Day 11: Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina to Split Croatia
After off-loading all our luggage (we had to hire a couple of longshoreman), we walked over to the restaurant, Azzura, for breakfast. We were a bit early(arrived at 7:15, but they didn't open until 8), so we cooled our heels at a table until a waiter finally came by. The coffee was infinitely better than the swill we would have had to drink on the boat. Luca joined us for coffee and a teary goodbye.
We finished breakfast just in time to see Mario drive past. David ran him down and got him to the right spot (in his defense, he went to where he had dropped us off, and never saw the text I sent with our location.
The plan today was to drive to Bosnia and Herzegovina to the UNESCO town of Mostar. Along the way, we passed Ston, renowned for its oysters and its fortified stone wall, one of the longest in the world (originally 4.3miles long. The wall was built to protect the salt works back when salt equalled gold as currency. The salt industry began here nearly 4000 years ago.
The bay's clean waters and freshwater influx create ideal conditions for oyster farming. The European Flat Oyster, which is grown here, is prized for its flavor which Rich and Suzy can attest to. Oyster farming dates back to Roman times.
After about an hour drive, we arrived at the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are not an EU member, so we needed to do a proper border crossing. It took a lot longer than goin into Montenegro last week.
We arrived in the town of Mostar about 11 am as the temperatures reached into the 90s.
Mostar, is situated in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Historically part of the Ottoman Empire, it flourished as a hub of trade, culture, and architecture.
We met our guide, Belma, who spoke impeccable English. Come to find out, her parents fled to Montreal when she was eleven because of the Balkan War (depending on what country you are in, the war had a different name)and she just returned with her family 3 years ago.
We began walking toward the old town and passed the Mostar Peace Bell Tower. The current 107 foot tower was rebuilt after the war in the 1990s, replacing the original bell tower from 1866, which was destroyed during the conflict. It is to symbolize peace finally returning to the region.
The war in the early 90s devastated Mostar. Mostar is divided by the Neretva River into Christian (Roman Catholic) and Muslim halves. During the war, these factions fought bitterly and the town was caught in the crossfire. Nearly the entire town including the iconic Stari Most (The Old Bridge) was destroyed.
Even after extensive restoration, there are still today scars of the conflict from 30 years ago.
This is the site of the old synagogue in Mostar. All that remains is a recently vandalized gate with Stars of David and a monument resembling a gravestone in an unkempt field. Very sad.
The architecture had strong Turkish influences and at least 3 minarets were visible (while we were there we heard the call to prayer from all of them).
Belma asked us if we were okay with walking down a flight of stone steps to get a good view of the Old Bridge. I guess she didn't know her audience. Our negotiating the steps rewarded us with great views of the Stari Most or Old Bridge.
The first Stari Most was commissioned by the Ottoman emperor Suliman the Magnificent in 1557. Standing for 427 years, the original bridge was considered an extraordinary feat of engineering for its time. It was 95 feet long and rose about 80 feet above the Neretva River, featuring a unique "hump-backed" design and constructed from local stone known as tenelija. Two fortified towers, Helebija on the northeast and Tara on the southwest, known as "the bridge keepers" (mostari), guarded either end. The city of Mostar itself derives its name from these bridge keepers.
Though it served as both a physical and psychological link between the myriad ethnic and religious (Christian, Muslim, Jew)groups, it was destroyed by shelling in the war in 1993. Immediately after hostilities ended, the task to rebuild the bridge began.The reconstruction aimed for authenticity, using traditional 16th-century building techniques and even sourcing stone from the original quarry. It reopened on July 23, 2004.
The diving tradition at Mostar's Stari Most is legendary. The Mostar Diving Club is renowned for its skilled divers who perform daring jumps from the historic bridge into the Neretva River. Diving has become a symbol of the city's adventurous spirit. We first watched a young man jump from the practice tower adjacent to the bridge.
After the show, we walked across the bridge to the Muslim side of the river. We spotted this young woman hiking in perfect hiking attire for the uneven cobblestone walkways.
After spending nearly all our money in the tinker's shop, we used what we had left to cool off at the adjacent gelateria.
At this point, our guide left us on our own and we started to work our way back to Mario. We had some nice views of the bridge on the return
and then wandered to the other bridge in town, the "crooked bridge". This bridge crosses a feeder stream of the Neretva River, and is much smaller than the Stari Most. The big advantage is that iot is off the beaten path and much less crowded.
We still had a bit of time to kill, and the Daves were getting hungry. We also wanted to try some Bosnian food, so we stopped at a small restaurant at the edge of the old town for a late lunch/snack.
Instructions:
1. Measure the Water: Use your coffee cup to measure cold water and pour it into the cezve. Usually, one cup per serving.
2. Add Coffee and Sugar: For each cup, add one to two teaspoons of finely ground coffee. Add sugar to taste (sugarless, medium, or sweet). Stir gently to combine but do not stir after brewing starts.
3. Heat Slowly: Place the cezve on low heat. Do not stir after heating begins. Allow the coffee to heat gradually until froth forms—just before boiling.
4. Form the Foam: Carefully spoon some of the froth into each cup. Return the cezve to heat and let it foam up again. Do not let it boil over.
5. Pour and Serve: Gently pour the coffee into the cups, distributing the foam evenly. Let it sit for a minute so grounds settle.
How to drink:
• Wait a moment for the grounds to settle at the bottom.
• Sip slowly to enjoy the rich flavor, avoiding the leftover grounds at the bottom.
• Traditionally, Turkish coffee is served with a glass of water and sometimes a sweet treat like Turkish delight.
The Daves shared a dish called ćevapi, ground spiced beef seved with pita , fries and a salad.
and Jeri and I had a piece of baclava, that was very similar to that of my sister, Marla.
After refueling, we rejoined Mario for the trip across the border. Unfortunately, we got caught behind two busses of Ukranians (unsure if they were on holiday, or refugees) that caused us a 1 hour delay at the border. We finally reached Split early evening. Our hotel, the Coranaro, was beautiful, and situated perfectly at the west wall of the old city. Our concierge was able to get us a table for dinner at a restaurant in the Plaza de la Republica called Bajamonti, that had something for everyone as well as a great view.
After refueling, we rejoined Mario for the trip across the border. Unfortunately, we got caught behind two busses of Ukranians (unsure if they were on holiday, or refugees) that caused us a 1 hour delay at the border. We finally reached Split early evening. Our hotel, the Coranaro, was beautiful, and situated perfectly at the west wall of the old city. Our concierge was able to get us a table for dinner at a restaurant in the Plaza de la Republica called Bajamonti, that had something for everyone as well as a great view.
This was followed by gelato (of course).
We almost made it back to the hotel when we found another gelateria that David could not pass up. He declared that this was the winner (at least for the night).
Before going to bed, we stopped at the rooftop bar of our hotel for some night views of Split.
Tomorrow we visit Split.
What an interesting history. And that diver..crazy!
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