Friday, 9/25 Leaving Dubrovnik behind today, our full size coach took us north along a piece of Croatia's 850 mile coastline before turning east into the hills, past a river valley of citris farms. First "Learning and Discovery" , a stop for fresh tangerines at a local fruit stand. Crossing the border into Bosnia & Herzegovina we followed the winding highway through lush mountains, stopping at a fading hillside Muslim village for a photo op and our second "L & D", fresh ground Bosnian coffee (served with a lump of sugar to bite on).
The highlight of the day brought us to the ancient town of Mostar, established by the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century. East meets West in this city to blend cultures and religions from the Middle East to Western Europe. But we are learning how very complicated history has been in this region of the world. The city of Mostar has a beautiful 16th century bridge which spans the Neretva River, dividing the Muslim and Croat sections. In 1993, during the break-up of Yugoslavia, this iconic bridge was destroyed. Fortunately, it was restored, along with the historic city center in 2004, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, representing the powerful symbol of reconciliation and peace (for now).
We were treated to delicious Bosnian cuisine for lunch and dinner today. On to our three night stay in Sarajevo tonight.
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