Discovering Bosnia
Piero: we’re getting ready for the last part of this challenging tour to discover the Balkans. We will dedicate it to Bosnia. Our original plan was to reach Sarajevo, but the weather conditions and the current status of the roads prevented us from doing it.
Angela: the only real stretch of highway, in fact, in Bosnia, from the sea ends in Medjugorje: the project and the construction will allow one day to arrive directly in the capital of the Balkan state; today we can only use normal roads.
Piero: we are satisfied, though. It is true that driving times are longer, it is equally true that you have the opportunity to drive through landscapes where time does not seem to have passed and where modernity still leaves room for the unspoiled beauty of nature.
Angela: the areas off the beaten path in Bosnia take us back in time and away from the human intervention typical of the rest of Europe.
Piero: Bosnia Herzegovina (this is the full name of this country) derives precisely from the union of these two territories, the one that takes its name from the Bosna river and the one that takes its name from the title of "herceg", duke, hence precisely "land of herceg".
Angela: the same mysterious charm of the territory can also be found in the history of this wonderful country. The first settlements date back to the Neolithic period even if not much information is available; we know for sure that the Illyrians settled there and in Roman times this land was part of the province of Pannonia, and then passed under the Byzantines with the disintegration of the Western Roman Empire.
Piero: even in medieval times the information remains fragmented; from the end of the Middle Ages until 1881 this territory remained under Turkish-Ottoman domination, the signs of which are still evident due to the presence of an important Muslim community. Subsequently and until the end of the First World War, Bosnia remained under the Austro-Hungarian rule and then became an integral part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, before the Second World War, and part of the Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia, after the Second World War.
Angela: this land was then heavily involved in the second phase of the war in the Balkans in the 90s: after the declaration of independence in 1992, the war in fact struck with unprecedented fury in Sarajevo and in other parts of the country. Some symbolic events of the barbarism of this war, the signs of which are still perfectly visible, relate precisely to this land and that period: from the siege of Sarajevo, with the grueling struggle for the survival of the defenseless population that lasted four years, to the Srebrenica massacre. Only late, the intervention of the international community put an end to one of the most atrocious European conflicts, starting Bosnia and Herzegovina on a slow and tiring - yet unfinished - path of approaching Europe.
Piero: knowing the history of this country is essential to fully understand its nature and its charm.
Angela: so we leave very early this morning too and we cross the border between Croatia and Bosnia to the north, near Neum, the only outlet to the sea.
Piero: in the short passage on the coast where the Bosnian territory insinuates itself into the Croatian one (which divides Croatia into two parts) we cross the border twice without particular controls and problems. Moving towards the inland of Bosnia the controls are thorough and quite fussy. If you are traveling with a rented car, like us, be very careful to be authorized and above all insured to travel outside the European Union; the police often require original circulation documents instead of the copies that are usually left on rented cars. Pay attention also to your phone: the local rate must be checked, usually not cheap for international roaming; this makes internet services, therefore online maps, hardly usable. Euros are not accepted everywhere: it is good to have the necessary quantity of Bosnian Marks available, the local currency.
Medjugorje
Angela: let's take the only highway that will take us from the coast, after a 80 kilometers and 1 hour and a half drive, to our first stop: Medjugorje.
Piero: it is a small town only thirty kilometers away from the border with Croatia. It probably would have remained unknown to the world if it were not for an episode that took place in 1981, when the Virgin Mary appeared to six local children, presenting herself as Queen of Peace and giving them a message of love and hope.
Angela: the apparitions began on a hill just outside the city and continued in the homes of the visionaries and in the parish house. They have continued for days and, unique in the Marian apparitions, have continued for 30 years without interruption and up to the present day. Medjugorje quickly became a pilgrimage destination. The apparitions created havoc in the communist regime which could not stand the clamor and religious emphasis caused by the situation.
Piero: in economic terms, however, the event was a real "blessing" for the area; it is no coincidence that, as mentioned, the only real stretch of highway ends right here. The are became a tourist destination that attracts millions of visitors and faithful every year.
Angela: Medjugorje lost the traditional tranquility of a city "in the mountains" (this is the meaning of the name in Croatian) due to the inevitable sequel of miraculous healings (real or alleged), the multiplication of accommodations for pilgrims, the excessive proliferation of souvenir shops, organized tours and restaurants with set menus.
Piero: for those who believe Medjugorje is first of all the Church of Saint James where all the functions take place and, above all, the Apparition Hill which is located about two kilometers from the center at the top of which, the white statue of the Virgin marks the exact point of the apparitions of 1981. It can be reached walking in twenty minutes from the parking lot but the climb it is not very easy: the path is made of sharp rocks.
Angela: before lunch, we leave Medjugorje towards the hinterland to reach our second stop of the day: Mostar.
The bridge city
Piero: Medjugorje and Mostar are only 25 kilometers far. We got there driving just over half an hour on a road in the middle of the mountains. In the distance we glimpse the heights of the snowy Balkans that we would have had to cross to reach Sarajevo: the beauty of these landscapes certainly makes us regret not having done so, but it could have been really dangerous.
Angela: we park easily in one of the many private car parks that are nothing more than spaces inside homes dedicated to this service for tourists.
Piero: Mostar is the main historical, cultural and economic center of Herzegovina; it is crossed by the Narenta river on which there is the famous "old bridge", the Stari Most: the towers on the two banks "guardians of the bridge" are called "mostari" and hence the name of the city. In 2005, the entire area around the bridge has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Angela: like the capital, Mostar was also subjected to siege and bombings between 1992 and 1993; moreover, this territory was the scene of an internal conflict between Croat-Bosnians and Muslim Bosnians who faced each other for the control over the city: the symbol of this front was the division of the city into two parts, separated by the river, with the consequent destruction of the Stari Most, which collapsed under bombing on November 9th, 1993.
Piero: before entering the city center, where all the place to see are within a few hundred meters, we stop just south of the Stari Most, to observe this wonderful bridge rebuilt in all its beauty.
Angela: in this city the bridge is an important symbol: Mostar is commonly known as “the city of the bridge”.
Piero: the original one is an Ottoman bridge dating back to the sixteenth century, the construction of which is due to Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, replacing an old wooden bridge. It has the particular humpback shape, with a width of four meters and a length of thirty; reaches a maximum height over the river of 24 meters. After the collapse of 1993, the bridge was rebuilt and reopened to the public in 2004: the reconstruction took place with the contribution of the international community and under the auspices of UNESCO, using original local materials and medieval techniques. The bridge and its reconstruction represent the symbol of the end of the war and above all the reconciliation between Christians and Muslims who today live peacefully in the city.
Angela: two curiosities: Italy was the country that contributed most to the reconstruction; the jump from the bridge started to attract so many practitioners of this sport that today a competition takes place every year which sees very experienced divers participate.
Piero: we arrive at the bridge for a first visit from the river.
Angela: we walk the steps leading to the heart of the old town: Kujundžiluk.
Piero: along a wonderful cobbled pedestrian street, houses with classic oriental architectural forms follow one another, with brightly colored facades. The setting is that of the classic oriental bazaar, with craft shops where brass, precious metals, footwear, leather and fabric products are worked. It seems to be in a real souk where, even if prices are exposed, it is a must to bargain (obviously we end up buying souvenirs). There is no shortage of pashminas, costumes and accessories for belly dance, pendants against the evil eye and colorful glass lamps; there are also counterfeit clothing and accessories.
Angela: we stop for a break in one of the Arabic-style cafes. For lunch we decide to taste the delicious local dish: cevapi. It is a kind of small grilled sausage, made with beef or veal, and served with delicious bread, chopped onion and ajvar, a slightly spicy sauce made with red pepper, garlic and eggplant: a real pleasure for everyone!
Piero: at this point we are ready to cross the bridge; but first, we visit the tower where the photographic museum of the war is.
Angela: crossing the bridge we feel the sensitivity of the slope, which combined with the smooth stone pavement and the low and poorly protected parapet, still test our dizziness. However, we appreciate the view of the city with its buildings and mosques, the river and the mountains in the background that embrace the city on both sides.
Piero: after the tour of the city center we are ready to leave. We choose, almost involuntarily, a different road for the return trip. We drive near the natural reserve of Hutovo Blato.
Angela: this choice certainly does not allow us to save time and kilometers: we still have to travel a hundred kilometres in just over two hours. However, it gives us unforgettable views and landscapes.
Piero: this route will remain forever in our memory. We would have stopped more often for some photos and some shots but the streets were narrow and usually with no parapets.
Angela: I also remember a bit of anxiety, however, for the fact of not having maps or satellite navigators available and therefore we had to follow indications along the road (which were not always understandable). Add to all this the almost total absence of inhabited centers, so a bit of anxiety was certainly justified.
Piero: the unforgettable beauty and uniqueness of this territory and of all the things we had experienced throughout this day still remains! One of the most beautiful and fascinating of the whole trip, which left more images etched in my mind than any other trip ever made. It is worth reviewing all the images by clicking HERE, but above all reviewing all the wonders of Mostar in this video.
Angela: certainly the best frame of nostalgia and charm with which, upon returning home, we will reluctantly prepare our bags for the return to Italy.
Piero: in fact, the last day, starting very early in the morning, will be dedicated to returning in a single stretch: one thousand and one hundred kilometers to be covered in about twelve hours.
Angela: this emotional adventure that has seen us cross four countries ends.
