Mostar, Bosnia Herzegovina

Day 10

Since I was determined to see Mostar, we joined a private tour that picked us up from our hotel and showed us around a few places in Bosnia. The car was a Mercedes minivan which reminded me of a party stretch limo- it had lights that flashed different colors inside. We had to cross Bosnian border twice as there's a short stretch of Bosnian coast within Croatia's coastline and just our luck, border patrol was on strike. Thankfully we were still able to enter the country.

Bosnia is a place that means a lot to many. Its the first horrific war my generation was introduced to; first siege, first genocide, first ethnic cleansing. Though the country has rebuilt (with the help of many UN nations) the scars and memories are as visible and haunting as ever, a constant reminder of their tragic past. Orthodox Serbs, Catholic Croats and Muslim Bosnians live together once again and are moving forward, but for those who have lost their whole families, who have lost all their children, moving on isn't so easy. It's heartbreaking; the war ruins sprayed with bullet holes juxtaposed against Mostar's intense natural and historical beauty. 

Medjugorje- one of the more popular Catholic pilgrimage site in the world, where the Virgin Mary was believed to have made apparitions.

So utterly picture perfect.

The muslim cemetery is beautiful. Heavy and sobering reading the names of the young men who were murdered or went missing forever, almost all were my age or younger.

What a well traveled ring.

War reminders are everywhere.

A multicultural, multiethnic community that was the gold standard for religious tolerance. All changed overnight due to- political greed.

Drinking fresh natural water from the stream.

Another UNESCO world heritage site. Stunning stone village propped on one side of a mountain, castle on one end and mosque on the other.

Orange orchard. Stunning view from atop the hill.