14 May 2016: Mostar

 

Copyright © noel.moore@gmail.com

The drive from Dubrovnik included 3 border crossings; Croatia to Bosnia, back into Croatia and then the major crossing into Bosnia.The section of coast that is not part of Croatia dates back to 1667, the year of a major earthquake in Dubrovnik. The Republic couldn't afford to pay its annual gift to the Ottoman Empire, so instead gave them a strip of coast. In time the coast line passed from Ottoman to current day Bosnia.

Bosnia was were some of the worst "crimes against humanity" occurred in the War, and today has the highest diversity of the former Yugoslavian federation; 40% Serb/Othodox, 40% Bosian/Muslim and 20% Crotian/Roman Catholic.

Mostar was significantly destroyed in the Bosnian War. Current unemployment is approx. 50%. No one is really sure. There is much talk of government corruption and waste, and a high level of despair leads to many young people leaving, particularly ethnic Croatians who can get automatic Croation citizenship and therefore the right to work within the EU.

Tourism is one high growth industry and prices are generally lower than in Croation. Shopkeepers and restaurant staff were very adapt at working in 3 currencies; Euro, Croatian and Bosnian currency.

The rebuilt "Old Bridge" of Mostar.

Rebuilt by Turkisk engineers; the original bridge was built by the Turks. The appearance of the Old Bridge on nightly TV News being progressively destroyed was such a powerful symbol of the divide between Christian and Muslim in the Bosnian War. Just as it was a physical divide and sometimes "bridge" between the Ottoman Empire and Europe in earlier times.

A young girl begging in the streets of Mostar. Her extended family was a short distance away, out of sight waiting to collect any gifts from tourists.