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21st July
Day one ottoman trek. Busabout.
Had a very average sleep due to the blocked nose and coughing. Said goodbye to my hosts and then walked down the hill into the old city. Stopped at the pharmacy to see what Elsa they can give me. Made my way around to the hostel meeting stop for the start of the ottoman trek back to Istanbul. Departed and drove for a couple of hour till we crossed the boarder into Bosnia. There are 27 people on this tour and it is mostly Aussie with an Aussie tour guide. We did the usual introduce ourselves on the bus and heard more about the modern history of the regions we are visiting. Once across the boarder we drove for another hour or so till we reached Mostar. You can already see the evidence from the recent conflicts. There are dozens of large cemeteries that we have passed while driving. Many building appear to have bullets holes in them. Arriving in Mostar we went on a walking tour with a young local that was a teenager during the conflict and he spoke about having to find different source for light at night as there was no electricity... They included burning transmission fluid. We then approached the bridge from the level of the river. Waited for a few mins and watched as some crazy locals jumped off the top into the river below. They first collect money then jump as a show for tourists. We walked into the river just up to ankle deep as it was cold and we didn't have swimmers on. I kept my thongs on my feet as there was a lot of glass around. We then crossed over the bridge into the old town And headed to a restaurant that is famous for its burek, a rolled meat pie cooked over hot coals. It was very tasty and enjoyed with natural drinking yoghurt. Then wondered back through the shops and market stalls. Stopped at a book shop to watch a Short DVD on the history of the bridge in Mostar. It was incredible the footage they had from the war when it was covered in tyres and boards and then finally after months of shelling it collapsed into the river below. Then you see the bridge today and the markets around and it looks calm and beautiful old city compared to the pics and footage from 17 years ago.
We then walked back to the bus travelled for a few hours towards Sarajevo. On the way we passed through some valleys and mountainous areas of natural beauty. Arriving in Sarajevo we drove along a stretch of road know as snipper alley. This is because during the war all the tall building contained Serbian snippers. We drove past many buildings that were ruins and demend beyond repair after the war and siege of Sarajevo that lasted for 3 years. Buildings that are still standing often show signs of damage with bullet holes or patches. We checked into the motel and rested before heading out for dinner. Tried some more local mixed plate of stuffed vegetables, kebab and meatballs. All were tasty. Finished with local sweets that included a version of baklava that wasn't very good and a shortcrust biscuit soaked in sugar syrup which was also ordinary. Headed to a local bar for a drink but left very early as was feeling sick and coughing heaps.
- comments
Anita Very well done on your driving Sarah - the scenery looks beautiful - hope your cold is improving - LOL