The Hals Family World Adventures: Day 11 - Driving from Dubrovnik to Sarajevo via Mostar

last views of the Croatian coast

Ever since we had driven through Mostar in 2008 I had really wanted to return. We may not have planned a return trip in which we would get to stay in Mostar, but I had worked the itinerary in a way that would allow us to stop there for lunch and to explore a bit.

We woke up at the villa and enjoyed a few more breathtaking views of Dubrovnik and the Adriatic from our balcony. I lay in bed snuggling with Hannah, enjoying the beautiful view of the blue simultaneously and just soaked in those last few minutes of ahh, vacation bliss. This was even better vacation bliss + mommy bliss. :)

We packed, bid farewell to our new Croatian grandparents (who owned the villa and were adorably sweet and hospitable), and headed up the coast towards the Bosnian border. We tried stopping at the Trsteno Arboretum (another major film site for Game of Thrones) only to discover we were the equivalency of about four USD short of admissions fees for the four of us. Well crap. Oh well. We had wanted to go...but it was one of those things that would be a bonus. Obviously if it had been a priority we would have gone earlier or researches admission prices, etc. We were driving directly past it, so it wasn't out of our way. We quickly hopped back in the car and headed onward. There were several different border points (there's a point when you leave Croatia, enter Bosnia, leave Bosnia, enter Croatia...and between all of it you kinda just drive through and show your passports...but no stamps are involved and no official passport scanning. Then, you head north and hit the real border control. There was a fairly long line to leave Croatia (and we got the exiting the EU stamp) and then another fairly long line to enter Bosnia. It probably took about 25 minutes of idling to make it through both...not remotely the worst border control I have ever endured, (ahem, entering Russia on a bus with fellow Furmanites...one of whom had punched a hole in his passport to wear it around his neck...face palm), but it was still tedious.

Along the drive Daniel kept complaining that his calves were bugging him. The previous day (when we did several miles of stairs) that was what everyone complained about except Daniel. Tom made fun of him and said his calves must hurt because he *wasn't* climbing stairs. This drive was shorter and less windy than the drive from Sarajevo to Kotor...but as it was the end of the vacation it was harder...there was less to look forward to as we barreled towards a long transatlantic flight.

Our stop in Mostar was lovely, though! I found the city absolutely enchanting and fantastic and so wish I could have spent even more time there! It really was charming! We walked along, crossed the famous bridge, ate lunch at a restaurant overlooking the water, and then climbed the minaret at the main mosque along the water and enjoyed a fantastic view! How I climbed a spiral staircase of about two or two and a half feet width (Daniel couldn't walk up without having to twist his shoulders) that definitely should have been one way...with two way traffic, while carrying an infant is beyond me. But...there are pictures of me at the top enjoying the spectacular view! As we walked back to the car I was reminded of the reality of the war - there was a cemetery running through the center of the city...all of the tombstones that I could read ended with the years 1993, 1994, or 1995. It was chilling. As we hopped in the car I noticed we were parked across from a large city building...that was all just a bombed out shell. A beautiful city, with poignant reminders of the struggle for independence they faced only two decades prior.

exploring Mostar!

oh hai!

views from the minaret

A charming and enchanting city! This building reminding us that they are still rebuilding!

We finally made it to Sarajevo at dusk and decided to include the Avaz Twist Tour to our list of adventures. It is a new building, 35 stories high and at the top there is a panoramic view. It's 1 km to take the elevator to the top and gain admittance to the viewing area (1 km = about $0.70). And the view was beautiful - I particularly loved the mountains, the reminded me a lot of the sleepy blue ridge mountains. Hannah was having meltdown after meltdown for some reason, so my enjoyment was limited, but Daniel, Tom and Meredith seemed to enjoy the view considerably.

hiding behind Jacques and catching a few neck cricking zzz's

view of Sarajevo from the Avaz Twist Tower

apartments in the city and an interesting van

From there we were onto Hotel Michele, had an excellent local style traditional dinner, and made it out to Ramis, our favorite dessert shop in the city to end our final night on a sweet note!