The Salt of The Earth

Today was an early morning. Thankfully I got good sleep last night. The hostel we're staying at is pretty nice. So up early and getting ready it was this morning. We got out the door and headed down many streets and stairs to catch the bus tour. 

On the bus tour today I ran into one of the woman from the walking tour the day before. It's always fun to meet up and hang out with other young women when traveling. We share stories, travel plan, and watch out for each other. It is a different kind of temporary bond when traveling and meeting people like this. 

The first part of the bus tour had us winding along the coastal roads heading towards Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the drive the tour guide explained much of the history of the region. It is interesting to consider that the area is relatively young in terms of being counties. This area was formerly part of  Yugoslavia.

We got to see the agriculture of the region, farms growing grapes and olives as their main products. Another big part of the history was the production of salt throughout history, leading to cities like Dubrovnik being wealthier. Trade, of course, also played a large roll in this. The tour guide also discussed family tradition along the way. Our first short stop was at a cafe to get coffee, a pastry, and a beautiful view of a vineyard along the coast line.

Because the region of Dubrovnik is cut off from the rest of Croatia we got to drive the new bridge that connects it to the rest of the country. We also took tunnels through the mountains. The drive here is very beautiful. However, I am very grateful I do not have to drive. Driving here is much different from the US. Also, most vehicles are standard transmission so driving would be more challenging. Between the winding roads and the mountains it would be challenging. Some of the mountains are dotted with windmills. 

Crossing the boarder into Bosnia and Herzegovina took longer than going through customs into Croatia. We were prepared though and of course the driver knows what he is doing. After making it through boarder control it was time to go to our first stop in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We had an hour and a half to explore Kravica Waterfalls. While these are not as big as many of the ones I have seen in the US, they were beautiful. They were a different kind of waterfall with many little falls spilling into one large lake below. You could swim in the lake or hike around. There were many beautiful places to take photos. The water off of the falls was cool and refreshing. Once you were done at the bottom of the falls we could take a walk to a small cafe to grab a refreshment. It was the perfect spot to rehydrate after the short hike. 

Back on the bus we drove through many little villages and along smaller roads. We passed Međugorje. We did not stop because of how expensive it is to get in to the city now. As the drive continued on we learned more of the history of the region. I won't lie, I took a cat nap as we drove.

About 30 minutes later we were in Mostar. Mostar is a beautiful old village. We took a guided tour of the old city where we learned a lot about the history of the region and how it was effected by the various wars over the years. Down the cobble stone streets you can still see the old bits of bombs and gun fragments. There are still some bombed out buildings but they have done much to fix the region up. We walked over the famous bridge and explored more of the city. There is a strong mix or Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholics, and Muslims in the area. The mosques were very beautiful.

One of the last stops on the guided tour was to see a Turkish House. It is built and still styled how it would have been in the 1600s. You could distinctly see the influence of Islam on the house. The colors of the rugs was beautiful as well. The view from the men's room was stunning. After the Turkish House it was time for lunch. I enjoyed a traditional Bosnian dish from a restaurant that overlooked the bridge. The sun was warm and the views were amazing. During lunch someone even jumped from the bridge into the river below. 

Following lunch there was more time to explore. I wandered around the different stalls checking out the souvenirs. There were many cheap things that one could get if they wanted to. Having only a backpack on this trip I opted for just photos. Exploring the cobblestone streets was fun but soon it was time to head back to the bus.

The trip home was relatively unexciting. We wound our way through the mountains. There were lots of great views. From the mountains to the Adriatic Sea there were plenty of places to take photos. Crossing back into Croatia was quick too. 

As we drove along the the coastal road you could see the sun set from behind the islands. It was magnificent sight. There were many vibrant colors. We got off the bus by the old city in Dubrovnik. There we walked and got Gelato for dinner. Finally, it was time to go back to the hostel to prep for the next day and get some rest.