Blogs from South, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Europe - page 4

It’s been over a week since I’ve updated the blog I know. But, it’s been a busy one. I’ve flitted into another country for four days, Croatia, and am now back into the arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina but only for a few days and then it’s onto a new love, Montenegro. What a travel hussy! Being back in Dubrovnik was a weird experience. Seeing people I know since I last saw them ten years ago was also a weird experience. My ‘rational’ self had high expectations for remembering. The reality though was that everything appeared so totally unfamiliar. The old town yes, it looked familiar but the choking of it by tourists was in my eyes a new phenomenon. Granted, last time I was there was in September, off peak, and this time I was ... read more

I think, when I posted last time, I had made some mention that I had made plans to meet someone at Medugorje at midday the following day? If not it was only not to alarm anyone who may start to worry and fret on knowing that I had made said arrangements with a random stranger met on the side of the road. Well, after having been given a wonderful, coffee fuelled send off by the good people at Pansion Most it was off to Medugorje. I bit of a late start to tell the truth and I was even more anxious when the owner said that it was not far, only 25km, but that I would have to push my bike for 5km because the road was too steep. Great, just what I need first thing ... read more

As soon as we pulled away from the hostel, the Serbian turbo-folk started blaring - repeating a phrase that sounded very much like “a cup of tea!” - from prominently placed speakers and the van started hopping up and down and jigging to the side, tossing the fifteen tour group members around like dice in a jar. There was a look of vague terror in everyone’s eyes. What had we gotten ourselves into? And for TWELVE hours? I had thoughts of tossing myself out the door whenever we started to slow down…. Welcome to the wild ride that is Bata’s tour of Mostar and Herzegovina! When I booked a dorm bed at Hostel Magdas in Mostar, I knew that they ran a popular tour of the surrounding area. There were hints that it was unusual (“Did ... read more

Geo: 43.34, 17.81 GÜN 10 GÜNLERDEN CUMARTESİ: Daha önce belirttiğim gibi.Rogotin. Mostar kavşağına çok yakın bir yerde… Yola çıktım ve ağır ağır Bosna -Hersek hududunu buldum. Zaten bu sabah ta 10 dakikalığına girip çıkmıştım.. Arama, sorma yok .. Doğru Mostar' a yöneldim.. MIO (benim GPS ) merkezi tam çıkaramadı.. Karine ile merkeze yakın bir yerdeki bir benzinciye park ettim .. Mostar Köprüsü yürüme mesafesinde… Mostar, Bosna-Hersek'te ...Hersek bölgesinin en büyük şehri ve Bosna-Hersek Federasyonu'na bağlı Hersek-Neretva Kantonu'nun idarî merkezi olan kentidir Neretva Nehri'nin kıyısında yer alan Mostar, aynı zamanda Hersek'in başkentidir. 105.000 nufuslu şehir, Bosna-Hersek'teki iç savaş sırasında büyük zarar... read more

Today while many of our friends were writing an exam, we took off with our friend Mary (who's husband was writing the exam back at the house), and headed to Bosnia for the day. We left midway through the morning and thought that the drive would be two hours, but we drove along the Croatian coastal route and it took closer to four and a half (also we were behind a slow caravan part of the way). But the drive was absolutely beautiful, driving along the water and through the little towns. It was mostly a sunny day so that added to the beauty. The drive back was under 3 hours, but we took the inland route through the mountains, which was also beautiful. The border didn't give us too much trouble either, they kind of ... read more

Mostar – idän ja lännen kohtauspaikka Balkanin etnisten sotien aikana 1990 luvun alussa useimmille varmasti tulivat tutuiksi kuvat raunioituneista taloista ja kärsivistä ihmisistä. Minullakin nuo muistikuvat ovat hyvin mielessä ja aivan erityisesti mieleeni on jäänyt yksi yksityiskohta sodan järjettömyyksistä. Mostarin vanhan sillan tuho. Bosnian alueella Mostarissa on 1550 luvulla rakennettu kaunis silta joka ylittää Neretva joen. Silta on yhdistänyt jo aikojen alusta idän ja lännen, kristinuskon ja islamin sekä alueella asuneet eri kansallisuudet, bosniakit ja kroatit. Bosnian sodan aikana 1991 silta vaurioitui ensimmäisiä kertoja ja marraskuussa 1993 se tuhoutui lopullisesti kroattien tykistötulituksessa. Sota ei tietenkään tunne armoa ja mikään ei ole turvassa – jotenkin vaan tuntui jo silloin, että on niin turhaa tuhota vuosisatojen takaiset historialliset muistot jot... read more