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We saw the bridge and remains of old building peppered with bullet holes yesterday and we read that there was quite a bit to see in and around Mostar so we got up early and headed to the bus stop. Unable to read the timetable clearly or understand where everything was. We headed back to the Hostel and arrange a tour with the lady who owns the hostel. The 3 of us ventured out in her car to see the sites.
Our first stop was at the top of the Hum mountain that overlooked the city. Here you could see the whole city and how it sat in a bowl. Mountains hugging the edges. While up here our guide told us about the history and 1991-1993 conflicts. It was sad to here what went on here and how everyone turned on eachother and how the Serbs surrounded the city up in these mountains and bombarded it with missles.
We then headed to the Blagaj Tekija a beautiful Dervish monastery that sat under the cliffs on the Buna river. We viewed the tombs and meditation rooms before going down some side steps and drinking from the Buna Spring. Apparently drinking from here helps your wishes be answered. The Spring come from inside a cave next to the Monastery, we tried to go inside, but the boat was nowhere to be found. Before we left we tried some local turkish coffee which was very strong and interesting to drink.
Our next stop was the old ruins at Pocitelj. Our guide drove us to the top and we took as stroll down taking in the sites. When we got to the bottom our guide has brought us a Mostar magnet each which was really nice of her. In the car between locations we got into indepth conversations about her life and opinions and it was really interesting and refreshing to hear her views knowing what she had been through with the 1990s conflicts and her being a kind of refungee. Her modern muslim views and adaptions to religion to suit her.
As part of the tour lunch was included. We stopped off to local restaurant and tried the traditional Burek, a pastry filled snack. Like a sausage roll. It usually comes in 3 options. Meat, potato or cheese. They tasted so good, a bit like cornish pasty but with the ingredients seperated. Defo get more of these.
We then headed to Kravice Falls, a beautiful set of waterfalls around a small lake. You could swim in the lake, but it was ice cold. We wanted too but the weather was overcast and this wasnt overcast swimming. I think what put George off was when the guide told us the lake was full of snakes and snake like fish. We saw a couple of small snakes and took in the views before heading to our next stop.
We finished the trip heading to Medugorje a site made famous when a couple of local boys said they saw an apparition of the virgin Mary. A church was built near the site which is like a pilgrimage site for catholics especially from Italy. It was a commercial church on a large scale. Shops would sell loads of holy items and what made my laugh was the amount of confession boxes.
Stevie and I decided to head upto Apparition hill to the site where the Virgin Mary was allegadly sited. It was a mission to get up there. You had to climb over large boulders and small jagged rocks. Not being religious we thought it was a sign when we got to the top and a storm started. As the thunder moved in we tried to made our way down the now slippery hill from the rain. We just made it before the heavens really opened.
This was such a good informative tour. Really recommended. We were dropped off at the hostel, had a little rest before heading into town for dinner. Finishing the evening in a nice restaurant in old town.
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