Europe, with an Arctic cruise, a Balkan tour and bits of France and Malta

[RooFlyer]

Back to Lukomir. We bade our hosts goodbye and started the drive back to Sarajevo.





Due for shearing.

 

[RooFlyer]

Most of the meal portions in Bosnia (and Montenegro) are huge - and might cost 15 euros with a wine or a beer. As it happens, we've also been having them late, say, 2pm. So for the most part I've had lunch and skipped dinner, so very economical!

After Lukomir I wasn't hungry again so decided for a stroll around Sarajevo and up to the Yellow Fortress lookout. Stared off in the Austro-Hungarian end

Electric trams (except in the Old Town)





View up to a ruin above town that would walk to later



It was about 6pm and it was also the first night of Eid ul-Adha, which celebrates the time when Ibrahim had a dream which he believed was a message from Allah asking him to sacrifice his son Isma'il as an act of obedience to God. The devil tempted Ibrahim by saying he should disobey Allah and spare his son. As Ibrahim was about to kill his son, Allah stopped him and gave him a lamb to sacrifice instead.

It runs for three days or evenings and traditionally a sheep is killed and shared around the neighbourhood. But in modern times, people go out to eat! The town was heaving and not all food places were open. I was looking just for a snack but couldn't even find a seat at this end of the Old Town.





I have to mention that in Sarajevo, Mostar and other major towns there are 'Museums of Genocide' and 'Museum of Crimes against Humanity'.





I passed through to the Turkish side of the Old Town. Mosques a plenty.

 

[RooFlyer]

I was getting a little peckish by this time, but as with the other side, the Turkish end was PACKED. Finally, I spotted a cafe looking place with a vacant seat so I plonked myself down.

Menu looks interesting.



It was a cake and sweet shop!



Well, I had to have something, and baklava is the national dish sweet, so why not take one for the AFF team? Go ahead, judge me. . Coupled with a glass of blueberry juice, it was energising!



A small selection of what was on offer.

 

[RooFlyer]

Suitably - all uphill. sugared up, I headed up the hill to the Yellow Fortress, about 25 mins.

Lots of 'old' Islamic buildings; in fact most were at least damaged if not destroyed in the wall, so reconstructions to varying degrees.











I actually changed my mind about Sarajevo in this walk. I had thought it was a bit tatty, no genuinely old buildings, somewhat ramshackle. But here, in the warm evening, you see the Old Town alive, everyone out having fun.



But still reminders of the war, everywhere.



A steep walk up to the Yellow Fortress, past several Islamic graveyards - legacy of the war. The YF is on the left.





The top is a prime spot for viewing the sunset over Sarajevo. And of course this. She was swirling that dress around, showing a lot of leg!



Early sunset.

 

[RooFlyer]

The Yellow Fortress, or Žuta Tabija is or was a canon emplacement built between 1727 and 1739. Its now serves as a lookout over the sunset at Sarajevo. Nice climb, but I wouldn't recommend it if you aren't into that sort of thing.

The sunset





Behind the Fortress is the Jajce Barracks. It was built in the 1910s as a barracks for Austro-Hungarian troops and later as a hospital. Its now a fenced-off ruin.







Nearby, some very old houses showing their construction.



Back down the hill, looking back.



Then back through the Old Town. It was heaving; all the restaurants and bars doing a roaring trade.

 

[RooFlyer]

Summary of Sarajevo.

If you go to Bosnia, you'll go there. I think the Old Town is mildly interesting architecturally and historically (mainly due to it being a re-build), but its definitely a great place for after-dark.

Traffic is bad (congestion) but cars will stop for you to cross at crossings. Traffic lights are observed. Smoking very prevalent (throughout B and H).

Its main attraction for me, and I think for a tour is the wonderful things to see outside the city. Car rental essential to get to most places and care needed on the roads.

 

[yld200]

Have loved reading the last few pages about Montenegro and Bosnia. It's where my family is from so it's always nice to read other people's perspectives and thoughts. You've nailed the main points; Bosnian coffee, Politics (both past and present) and food - lots of carbs and sweets.

Great TR RF!

 

[RooFlyer]

We set off for Mostar; it was still Eid ul-Adha, so traffic was pretty light. This is our route today, with several stops through the mountains.



Bullet and shrapnel holes in almost every building.





South of Sarajevo, some Motorway! Clear sailing







We passed a bridge, Stara Ćuprija 'The Old Bridge' spanning the Neretva River in the town of Konjic. Its an Ottoman period structure, built 1682, but as is common, not all is what it appears. The deck was blown up by the retreating Germans in WW2 and it was only properly restored in the 2000s.



Then a photo stop and leg-stretch at Konjik, the view another hydro lake.

 

[RooFlyer]

The national dish!



A longer stop and coffee break at Jablanica to view a destroyed bridge. As ever, not all that it seems







The bridge as it stands is a memorial to a famous battle from WW2, where Partisans fought the Axis powers in 1943 - also known as the Battle for the Wounded. There is a major museum here, opened by Tito.

Bridge on the Neretva - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

In August 1943, the Germans built a new bridge, which was a spatial grid of rectangular cross-section. The span of the bridge was 78 m and the height of the grid 8 m. The width of the bridge was 5 m. The bridge relied on existing stone-built supports. The grid height at the support points was smaller and was 5 m on either side of the bridge. This bridge was again demolished in 1968 during the filming of the Oscar-nominated film "Battle on the Neretva" by director Veljko Bulajić.

It was washed away after that, and rebuilt in its 'demolished' state. But its a significant memorial in Bosnia.

After that, we again got into gorge country, with emerald-green waters of the Neretva River.

 

[RooFlyer]

Mostar. A famous place that was being looked forward to, but it was forecast to be hot - and it was. Abt 35 degrees when we arrived abt 1:30. Checked in and went to late lunch at 'bridge view' restaurant booked by our guide. Then 'rest', and tour by local guise at 5p,m.

As soon as you enter Mostar, the Croatian influence is evident. Croatian flags everywhere (we are of course still in Bosnia. Mostar was attacked at forst by Bosnian Serbs in the war, and the old town extensively damaged and the famous bridge destroyed. Later the Croatians changed sides and also attacks Bosnian Muslims. There was a line down the middle of the city dividing Muslims from Catholics.



And this cross on the hill over the city is rather an 'up yours' to the Muslim population.



Room was pretty basic again, but the aircon worked OK.





The 'minaret view' means ear-pugs tonight.



Great view from lunch.



The rooster on the bridge is waiting until he gets 50 euros to jump. People can also jump for 50 euros, but there is some instruction involved.



Ker-ching.



Feet-first is the approved way.

 

[RooFlyer]

The Mostar Bridge 'Stari Most' (lit. 'Old Bridge'), is a rebuilt 16th-century Ottoman bridge in the city of Mostar in B and H and is named after the bridge keepers (mostari) who guarded the Stari Most during the Ottoman era. It was started in 1557.

During the Croat–Bosniak War, the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina used the bridge as a military supply line, and the bridge was shelled by the Croatians and collapsed on 9 November 1993. Subsequently, the bridge was reconstructed, and it reopened on 23 July 2004.

A nearby minaret is open and charges 5 euro for the gruelling climb to the top - but best photo.





Looking downstream





And upstream



'The beach' under the bridge. Boat rides 10 euro pp for 10 minutes.





After it was destroyed, UNESCO mandated that it should be built exactly the same. The same stones were retrieved from the river or replaced.

Its really smooth! Very much a slip/fall hazard. The 'steps' are original and help to keep a grip.

 

[FlyingFiona]

That view was definitely worth the climb and entry fee! Beautiful.