Yugoslavia: Bosnia and Herzegovina

This is not a place I ever expected to visit.  There is something indescribable about this place.  Of all the places I have visited, there is something uniquely intriguing about this country, incomparable really.  I almost can't quite put my finger on it.

It was here, however, that I saw and felt the impact of the 1990's Balkan war more than any of the other four former Yugoslav countries I've visited.  A country with such richly diverse cultures, it was the stage for much of the bloodiest parts of the 1990's Balkan war.  More than any of the other Yugoslav nations, Bosnia has always been at the crossroads geographically speaking and also in terms of its staggeringly mixed cultures.  The fighting that ensued here as a part of the Balkan wars was so complicated, with such a diverse population it was difficult to know who was fighting who.  At various points allied groups would turn on each other further complicating it.  Bosnia was literally and culturally torn apart.  Under Serbian siege Bosnia was turning to rubble while many atrocities of murder and abuse raged on.  I'm convinced that many of the most horrific stories have yet to be told, and some of the accused leaders mandating war crimes have yet to stand trial.

Yugoslavia is putting itself back together.  Still.  The imprint of the war on Bosnia is still very visible all these 20 years later.  It is still very much raw from the war, struggling to rebuild.  Some cities have done well to recover the best bits, but on the whole I saw countless structures still in a great state of disrepair or completely devastated, many left abandoned.  The people seemed to have moved on, living their lives in seeming harmony with one another among all the pitted and gutted buildings and cemeteries lined with 20 year-old headstones where parks and squares once stood.

The beauty and rich culture of this land yet prevails.  It hosts gorgeous countryside, charming villages and striking cities.  We spent two days in the beautiful small city of Mostar, then a further two days in the richly layered capital of Sarajevo.  Our road trip took us through so many interesting landscapes, something new and unexpected around every corner.  Much to our surprise much of our Bosnian travels came with freezing temperatures and even snow.

 Our first look at Bosnia was a pretty one!  Charming hillside town, Počitelj

 War relics abound in Mostar, but they have done well to rebuild the charming historic core.  After being blasted, this iconic bridge was rebuilt.

 Our view for two nights!  And a honourable mention goes to the Bosnian cuisine.  Just divine!

 A few paces outside of well-repaired old town and you find countless battered buildings just like these . .

One of the many cemeteries we saw in Bosnia which did not exist before the war.  So sad.

 Instead of newspaper columns, obituaries like these are posted around town to inform residents of recent deaths.  I'm wondering if this practise was kept up during the war.

 Mostar is admittedly touristy (for good reason, it's gorgeous!), but most are day trippers from Dubrovnik.  We enjoyed a magical (albeit cold) nightwalk around the city without a single other tourist in sight.

 Scenes en route to Sarajevo, wasn't long before the geen landscape gave way to snow!

 This bridge, the Latin Bridge, marks the spot where Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated rocking the world sparking WWI.  Amazing to be on this spot!

 Wonderful tiny museum opposite the bridge detailing the assassination including the weapon used!

 Old town Sarajevo screams of its Ottoman past, felt just like parts of Istanbul!

Sarajevo was under Serbian siege during the war, completely closed off to the rest of the world.  Except for this one life-giving tunnel.  Dug under a small strip of the city that would give Sarajevo's people access to critical, life sustaining supplies, this tunnel is credited for virtually saving the city.  It was neat to visit and learn more about the courageous people who made it happen.

 I'm a huge fan of the Olympics, and the 1984 Olympics (both in LA and Sarajevo) are the first Olympics I have a clear memory of.  Plus it was here in Sarajevo that Torvill and Dean claimed gold for their unparalleled pairs ice-skating performance.  I'm a huge fan, this performance is truly stunning and I don't think there has been anything like it (or will be) since.  So I had to find the old Olympic village to see where it all went down.  Upper left if the ice-rink, and the right photos are the Olympic stadium.  Still viable, they are very run down looking, but they did go through a war!

 Eternal Flame, commemorating victims of WWII

 Interesting to see the contrast of the Austro-Hungarian architecture with the Ottoman, both well represented throughout the city.

 Fascinating layers of history in architecture!

 Cold and snowy!

 Astonishing number of cemeteries dot this city.

 Misty view over Sarajevo

 I was there too!  Freezing cold, did my best to wear every layer I could!

 Our chess player wanted to join in the local game!

 More Ottoman old town

 Snowball fight in the middle of nowhere in Bosnia

 We're just driving along minding our own business, when this pops into view.  Have to say this ranks among one of the most surreal travel experiences to date.  I don't have a lens wide enough (there isn't one) to capture the vastness of the setting coupled with the otherworldliness of this beastly structure.  I've read about these massive, eerie eastern European war monuments, but wow!  Definitely worth stopping for, and to make it even more atmospheric we were the only ones there (don't think Bosnian road trips rank high for most travellers).

 Surreality of epic proportions . . .

 Gandalf from Lord of the Rings appeared, well three of them.

The longest tunnel I have ever driven through in my life . . . on our way to Montenegro.