Home » Bosnia-Herzegovina » Pondering the war

Ok, so the bus to Mostar was the jolt we needed. As soon as we crossed the Bosnian border, the effects of war were very much evident. The first town we stopped in was full of bullet-scarred tower blocks, and cracked pavements, and these things accompanied us for the remainder of the journey to Mostar.

Pondering the war

Conor_purcell
2005-11-18 15:56:06

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Ok, so the bus to Mostar was the jolt we needed. As soon as we crossed the Bosnian border, the effects of war were very much evident. The first town we stopped in was full of bullet-scarred tower blocks, and cracked pavements, and these things accompanied us for the remainder of the journey to Mostar.

First impressions were bad - more of the same, bombed out buildings and loads of tower blocks. Where was the Mostar I had heard about? We were dropped at the station, and got a room in the usual way, and a lift to our 'apatment'. Bullet holes marked the entrance to our building, and our room wasn't much better, but for the price, very reasonable.

This introduction might seem gloomy, so it's time to lighten the mood. Mostar is a little gem of a town, with an old town hidden amongst the wreckage, full of narrow cobble-stoned streets lined with little businesses and cafes. And of course, the famous old bridge. Destroyed in November '93 during the Bosnian-Croat offensive on the town, the bridge was only re-built last July, and has played a major role in luring tourists to the town. Every day, a number of brave (or foolish) young men take the plunge off the bridge into the river below, a tradition dating back decades. We spent the day strolling the streets, having a few drinks (pints for 1 EURO - I like it), and watching a quirky old Muslim man polish and maintain his pots and pans.

In Mostar, Churches and Mosques stand almost side-by-side, in a show of how tolerant the town, and Bosnia as a whole, was before the war. Sadly, the town is now divided, with Muslims on one side of the river, and Croats on the other,
This was the only picture I took of war wreckage in Bosnia. I didn't feel right taking any after this, and if anyone objects, just message me and I'll delete it. This building was on the front line.

with a minority Serb population. The re-building of the bridge will hopefully go ...