War torn Mostar, to break your heart in Bosnia and Hercegovina
29 Sep – 30 Sep, 2005
Recovery is slow for a town like Mostar. Here we encountered our first real dose of war scars. And while the medieval landmark bridge of Mostar has been reconstructed, for many buildings, only the most cursory of repairs has been undertaken. Many buildings along the former frontline await bulldozing. Those which can be inhabited have had their windows replaced and, assumedly, been repaired on the inside. In some cases, the thousands of external artillery pockmarks in the concrete have been filled in and painted over, but this is the exception rather than the rule.
The bridge itself, the symbol of unity in a formerly divided city, is extremely picturesque. Diving the 20 something metres into the river below is still undertaken, although standing on the span and looking down, I can hardly believe that people do it. We did witness one person leap in to the river below. When it is known that someone will jump, crowds gather and cheer and clap their encouragement. This has been a tradition for hundreds of years, and certificates awarded to divers are brandished by local men to impress the girls.
A highlight was a short movie at the museum, showing the bridge before the war, and the dare devils diving. Then, the bridge being used during the conflict. Most moving of all was the footage of the bridge being blown up and falling down in 1993. A short piece about the salvage works post 2000 was rounded off by the (re)opening ceremonies of 2004.
The bridge is in the centre of town, with a Turkish quarter leading up to it. Suddenly, we felt we were back in Istanbul, with one significant exception. The people were not overly pushy. What a delight to be able to browse through their wares without being continually imposed upon. And what is more, when you smiled politely and replaced the item on their table, they smiled back and wished you a nice day.
There are a couple of cemeteries in town, full of 1993 graves. Unrepaired buildings nearby add an eerie backdrop to such a sad sight.
Tags: Animals, Architecture, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Mostar, ruins, Travel, war
Richard and Jo