Bosnia a country divided

Sorry this will be a long one as i realise it was last monday that i did the last post.

I went on the organised tour run by the hostel. Hostel Mydas in Mostar was voted best hostel in europe and i can see why. While sitting chatting all the guests were plied with tasty homemade treats. That morning all the guests went on a tour of mostar and the surroundings. The local guide was very much like borat in appearance, accent and mannerisms which added to the overall experience. Bata as he was called was mydas brother who had returned to bosnia two years ago after fleeing the war. He took us to some of the main buildings like sniper tower which used to be a bank and had been shelled to bits. Then to spanish square where 12 spanish UN troups were killed. This is the site of a new school, which stands next to the bombed out ruins of the primary school. The school is hailed in bosnia as a monument to a new united future although within the building serbs, croats and bosnians have different classrooms, teachers and curiculums. Mostar lies in Herzegovina which is the croat dominated region and it was the croats who had shelled the town, destroyed the 400 year old bridge which is the symbol of mostar. The divides in the town are crazy on one side of the river it is churches and on the other mosques. On the croat side they only sell croat beer and not sarajevsko which is brewed in sarajevo the bosnian area. On the tour we also went to Medugorje which is a catholic holy place where some children sighted the virgin mary. The town was full of irish people and guiness pubs as well as all manner of religious icons. We next went to some waterfalls which were stunning and Baglaj which is an ancient holy place.

I left mostar the next day as the belgians had kindly offered me a lift. We drove to sarajevo and found the hostel after driving up some crazy incline on a cobbled street. The swiss girls from the hostel also accompanied us but left us in sarajevo. The afternoon we had a look around sarajevo at some of the sights mainly mosques and cemeteries. The next day the belgians were planning to leave but decided to stay one more night so we spent it drinking coffee and walking to the history museum that explained bosnias history and also the three year seige of the city by the serbs 1992-1995. We also climbed the skytower from which you can see the whole of sarajevo. The evidence of war is everywhere in the shell wholes they pored red cement which they call sarajevos roses while there is hardly any building that is not covered in bullet holes. That night we went out clubbing after the barcelona game. The club was empty when we arrived but were assured the live band was playing at 11:30. Despite the club being empty we were shown to the one table that had not been reserved right in the corner. There were no chairs and the drinks were expensive so we stood and counted down to the band. Come 12:30 despite the waiters best efforts we decided there was no band an the horrendous turbofolk music they listen to was getting on all of our nerves.

The next morning we went to the tunnel museum which during the siege was the only way supplies could be brought into the city. The tunnel ran 800m under the UN occupied airport and until the UN moved in no supplies could be moved in or out. In the afternoon we drove in the van to Travnik and the Jajce. The towns required an hour or so each as not much to see apart from castles. I had been assured by the tourist information that the last bus was back at 10:30. The bus station in Jajce disagreed and said it was 00:30. We went to the bar until the bus was due to depart. It ended up leaving at 1am and it was full and hot and i did not sleep. Arrived in sarajevo at 04:30. I got a taxi who said his meter wasnt working but he was the only one and i wanted to go to bed. Woke up at 9 the train was at 11:55 (confirmed by tourist information and internet) to belgrade. I walked to the station and need the toilet so i asked the guy at a restaurant. He said it was quiet and i had an hour to the train so we drunk Rajki for half an hour or so. Walked to the station arrived at 11:40 the train leaves at 11:35 and there is only one each day. Walked back to the restaurant and the guy said i could stay at his house. The next day was the 1st may which is a major holiday. He suggested we go to the mountains to drink and eat cevapcici which i have had 5 days in a row. Unfortunately i had already lost one day by missing the train so headed to belgrade. 9 hours later i arrive. Bus to durmitor national park in montanegro leaves at 11:30. Arrive in durmitor completely shattered at 8am after again not sleeping. Found a room to rent, bought a map and then went on a six hour hike in the snow up into the mountains. Did the same today except over to the Tara river canyon. The weather has been brilliant and Durmitor is amazing a minature version of yosemite and the grand canyon all in one. If you need a short break go to montenegro the coast and mountains are brilliant. I will upload some photos from the hikes tomorrow as i am knackered again.