Beautiful Bosnia!

Country #15 Might Have Been The Biggest Surprise Of The Year!

There are a handful of countries in the world that have tricky names, or even multiple names!

Our 15th country of the year is an excellent example.

Although many people just refer to it as Bosnia, it is officially known as “Bosnia and Herzegovina”.

This is a country and region that experienced heartbreaking tragedy and crimes against humanity in the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990’s.

While it is always important to reflect on these unimaginable acts of horror that have taken place in the past, this newsletter is going to focus on the modern-day Bosnia, which is overwhelmingly positive!

After leaving Dubrovnik behind, Sidney and I decided to add Bosnia and Herzegovina to our growing list of countries we have visited this year. It is a relatively short drive from Croatia, and it just made sense to make a stop before leaving the Balkan region.

We spent a few days in the city of Mostar, and there is only one way to describe our impressions.

We were absolutely BLOWN AWAY!

We had obviously done our normal research and preparation routine before going to Mostar, but no amount of research could have prepared us for our experience. It was quite possibly a top 5 location of the year for us!

So, what made Mostar so enjoyable?

I could go on and on (in typical Max fashion) about the historical significance, incredible architecture, and delicious local food.

And I will 😂

However, the thing that really stole our hearts was the people!

Every interaction we had with Mostarian locals, and Bosnians in general, gave us such a positive impression of the city and the country!

The best example was when we went out for coffee the first morning.

Our itinerary included trying traditional Bosnian coffee, which we had heard was very tasty and unique.

We stopped at a coffee shop called Café de Alma, where they roast their own beans in house.

We were expecting great coffee, but we had no idea how immersive the experience was going to be!

As soon as we sat down, the barista recommended we try the traditional Bosnian coffee, so we immediately knew we were in the right place!

When she brought it out, she gave us a full tutorial on how Bosnian coffee is best prepared. There is a specific process of stirring and pouring that maximizes the flavor.

She also told us the story of how Café de Alma started, and that her family has been making coffee there for over 60 years!

Bosnian coffee is served with both sugar cubes and a Turkish delight, which is a great way to start the morning if you ask me!

Mostar has a very noticeable influence from the Ottoman Empire, and for that reason, a good portion of the city feels very Turkish.

There are mosques all over the small town, and the Muslim call to prayer echoes through the streets five times a day.

While we have been around Islamic culture in London, Vienna, and southern Spain, Mostar was the first place where it felt completely immersive.

The stone towers of the mosques could be seen throughout the whole city, and we lucked out with an AMAZING view from our balcony. We even saw a rainbow after a short thunderstorm!

Mostar is an ancient settlement that has taken influence from several different empires over the centuries, so the architecture around the city is nothing short of mesmerizing.

The architectural highlight of Mostar is the Old Ottoman Bridge that crosses the Neretva River.

This bridge has connected the two sides of Mostar for over 4 centuries, and it is actually where the name “Mostar” comes from.

The Old Bridge translates to “Stari Most” in Bosnian, and the soldiers that defended the bridge in the Ottoman era were called the “Mostari”.

This bridge towers over the river at a peak height of 90 feet!

The reason I am mentioning the height is because it provides proper context to one of the bridge’s main attractions.

There are a group of professional cliff jumpers that jump off the Old Bridge into the river every day!

They make sure to collect as many tips as they can before they make the leap, and we made sure to chip in. It was an incredible stunt to witness!

The water that breaks the fall of the brave jumpers is a deep shade of blue, which makes the landing even more majestic.

The Neretva River connects the mountain streams of the Herzegovina region to the Adriatic Sea, and the water is as clear as can be!

We noticed a few of Mostar’s unique traits as we walked around and took in the surroundings. One thing that we loved was the cats around the city!

We saw this in Romania, Bulgaria, and Croatia as well, but stray cats are given free rein in the streets of Mostar.

The idea is to keep the mouse and rat problem at bay, and it definitely works!

As former Chicagoans, we are all too familiar with the rat problem that plagues major cities around the world.

In the Balkans, they are nowhere to be found! I know cats aren’t for everyone, and I have always considered myself more of a dog person, but the city cats are a fun and unique aspect of many Eastern European cities!

We were surprised by every turn we took in the maze of pedestrian streets in the center of Mostar.

The streets leading up to the bridge are lined with shops, cafes, and most importantly, fantastic restaurants!

We were absolutely amazed at how tasty the local cuisine was, and how cheap it was as well!

We ordered a platter for 2 that included several different types of sausage, grilled chicken, a beautiful medley of vegetables, two pita breads, and several varieties of Bosnian cheese.

This feast cost us 15 Bosnian marks, which comes out to around $7.50.

Yes, $7.50 for 2 people! It honestly could have fed 4 people!

My personal favorite was the Ćevapi, which are lamb and beef sausage rolls that are best enjoyed on top of the pita bread. Some sheep’s cheese and bell peppers are a nice addition as well!

Another Bosnian staple that we enjoyed immensely is a bright orange relish called ajvar.

Ajvar is made from eggplants and sweet bell peppers, and it is a perfect addition to almost anything!

Our time in Mostar went by way too fast, but we loved having the opportunity to explore such a new and exciting setting.

It’s safe to say that Bosnia and Herzegovina is on our list of places to return to, and we are also very intrigued to see Turkey now that we’ve gotten a taste of the Ottoman influence!

After Mostar, we travelled through the beautiful Bosnian mountains and headed back to the Croatian coast.

This time, we stopped farther north in the city of Split, where we had one of the best boat excursions of our lives!

More on that later 😉

Have a wonderful rest of your week, and check out our latest videos on YouTube if you are not caught up! 👍