One of the reasons why I wanted to see Bosnia hence badly was to see Mostar, the town famous for the 16th-century Ottoman bridge bombed inward 1993 during the state of war amongst Republic of Croatia and then faithfully reconstructed amongst techniques dating from that period. In my remove heed the town was similar travelling dorsum inward fourth dimension to the current when the Ottoman empire had spread its wings over this percentage of Europe. I wasn't disappointed, because indeed Mostar has ane pes inward that past times in addition to ane inward the present. Nevertheless it was a hard house to visit, emotionally speaking. I cannot fifty-fifty behaviour to remember that state of war tin strength out conk hence furious equally to destroy centuries-old architecture, allow lonely inward the pump of Europe.
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| A persuasion of the Old Bridge |
During my bus trip from Dubrovnik, I paid attention to the landscape. At first, nosotros followed the coastline of Croatia. The landscape is dotted with spectacular uninhabited islands covered with woods. Blue in addition to dark-green are the dominant colours here. Not for a minute yous are reminded that twenty years agone a bloody state of war infuriated all over the region.
Bosnia, on the other hand, is in all probability where the state of war has left the most visible marks in addition to where reconstruction has been slower. As the bus entered into Bosnian territory, I started to notice that to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than houses were abandoned or inward ruins, amongst smashed windows in addition to bullet-riddled walls. Some of them were reduced to a skeleton. While I was walking inward the novel purpose of Mostar, newly arrived inward Bosnia, I saw them standing side past times side amongst arrive at novel buildings. I remember this is intentional, a reminder for novel generations of what should never happen again.
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| Contrasts inward the novel purpose of Mostar |
Bosnia, in addition to Mostar inward particular, is similar a footling Istanbul, that is to tell a house where East in addition to West meet. The Ottoman influence is hence palpable inward the historical purpose of the town that at moments yous forget that you're inward the Balkans, correct inward the middle of Europe, in addition to remember for a moment to receive got been teleported to a remote Anatolian village. Tulip-shaped spectacles of tea sit down on the depression tables side past times side to Ottoman-style saccharide pots, in addition to past times looking unopen to yous tin strength out sure enough bring out the exceed of ane of the many minarets of the town. It was already getting nighttime when I took my start walk inward the historical town centre, which is really atmospheric when most of the tourists receive got left in addition to souvenirs stalls are closed for the day.
In Turkish bal agency dear in addition to kan blood. It is simply an interesting coincidence - the etymology of the give-and-take "Balkans" is another - but it summarizes the turbulent history of the percentage inward simply ii words. Even today, the scars of the wars of the 1990s are visible all over the town, if yous corporation beyond the painfully reconstructed onetime town: bullet riddled buildings, but also cemeteries amongst the same appointment - 1993 - over in addition to over on the white tombstones, in addition to the metropolis divided into a Croation in addition to a Muslim Bosniak part. I was also surprised to see souvenirs made of bullets. War is a touristic attraction all over Bosnia. It is weird in addition to sad, but it plays amongst our minds in addition to our morbid curiosity virtually horrendous facts. More than in ane lawsuit I noticed how tourists rushed to inquire Bosnians what they were doing during the war, in addition to I establish myself secretly scream for myself the same inquiry without daring to ask.
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| Souvenirs made amongst bullets |
I also visited one of the mosques unopen to the onetime town. For a small-scale entry fee I was shown unopen to past times the friendly care-taker. Unfortunately, footling of the onetime mosque had remained, because the edifice was heavily bombed. However, I climbed the minaret (barefooted because yous are non allowed to wearable shoes within a mosque) and I admired the view over the town in addition to the neighbouring countryside. So many minarets! The construction of the mosque definitely reminded me of Istanbul. Even the onetime cemetery on the other side of the route was Ottoman inward style, amongst the feature tombstones amongst Standard Arabic inscriptions. To halt past times ane of the mosques, at the ablution natural springtime or past times the shady outer arcades is really pleasant. The atmosphere is relaxed in addition to nobody volition bother you.
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| Ablution natural springtime inward forepart of a mosque |
The span itself is slippery amongst a gradient that is non hence gentle equally yous mightiness expect. Young men inward their swimming costumes laid for the dive into the Neretva river, but they solely jump when in addition to if they instruct plenty money from the tourists. I saw mortal jump, but non from the highest betoken of the bridge. The historical town is sure enough charming, but it feels a fleck cramped with too many souvenirs stalls.  |
| Souvenirs stalls inward Mostar |
Yet, it is pleasant to walk through the narrow cobbled streets in addition to admire the rock houses, the smaller waterways in addition to the mills. There isn't much to do apart from browsing the stalls, receive got a java in addition to detect the mix of influences or the panorama. There are a pair of museums, but I remember Mostar is to a greater extent than virtually the atmosphere in addition to the peaceful environments. Bosnia is actually a dark-green country, amongst lots of hills in addition to mountains.  |
| View of the onetime bridge |
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| View of the Neretva river |
Food inward Mostar was the best I had inward the Balkans. Croation nutrient was fine, but I establish that it lacked a footling fleck of inventiveness. While I was walking inward the streets of the onetime town, I noticed a eating theatre called Šadrvan. It was touristic, with the waitresses inward traditional dresses in addition to the pictures of the dishes inward display, but it was total in addition to at that spot was an enchanting Ottoman-style natural springtime inward the middle of a small-scale courtyard. Of all the restaurants amongst dainty terraces on the river in addition to a persuasion of the Stari Most, the onetime bridge, I ended upwards choosing this ane in addition to coming dorsum the next day.  |
| The entrance of the Šadrvan restaurant |
I ordered something called Hadzijski cevap, which turned out to endure a delicious plate of marinated beef amongst peppers in addition to rice. It was mayhap the best repast of the whole trip. The next twenty-four hours I had sogan-dolma, onions in addition to other vegetables stuffed amongst minced meat in addition to boiled inward a broth. Apparently it is a speciality of Mostar, in addition to I couldn't fille it. The prices were moderate in addition to the service great.
At the destination of the repast I was offered a Bosnian coffee (bosanska kahva), which is really similar to Turkish coffee. To endure shown how to laid it in addition to stir it actually did the play a trick on for me, because I liked to a greater extent than than a regular Turkish coffee.
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| Hadzijski cevap |
Overall, I liked Mostar. I remember it's an interesting town in addition to it definitely has its ain vibe. Even though it's touristic, amongst lots in addition to lots of day-trippers coming from Republic of Croatia simply for a few hours, I wouldn't consider it simply some other touristy town. It's worth exploring and enjoying its timeless charm.
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| Reminder of the war |
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