I found myself further east than I had ever been. The glamour of the last three months on the Mediterranean was now a distant memory. This felt different. This felt real.
Growing up, my mother gave me a book to read called Zlata’s Diary. This book chronicled the daily life of a young girl in the war-torn city of Sarajevo for the duration of the Bosnian war. I read of the years of pain and suffering as both sides fought ferociously as an innocent civilian population suffered. At the time, this war and the girl’s story seemed so far away from my reality that it hardly seemed real. And now, here I was.
The scars of war are till very visible in both the buildings and the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I was in Mostar, a town only a scenic two-hour drive from the capital, Sarajevo. The town is surrounded by lush countryside with a picturesque river flowing through its heart. While otherwise idyllic, the natural beauty of this area is offset by the buildings riddled with bullet holes. On the outskirts of the city the graveyards lay silent, housing the thousands of who weren’t lucky enough to escape the fighting.
This scarred country left its mark on my psyche and my soul. I’ll never forget the uncountable crosses in the cemeteries marking individual tales of sadness. I’ll never forget the resilient nature of the old lady who opened her doors to me. I’ll never forget the natural beauty everywhere I looked. I’ll never forget the eerie feeling upon realising that there was a distinct absence of males who would have been of fighting age in the early 90’s. This was Bosnia and Herzegovina in all its raw beauty.
LeftWithLouie 
Great pics.
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Thank you very much. Thanks for stopping by!
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Yes, Great pics! I am putting the book you mentioned on my to read list. I’ve been wanting to visit B & H for some time now. Thanks for sharing….
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You’re welcome and glad you enjoyed reading my post. It was a great book as it offered an insight into the war from a child’s perspective. Hope you manage to visit there some time soon!
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If you are still on the road, towards Belgrade, give me a shout 🙂
https://vazdanesto.wordpress.com/2013/11/26/why-i-love-belgrade-at-night/
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Thank you for the offer. It was a little while ago that I was in that part of the world but I hope to return one day soon!!
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Unfortunate that the physical scars of war are still so apparent. Still, a beautiful and historic country. There are many Bosnians now living in Chicago.
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I was unsure as to what to expect from my visit. I was surprised by the natural beauty of the country and that whole region of Europe.
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Loved this post. Check us out if you’re heading Aus way.
https://theeighthours.wordpress.com
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Thanks! I’m based in Sydney so will be sure to if I’m in your neck of the woods. Nice site too btw!
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Cheers mate.
https://theeighthours.wordpress.com/
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I love your posts! Very jealous of your travels I have to say… Come to Georgia!
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Hi there. Thank you very much!! I’d love to make it to Georgia one day (I’d like to visit everywhere to be honest!)
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I know that feeling… Keep up the great posts!
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hmm cool stuff man. I’ll be going to Bosnia and Herzegovina in about 3 months. I’m planning on checking out Sarajevo and Mostar. Any other recommendations?
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Unfortunately we only had a spare few days so decided to focus only on Mostar. I would have loved to have visited Sarajevo but that will have to wait to next time. Enjoy your trip and looking forward to reading your thoughts on the country.
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