyed in the last war. It really touched our hearts to see this city with ... read more




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