Bosnia - Mostar

Bosnia was quite the country to explore. We sat, packed in our rental vehicle, among the mountains of Dubrovnik anxiously awaiting to cross the border from Croatia into Bosnia. After a long wait followed by a quick passport check and roll call, we were allowed in. The first hour of the journey was along gravel path beside a military camp, tall fencing topped with barbed wire. The drive eventually led us through beautiful mountains and grassy valleys speckled with stone homes. Eventually we made it to the beautiful historic city of Mostar.

Mostar is located in the Herzegovina region of Bosnia & Herzegovina. It started off as a small town on a trading route between the Adriatic Coast and central Bosnia. We explored the area around the famous Mostar bridge, and had a view of it from our apartment. Also called the Stari Most bridge, which translates to "old bridge". The original Bridge stood for 427 years, until it was destroyed on 9 November 1993 by Croat paramilitary forces during the Croat–Bosniak War. A new bridge built largely from the original stones was unveiled in Mostar in 2004, becoming a symbol of postwar reconciliation. What an amazing experience to spend time in this healing city.

What stood out the most to me were the bright colors and reserved yet friendly people. Our host was a young man and he welcomed us warmly to our modern rental apartment. Even though the history has been very challenging, the residents of this area seemed to be thriving and welcoming. We walked the cobblestone streets, taking in the culture. We had dinner at one of the few restaurants, and they served yummy hearty meals with a purple liqueur that is traditional to the culture. It was very affordable to eat, drink, and shop here. The US dollar has a good conversion rate to the Bosnian Mark. We mostly used 0% conversion rate cards for purchases, as well as the Croatian Kuna, which was also widely accepted. Some places in Bosnia accepted Euro and USD as well. My recommendation is to always use the local currency when possible, to avoid conversion charges.

Another really surprising thing, was that all day long there would be a young man or 2, standing on top of the Mostar Bridge, preparing to jump. Crowds gather all day long in anticipation of the jump. The plunge is about 78 feet from the top of the arched bridge into the cold waters below. It seems to be largely a tourist attraction that brings in daredevils from around the globe for the plunge. I wondered if this tradition was founded historically and discovered, "the tradition of jumping off a bridge in Mostar began in 1664. Local tradition says that 16-year-old boy must jump from the bridge as a right of passage, but more importantly, it is said that the boys' life will be a complete failure if he doesn't jump". Mostar was founded in the 1400s and flourished during the succeeding four centuries of Ottoman rule.  Considering that America wasn't founded until 1776, I find it incredible to visit places which such deeply historic roots.