War-torn Mostar

We wanted to first go to Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina, but were told that we shouldn't try from Korčula - it would involve waiting on the side of the road in the town of Ston vigilantly watching for the right bus to flag down, which might not come at all. So, we came to Dubrovnik. Mostar, then, we did as a day trip. Let me talk about that first; you'll hear about Dubrovnik later.

Mostar is not really a day trip destination, though, and I think the driver was a little confused at our lack of baggage. It's 3.5 hours each way on a bus. We got up early and got back late, and spent more time on the bus than actually at Mostar, but it was worth it. Staying longer than we did wouldn't have been fun; I think we saw what we needed to see.

Our passports were checked seven times, without a single stamp. I wanted a Bosnian stamp! We had to cross six borders today because there is a thin stretch of land that belongs to Bosnia-Herzegovina that extends to the sea. You have to cross it on the way through. Croatia wants to make a bridge around, from the peninsula. The small bit of Bosnian coastline is all developed (it is all they have) while the surrounding Croatian coastline is relatively undeveloped.

Bosnia-Herzegovina is most definitely still recovering from the war fifteen years ago. There are some destitute looking houses along the road. Some of the people look pretty sad, and some of the beggars on the street appear to have been injured from the bombardment here during the war. Or possible since from leftover landmines.

Mostar, along with Sarajevo, was a battleground during the Bosnian War. The city is strictly divided along the river, which was the front line during the siege here. The east side is Bosniak and the west side is Croat.

Here is a simplification of things, as I understand them. Religion divides people here. Roman Catholic, Muslim, and Orthodox people don't always get along. They seemed to during Tito's rule when they were all united as Yugoslavia. But there is historical resentment between the cultures. As nationalist sentiment formed and the countries wanted independence from Yugoslavia, tensions arose between the different groups. Croats (Roman Catholic) and Serbs (Orthodox) live in parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina along with the Bosniaks (Muslim). A Croat is not necessarily a Croatian, but does identify with Croatia. Croatia wanted the parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina where Croats lived, so as to not leave them as a stranded minority, and Serbia wanted the parts with Serbs. Bosnia was just trying to hang on to its territory.

So, Mostar was both Bosniak and Croat, and still is. They live in a tense coexistence. It is, for all purposes, two cities divided by the river. The stoplights on the Croat side look more modern. The kiosks on the Bosniak side look rounded, like mosques. The schools are segregated. People stay on their side of the river, and usually don't have business on the other side.

Croatia bombarded the Bosniak side heavily during the siege. It is eerie to see these buildings, with obvious craters where they had been shelled, and lines of bullet holes riddling the plaster. When I first saw the buildings, it took a moment to sink in. I didn't want to stare, or have a local catch me looking. I tried to sneak some pictures, but it felt wrong, so I didn't get many. The locals seem to have gotten used to their presence, though the buildings seem like the "elephant in the room". No one talks about them. Or maybe they do; I didn't ask. Having this constant reminder must not help the tensions between the Croats and the Bosniaks. Or perhaps the Bosniaks want it that way: as a memorial. The first one I saw looked like it could have been a five-star hotel at one point. It was mostly destroyed, and the steel skeleton of the awning out front was still there, charred from fire. It looked like something from a movie. It was just fifteen years ago when snipers where perched on rooftops, and people had to sneak across the Old Bridge at night to get their supply of water. Here are some of the pictures I did get.























































The Cejvan Cehaj Mosque, I think.




















The only carefully restored structure in town is the historically significant Stari Most (Old Bridge). It's the only real tourist attraction in town. It was built by the Ottoman Turks. During the siege, the Bosniaks tied old tires to the bridge to try to protect it, but it didn't survive. Here it is. There's a nice swimming spot on the right (Bosniak) side, though the water is fast moving and very cold!












I didn't expect the trip to be so focused on the war destruction. I wasn't sure what to expect, but that's what caught my eye there. We're back in Dubrovnik now, though. It's not as hot here.