Ishicilelwe: 05.08.2019
Monday, August 5th, day 10 of our trip and time is flying by. Unfortunately, we had to leave our main destination, Albania, today. One thing is for sure, no matter the circumstances or conditions, WE will come back! The morning routine was similar to the previous days - a hearty breakfast at the restaurant, getting ready for the day, and catching a few rays of sun. However, today we also had to pack our clothes and say goodbye. According to the navigation system, we had 5 hours and 330 km ahead of us until Mostar. Tonight would be our first night in a hotel, which we had already booked last night. Despite having to cross two borders, we were lucky and reached our destination in Mostar around 5 PM. Definitely, we were on the sunny side of life today, while the cars on the other side at the border crossings had less luck. It's estimated that people traveling from Bosnia to Montenegro had to wait at least 3-4 hours. I wouldn't have wanted to do that.. ;) That silly schadenfreude though.
The first impression of the hotel? Uh, well, it's quite nice, isn't it? "It's enough for one night, as long as the beds are comfortable." These three guys really need it, always whining. They should spend 10 days camping, and then they would be unbearable, true spoilsports. :P We quickly checked in, changed clothes, and headed to the city center. It was about 2 km on foot, which took us nearly 25 minutes, even for the three exhausted guys. Fortunately!!! The way there showed us the less pleasant corners of the country, but just one street over, and it was all tourists. It's just crazy how sudden the differences are there. And then, there it was, right in front of us: "the Stari Most, the emblematic landmark of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The bridge spans the Neretva River just above the mouth of the Radobolja River and connects the predominantly Bosniak eastern part with the more Croatian-influenced western part of the city." People everywhere, but an amazing view, it was one of my main goals on this trip, and it was totally worth it. After everyone finished taking their pictures for the well-known social media platforms, we could finally find a spot for our long-awaited dinner. Schnitzel for Duster, Neubs, and Kai, and a delicious pizza for me. Well, the fries were a bit cold for the guys, and my pizza had tomatoes, great, and on top of that, the evening prayers of Muslims were being broadcasted on the city's loudspeakers. There goes the tranquility and ambiance of the city. As dessert, we each had an ice cream in the small alleys of the city, and then slowly made our way back to the hotel. On the way, we were amazed at how many shops and small stalls this city has to offer. So, Mostar, you get 4 out of 5 stars from me, my expectations were met. Now, a quick beer at the hotel, and then off to sleep. Will that go well? Four boys in one room, we shall see. Good night, Bosnian.