Short trip to Bosnia: From Mostar via Sarajevo to Dubrovnik

Our first destination in Bosnia was supposed to be the city of Mostar, which is also visited by many vacationers from Croatia on a day trip. We were able to find a park4night spot directly in the city, which was only a 5-minute walk to the old town. As we set out to visit it, it was slowly starting to dusk, making the old town even more charming - many small street stands in narrow but cozy alleys, a café here, a restaurant there, and in between, the Islamic call to prayer from the speakers of the mosques. Of course, we also saw the famous Stari Most bridge, which was rebuilt after the war.

We chose a small restaurant and decided on the recommended fish platter, which also impressed the street cats, who visited us one by one. Although it was Saturday evening, the restaurants were not crowded, so we wondered why they were all still open in the off-season.

Back at the parking lot, we felt a bit uncomfortable because the payment was not clear, the parking lot was brightly lit, and the toilets were already closed. The first night in a new country always feels a bit strange to us.

Day 50: Despite the strange feeling the night before, we slept well, although we already noticed that the nights were getting cooler.

We took another look at Mostar during the day and quickly realized that we were too early, as many shops were still closed and the locals were just starting their day with a coffee and a cigarette. We strolled around and admired the charming old town. It is really hard to imagine that there was a war here just 23 years ago.

Refreshed with a Bosnian coffee and baklava, we sat down by the Neretva River in Mostar and watched the hustle and bustle on the bridge, which was increasing.

Always accompanied by the Neretva River, we continued our journey towards Sarajevo, passing between mountains and rocks. There were small stands on every corner selling mandarins by the sack, so we also bought a sack. We estimate that it's about 5 kg, which we got for 2.50 EUR - and those are probably the tourist prices.

Just before our park4night spot, we stopped at a small hiking hut with a picnic area. Despite communication problems, we ended up getting soup, sausages with fries, and a cola for just under 5 euros. We felt a bit strange and out of place there, as according to one man, it was not a typical restaurant but a house for bushmen - whatever that means :D Nevertheless, we felt like a small part of a typical Bosnian Saturday.

As soon as the sun disappeared behind the mountain, it became clear that it was already November. Families quickly packed up and we made ourselves comfortable in the bus. Another one of those evenings when we were very happy to have chosen the heating in the bus. The night was incredibly cold, and we needed a wool blanket in addition to our sleeping bags to keep from freezing.

Day 51: We were awakened by water droplets that had collected as condensation on all metal objects in the bus due to the cold. The cold had seeped into Freudolin and our limbs. A look out of the bus showed that frost had covered everything overnight. Fortunately, the sun quickly came to our aid, and after a thorough airing out and many rays of sunshine, we were able to continue our journey to explore Sarajevo.

But we decided that this would only be a short detour inland and that we would need to return to the south and the coast as soon as possible.

As our supplies were running low and we had only found smaller convenience stores in Bosnia and Herzegovina so far, we were very happy to find a proper supermarket on the outskirts of Sarajevo that was also open on Sundays. So, we filled up our fridge and pantry and continued on.

We left Freudolin a little outside the center of Sarajevo and explored the old town on foot once again. We were quickly captivated by the friendly and cosmopolitan atmosphere of Sarajevo. We bought local sweets, smoked shisha, and drank Turkish tea. It's wonderful to see two religions living side by side - a church next to a mosque.

Right on time for sunset, we reached the Tabija Fortress. It is located slightly above the old town and offers a magnificent view. We didn't have to wait long and the muezzins of the mosques called for prayer. Gradually, the towers of the 26 hand-counted mosques were illuminated - it creates a very special atmosphere.

Day 52: The plan was to go hiking in Sutjeska National Park today. This turned out to be more difficult than expected. Somehow, we couldn't find a parking lot with signposted circular hiking routes. And going off on our own seemed a bit too risky, as we occasionally saw signs warning of landmines. We visited a war monument and then continued driving along the river. Unfortunately, there were no opportunities to stop and access the river directly, and suddenly, we were already out of the national park.

However, we found a great spot at Klinje Lake, with covered seating areas and a wooden jetty leading directly into the water. Although the sun - as it has every day in Bosnia and Herzegovina so far - was shining with full force, the water was too cold to swim in. But the wooden jetty was perfect for setting up our outdoor shower and using it in a short moment of solitude.

The place was also used by border police to check passing cars for refugees. So, we had visits from three different duos, who were most amazed that someone would vacation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The people here are very friendly and interested - at least when you come from Central Europe. At this park4night spot, we met Caroline, a Danish woman who has been living and working in Munich for 2 years. She is on a 3-week vacation with her VW van. We spent the evening together in our bus and chatted about everything under the sun.

Day 53: The nights in Bosnia and Herzegovina are really cold, but with our new sleeping bags and the bedspread, it's bearable. After a relaxed morning, we said goodbye to Caroline and continued - back towards Croatia, as we wanted to reach Dubrovnik today.

This time, we had a very funny border crossing with a border police officer who was more interested in the current temperature than in us. Fortunately, Freudolin has a thermometer, and we could tell him that it was 17°C. There was also a Bosnian vehicle on the road that apparently didn't respect red lights at construction sites. So, it passed us - waiting at the red light, of course - and the following red light couldn't stop it either.

In Dubrovnik, we found a spot a little outside to be able to relax, write our blog, and Skype, now that we have mobile data again.