Having been worldschooling for 6 years at this point, Bridge and I are very use to fast traveling and being on the move so that we can maximize our time in each destination. Since we still have a home base to go back to every few weeks, we aren’t able to linger too long in each place like we would if we traveled full time. We still do our best to fully immerse into the local culture given the amount of time that we have, but in some places, we are simply bypassers.
Bosnia & Herzegovina was one of those places. When planning our road trip in Croatia, I saw that we’d be passing by Bosnia & Herzegovina on our way from Split to Dubrovnik, so I figured it would be a good idea to stop for at least a night to dip our toes in a new country. We rented a cute little studio in the heart of Mostar that looked right out to the iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge) and explored by foot all around old town.
Wandering through the winding maze of Mostar’s ancient streets was so much fun. There were lots of market stalls in its bazaar, selling copper items, jewelry, and many other interesting items. There were also many cafes and restaurants overlooking the river, and we found one mid-day to take a break, allowing Bridge to catch up on her postcard writing.
Mostar is such a beautiful, vibrant city bustling with tourists today that you’d never know that it was a war zone less than 30 years ago. We spent a lot of time in the Museum of War and Genocide Victims to better understand the war, and to read the stories of what many of the victims went through. Very heavy stuff, but so important to learn and acknowledge.
Although Mostar can certainly be a day trip from Croatia, I’m glad we spent a night there so that we didn’t feel rushed. Next stop, Montenegro!
