Hello Young Adventurers

Locations Visited: Mostar, Bosnia. Dubrovnik, Croatia
Languages Spoken: Bosnian, Croatian
Words Learned: Most- bridge, stari– old

This week was heavier than normal.  My time in Bosnia was eye-opening and humbling.  There is so much that has gone on within this country, even within my own lifetime, that I just had no idea of.  It’s so easy to stay within our comfortable bubble back at home, and I am so thankful I got to burst that bubble to some degree while here.  I’m going to change things up a bit today and write for a bit before sharing the majority of the pictures afterwards in order to give you a better understanding of what you’re looking at.

Mostar, Bosnia

Bosnia is a country I never even considered visiting before this trip.  I knew nothing about it, couldn’t find it on a map, and only ended up going because I had about 4 more days in my schedule than I originally realized that allowed me to take a detour.  What I found was a country unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.  It’s a country that is very much scarred from a recent war that happened only a mere 25 years ago.  A war that still is waging in quieter, but just as awful ways even today.  I’m not going to go into too much detail here, but I think it’s important you learn some of the key facts.  We learn history to make sure it doesn’t get repeated, and this is a story that was and still is largely ignored.

Bosnia is technically split into two smaller segments that make the full country- Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Mostar is within the Herzegovina region, and is named after the bridge keepers (called Mostari) who looked after the Old Bridge (Stari Most) that it the city is most known for.  It is a melting pot of religion, with Catholic, Orthodox, and Islamic centers all throughout the city.

War overtook Bosnia and Mostar, in particular, in 1992.  War is never pretty, friends.  This war was one of hate against people who were different than others.  Unfortunately, countries outside of Bosnia did not like the Bosnians and wanted their country for their own, and decided violence and hatred was the answer to that.  Here’s the deal, friends.  That is never the answer.  The only things that come from hatred, jealousy, and violence is more of the same.  Just because someone does something different than us, looks differently than us, or acts differently than us, doesn’t mean we have to fear them, or discriminate against them.  The thing is, it’s the differences that make us so wonderful.  We all have something special to bring to the table, and the more we celebrate that difference, the better we can be as people and global citizens.

Unfortunately, what happened here, and somewhat continues to happen here in Bosnia is humanity at some of it’s worst.  But here’s the thing- the local Bosnian people are still some of the kindest, most hospitable people in the world.  When they were in trouble and asked for help, no one came to their aid, and yet they even still today welcome anyone in with open arms.  I was able to visit with an elderly Bosnian Grandma one evening during an 11 hour tour I went on.  She welcomed us into her home, served us coffee, fresh fruits from her garden, and even a homemade apple cake she had just made earlier in the day.

She is one of 12 people who returned to her entire village after the war.  Her family all passed away during the war, and she still remains where she began- welcoming foreigners and neighbors alike into her home and loving on them like family.  When we left Granny’s she gave me the biggest hug I have had since I left home 10 weeks ago, and whispered something to me in Bosnian.  I don’t quite know what she said, but she gave me an extra little squeeze afterwards, and I felt so much love and kindness.  Granny is a perfect testament to who the local Bosnians are- Kind, caring, open, and hopeful.  They aren’t beaten easily, and they respond to darkness with light, love, and hope.  Don’t get me wrong- they’re a rowdy bunch too whose humor is quick-witted and sarcastic, too.

One last thing bout Mostar on a lighter note!  The Stari Most or Old Bridge is sort of the crown jewel of the city.  Unfortunately, after standing for almost 500 years, it was destroyed by the Croatian Army during the war.  Fortunately, reconstructed following the war, it gave the city it’s hope back.  What’s crazy here is that every day, specially trained people JUMP from this bridge into the waters below!  It started as a tradition years ago of someone wanting to show off to his friends, and it is now one of the most popular things to do here.  Heights and I don’t work, so I passed on this opportunity, but if you ever come, you can sign up for a training course to teach you how to properly jump and then go off the bridge yourself!  Crazy!

I’m going to share some pictures below.  Check them out and see what you notice.  Do you see the buildings that have been rebuilt and cleaned up?  Can you see where scars from the war still remain?

Dubrovnik, Croatia

This place is really cool, guys.  After the heaviness of Mostar, I was looking forward to taking a day or two off from touring around and just enjoy some sunlight and seaside views before I head to my next destination which will be significantly colder.  Dubrovnik is an ancient castle town surrounded by the old walls, and is the location for many famous movies and tv settings such as Game of Thrones and even the new Star Wars: The Last Jedi!

Walking through this city felt like walking back in time.  The old city is so well-preserved, and is surrounded by the crystal clear seas of the Adriatic.  I’m going to be very honest- I didn’t do too much while here. I was needing to save money, and I needed to just rest and take some time off.  I did manage to do a few things, though, and best of all- they were free to do!

First night I did a sunset hike with some friends from Mostar who were traveling the same direction.  It was a pretty steep and intense hike, but the view of the old city from above with the sun setting on the sea was completely worth it.  The next morning I took time to go swim and relax at the beach.  I knew I was running on borrowed time with the warmth and sunlight, so I wanted to be outside as much as I could and get one last good swim in!

After swimming, when I was heading back to my hostel to clean up, I saw a poster for the Dubrovnik Symphony who was playing a concert that evening.  Now, you know me- I’m music teacher and I can’t pass up a good performance when I see it, so I went to the office and found out I could get a ticket for only 50 Kuna (which is about $6.00)!  I was pumped!  So I went home, got cleaned up and put on some nicer clothes and headed to the performance.  It was a “Pops” Concert, so no classical music.  Instead they played music from various films and popular music.  I’ll post a picture of the program below!  My seats were also incredible.  I got to sit on the balcony directly above the orchestra, so I got to settle in and surround myself with their beautiful music.

My next destination is quite far away.  For the first time since arriving, I’m about to jump on a plane early in the morning and head to a place that is going to be significantly colder.  This is a land famous for it’s beautiful Lochs, stunning castles, kilts, and bagpipes.  I’m so excited to get there!  Pack your scarves and a jacket- I’ll meet you all there!

Have Courage, & Be Kind,

Mr. Weavil