Day Seven, 2.21.2009
After fresh French toast made by Majda, we went on a tour with her brother, Bata. Usually this tour costs around 30 Euros, but it was free because it was the winter and the first tour of the season. Bata was a big guy, speaks excellent English and is hilarious. He also genuinely enjoys giving tours in and around Mostar, loves backpackers and wants to open a larger hostel in the future. Pete, the girl from Holland, Andrew and I piled into his old Orange truck/van, which he then proceeded to rock back on forth to ensure that we were all adequately awake. Our first stop was to the top of the mountain overlooking Mostar, with a huge cross overlooking the city. Bata explained in detail the history of the area, as well as the logistics of the fighting and the various factions. It is too complicated to fully explain, and I forget some of the details, but basically Serbs were fighting Croatians and the Bosnians in Mostar were stuck in between. He showed us where a concentration camp had been set up for Bosnians and he explained how soldiers would pack dynamite into tires and roll them down the mountain. If they hit enemies, good, if they hit their allies, just as good because they could blame it on their enemies and incite more hatred.
Bata also told us his own story. He ended up moving to Sweden to escape the violence and remained there for 10 years. This was where he learned to speak English as well.
Although the war is over, there is still much tension between the Christians and the Muslims there. The city is divided roughly in half, but the population is still mixed on both sides. One side won’t serve the other’s beer and hospital care is sometimes refused to people living on the “wrong” side of the river.
We then drove to a little town called Blagaj. En route, we saw the signs of an economic revival, including upscale car dealerships and furniture stores and a Home Depot type store, but the vast majority of the population is still living in poor conditions.
The main attraction in Blagaj is an old Dervish house. (see picture). Bata again explained the significance of the house and its history as a place where various factions throughout history have gone to meet in a calming environment to try to come up with solutions to problems (this was taking place hundreds of years ago). The house is under a mountain and a river flows out from underneath the mountain. The river does not come out the other end, so there is a large source of fresh water somewhere in the mountain, but expeditions sent in have not been able to located it. We had lunch at a nice restaurant on the river (more Ĉevapĉiĉi), but even cheaper. 2.5 Euro at a fancy restaurant on the river! We returned to Mostar in the evening and did some night photography. Bata really led an amazing tour. If anyone reading this blog is ever in that part of the world, try to track him down. He knows so much history and is wants to explain it all.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Mostar and Blagaj, Bosnia
Day Seven, 2.21.2009
After fresh French toast made by Majda, we went on a tour with her brother, Bata. Usually this tour costs around 30 Euros, but it was free because it was the winter and the first tour of the season. Bata was a big guy, speaks excellent English and is hilarious. He also genuinely enjoys giving tours in and around Mostar, loves backpackers and wants to open a larger hostel in the future. Pete, the girl from Holland, Andrew and I piled into his old Orange truck/van, which he then proceeded to rock back on forth to ensure that we were all adequately awake. Our first stop was to the top of the mountain overlooking Mostar, with a huge cross overlooking the city. Bata explained in detail the history of the area, as well as the logistics of the fighting and the various factions. It is too complicated to fully explain, and I forget some of the details, but basically Serbs were fighting Croatians and the Bosnians in Mostar were stuck in between. He showed us where a concentration camp had been set up for Bosnians and he explained how soldiers would pack dynamite into tires and roll them down the mountain. If they hit enemies, good, if they hit their allies, just as good because they could blame it on their enemies and incite more hatred.
Bata also told us his own story. He ended up moving to Sweden to escape the violence and remained there for 10 years. This was where he learned to speak English as well.
Although the war is over, there is still much tension between the Christians and the Muslims there. The city is divided roughly in half, but the population is still mixed on both sides. One side won’t serve the other’s beer and hospital care is sometimes refused to people living on the “wrong” side of the river.
We then drove to a little town called Blagaj. En route, we saw the signs of an economic revival, including upscale car dealerships and furniture stores and a Home Depot type store, but the vast majority of the population is still living in poor conditions.
The main attraction in Blagaj is an old Dervish house. (see picture). Bata again explained the significance of the house and its history as a place where various factions throughout history have gone to meet in a calming environment to try to come up with solutions to problems (this was taking place hundreds of years ago). The house is under a mountain and a river flows out from underneath the mountain. The river does not come out the other end, so there is a large source of fresh water somewhere in the mountain, but expeditions sent in have not been able to located it. We had lunch at a nice restaurant on the river (more Ĉevapĉiĉi), but even cheaper. 2.5 Euro at a fancy restaurant on the river! We returned to Mostar in the evening and did some night photography. Bata really led an amazing tour. If anyone reading this blog is ever in that part of the world, try to track him down. He knows so much history and is wants to explain it all.
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