Bosnia and Herzegovina

Today after doing my laundry, I spent more time in the old city.

Did I mention the stairs, they are everywhere..

My view at lunch

Part if the old fort

I then went down to the water and took a 45 minute boat ride out to sea and along the coast then out and around an island.  It was really lovely.  The boat man was pointing out attractions and filling us in on some of the best hotels before the war and the best ones now.  It was amazing to see how the ancients built the fort.  The incorporated the large stone bricks right into the rocks, it was really cool to see.  They had real skills.

The way they swim in Croatia.. 

Checkout the way they buid into the rock.

I had dinner in one of the popular streets, no idea what it is called, but the couple beside me where Aussies an they introduced themsleves so we enjoyed our dinner and chatted for about 2 hours.  They were leaving the next day.  I am still to decide where to go. 

Yesterday I did a day tour to Bosnia and Herzegvina and it was brilliant.  The tour guide was really informative, told us heaps about the ccountryand the the war.  Croatia is really beautiful.  Unfortunately the trip to the first stop was long and I was tired, so I took a leaf out of my sister Pauline's book and nodded off.  So I didn't hear eeverything she said. She warned us that in Bosnia they will take Euro but unless you ask for the change in Euro they will give you their useless currency.  I was obviously conscious for that but not sure what I missed, I kept nodding off.

Bosnia

We went to some falls in Bosnia and they were a long way down.  I was hesitant, I kept thinking of all the stairs on the way back up.  I kept hearing Bryan Adams, "It's not worth dying for.."  But I really wanted to see them,  So I decided if I hurry down I can give myself about 45 minutes to come back up.  I swear to God I will be fit by the time I get back home, all this walking and stairs are either gunna make me fit, or  kill me, one or the other...  Once I got to the bottom, it was really cool, the falls are amazing.  I was heading back up and once I turned the first corner I saw a train, yes a train.  One of those open sided, wooden bench ones, with about 4 cars and only 2 ladies on it.  I asked the young man how much and he said 1 euro, 1 euro people.  I had no change, asked if he had change, yes, in Euro, no.  Did he take card, no.  So I must have looked very dejected as I turned to face the steps, he said the best 5 words I have heard for a long time.  "You can ride for free", I was like "What"? "You can ride for free." he repeated.  I could have kissed him, but that would be assault, so I just jumped on board, before he changed his mind.  Brilliant.  I love Bosnia already.  Bosnia is quite cheap, but apparenlty phone calls from there are very expensive, but who was I gunna call??? I then had a good half hour to buy some trinkets and have a drink at a cafe. Life is good.

The top if the falls, about half way down the hill

The falls from the train on the way back up

Tha bottom of the falls

We then then onto Herzegovina, it is also very beautiful, but is a bit weird.  They have 3 religions and so they have 3 presidents and 3 different school systems.  One for Croates (Catholic), one for Serbs (Orthodox) and one for Muslems.... 

We had an english speaking guide for the city, but I couldn't really hear most of what she said if she wasn't looking at me, and the group was quite large so I just followed along for awhile, until I lost interest and saw all the little stalls and shops so I wandered off.  I had lunch at a lovely cafe with  an amazing view.  

My view from the restaurant where I had lunch. Jealous much??

I ordered the one on the right, a bit of everything, stuffed vine leaves, stuffed potato and stuffed onion. Though it tasted like they were all stuffed with the same thing, it was nice though, except for the rice, I didn't touch the rice..

There are a lot of ruined old buildings from the war, they are not allowed to pull them down and can only rebuild them in the original way, which would be very expensive. So most are just left as is. 

One of the lovely destroyed old buildings

We left Dubrovnik at 6.40m and didn't get back until after 6pm, it was a long day but so worth it.  I totally enjoyed it and am doing one to Montenegro tomorrow, I hope it is as good.

Today I took a bus to the main bus station to book a bus to Tarana in Albania, as I saw online you can do that.  Well first I asked the local bus driver if he was the right bus to get me there, yes.  Then he tells me we have arrived at my stop, so I alight and guess what, I am still 750 metres to go, I hate walking, little jerk.... 

I did see this though, on the walk from bus station to bus station.. Not sure which pope and I couldn't care less.

So I finally get there and the ticket man is not great, very little english and tells me that I can't get a bus to Albania, only Macedonia..  I don't want to go to Macedonia.  So I take a local bus back to the old town to rethink the whole Albania situation.  I have lunch and then go back to my room for a nap, it is all too much .

So I am doing some more research and will decide where I can get to with the least effort.  I am a bit concerned with the Serbs gathering at the Kosovo border, ready to invade and start another war.  I  wanted to go to Kosovo, a'holes, why can't they stay in their own country what is wrong with them... I am saddened everytime I walk anywhere here, the bullet holes in the buildings and even in the tiles we are walking on.  It all reminds me that innocent people died here, just trying to defend their coultry and live their normal lives, it is heart breaking. 

I will let you know where I decide next blog.