Day 13-15: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia denied entrance for us. At least at the first border we tried, the officer told us to use another border check point.

On the second attempt, we could pass the border after our cars have been searched. I accidentally carried Bens drone in my car. We had hid it beneath my blanket while visiting Dubrovnik, so nobody raids the car. Usually, border police doesn't react friendly to drone equipment, especially if it is hidden and not declared.

Fortunately, everyone was checking for the storage below my wooden sleeping construction. Nobody had a look at my thick blanket... puh. 

Also thereafter, I didn't feel welcome. Houses were decayed, the roadsides covered in plastic waste, cows walked along the street. We saw a five men butchering a pig. They stood around the wriggling pig, its head was covered in blood spluttering out of the cut throat. Nobody seemed to be interested to end the suffering fast.

Many houses still show bullet holes from the war. We found a bus station that seems like a place left in a hurry. Hundreds of bus tickets laid on the ground.

We arrived in Mostar and successfully escaped the parking ticket mafia which had already tried to hoax us. Unfortunately, Mostar is very, very touristic. The famous "old bridge" was completely renovated and seemed to be brand new. Some men offer to jump off the bridge for 30€ ("old tradition... exclusively for you..." hm OK) and most shops sell pretty much the same souvenir trash.

The bazaar was well maintained and all the houses are renovated, but i feel a stronger aversion against these theme parks for adults.Maybe I am just wrong, maybe i was hungry. One thing is certain: After we shared a huge grill plate, my mood improved a lot :D

From the right to the left: Ben, Daesu and me

Daesu spend the night in a hostel while Ben and I stayed the night in our cars on the campus of the Mostar University. The look of the professors and students in the morning were priceless.

The following morning, we drove to Sarajevo. The city was interesting, but i had the same feelings about the bazaar as in Mostar and the famous Sebilj was not that remarkable for me. 

There is a colourful side of Sarajevo too... and have a look at the necessary prohibitions for Bosnian banks.

  

We also visited a exhibition about the war in the early 90' and that was definitely impressive for me. I knew some facts, but the devastating dimensions of cruel suffering were new to me. We left the centre, looking for a place to sleep. The ruin of a fortress of the Ottoman Empire was our shelter for the night. 

The next day we drove to Maglić, the highest mountain of Bosnia and made use of our off-road capable cars for the first time. It was great fun. I will upload videos soon. So far, you get a picture :)