From the bus station in Dubrovnik, our journey took us to the last country of our Balkan trip. In Bosnia & Herzegovina, our destinations were Mostar and Sarajevo. The country, which was devastated by the Balkan War, impresses with its beautiful landscapes and warm-hearted people. The first stop was the city of Mostar, the reunited city with its new old bridge "Stari Most" that towers over the Neretva River. The bridge symbolizes the connection between the West and the East, between Christianity and Islam.
Arrival
We took a bus from Dubrovnik to Mostar for about 3 hours, costing 12 €. After arriving at Mostar's bus station, we walked 3 kilometers towards the Old Town of Mostar.
Accommodation
Our accommodation in Mostar was located near the landmark, the Stari Most. The hosts were very friendly people who prepared a unique Bosnian breakfast for us, which we had never experienced before! Bosnian coffee included! We paid 70 € for 2 nights, and the breakfast was an additional 8 € per person.
Attractions
After our arrival, we squeezed through the narrow streets of Mostar to cross the Stari most. During the summer months, it can be very crowded here, as Vrelo Bune, a spring with a Dervish monastery, is a place of pilgrimage for Muslims. From the bridge, which was destroyed by Croatian bombs during the Balkan War and rebuilt with funding from the World Bank, bridge divers jump about 40 KM into the cold Neretva River. The city, which connects Islam with Christianity, where the calls of the muezzin follow the ringing of Catholic church bells, even has its own airport. After a walk through the narrow alleys, we sat down in a small restaurant with a view of the bridge. As it is customary, we ate Cevapcici and drank traditional Bosnian coffee, which is similar to Turkish Mocha.
The next day, we set off to one of the largest springs in Europe, the Buna Spring in Blagaj. After a 20-minute taxi ride, we arrived in the small town where many Muslims make their pilgrimage. The Dervish monastery, which was built in the 18th century by a Turkish sultan who was fascinated by this place. To visit the small monastery, you must wear traditional clothing, which covers the knees for men and the head and shoulders for women. The scarves are available free of charge in front of the monastery. On the other side of the river, there is a small landing place from which two brothers offer a tour inside the cave.
Kloster Blagaj
If you thought that the turquoise water flowing out is warm, you were mistaken. The water temperature is about 4 degrees, which provides a pleasant cooling around the river at an external temperature of 36 degrees.
Cooling in the spring
During the tour inside the mysterious hole, the brothers explain to us that the spring does not originate here; it surfaces here for the first time. The spring originates about 20 km deeper behind the mountain, but no one knows exactly where and how deep. The government of Bosnia cannot provide research funds for this place, so the mystery remains unsolved for the time being.
It is recommended to have lunch on the banks of the spring. We shared a fish platter with chard and boiled potatoes for 34 KM, which is highly recommended. It is very pleasant on this stretch of riverbank; the cold spring water cools the air and I would love to spend the whole day here.
The next morning, after a short stop in Jablanica where we visited a friend's uncle, we headed to the capital city of Sarajevo.
