Melawat Herzegovina

Gertsgovina - a historical region in present-day confederate state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its boundaries at the moment are very vague, since a long time, its territory was part of a unified Ottoman Empire. All-knowing wikipedia makes reference here to a map of 1898, including the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which occupied the land two decades earlier. Blurring the borders between Bosnia and Herzegovina was made in 1853, when the province of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Ottoman Empire were united, and since the name "Bosnia and Herzegovina" is defined as one unit, and now never meet any signs indicating that this division was the place to be. I'm in the record, the first in a series of three entries about Bosnia and Herzegovina, while only tell about the land in the historic area vhodivishih Herzegovina.

The first acquaintance with the territory obtained very crumpled: neumsky corridor, which can be formally attributed to the Herzegovina, and through which the transit from Split to Dubrovnik and back passes in 20 minutes, the border is fast, the documents need only a passport. In the Neum I did not even stop, but only once photographed with the Adriatic coast highway. Life here is no different from the rest of life on the coast, I have heard that some special travel vacation at sea is on the Bosnian section of the coast.

The next time I was in Herzegovina have deliberately and consciously: I started a two-day "transit" from Croatia to Croatia as before flying back home from Zagreb.

As you know, in general, citizens of Russia at the entrance to Bosnia and Herzegovina need a visa. However, there are two loopholes to be in this state without obtaining a visa in advance: the availability of transit vouchers or the need of not more than 72 hours.

Again as we know, what is this "voucher" as a rule no one knows why A4 paper with the words «This is to certify that Mr. Boris Agafontsev has booked hotel ... 4 * in Saraevo, ... from ... to ... »and the seal of a company, I certainly had. Printed on ordinary printer paper on, making up the text for 3 minutes, and substituting the address of the first got a decent hotel there and stamped himself put his signature on it - voila, a "voucher" is ready.

As proof that I still did not stay long, I had a printout of the electronic ticket with departure after 2 days of Zagreb. But here's some stuff: transit trip from Croatia to Bosnia through Croatia to the same may be called a stretch, so now I think that without a "voucher" I would not let him. Quite another matter if the flight on the e-ticket was from Belgrade (Serbia), or even from some third country. but not in Croatia, if I go with the territory and to enter.

Anyway, with these papers, I came to the border. Croatian border guards fired me cheerfully and I drove up to the Bosnian checkpoint. Turning over my passport twice the guard told me that he could not miss me, because I need a visa. To which I retorted to him «Transit!» After the minute wrangling, I was asked to park the car and go through all the papers in the room. In the room all at once again consulted and decided to wait for the boss. Head office unhurried pace came after 10 minutes. Vniknuv the essence of the situation, he took from a shelf a huge folder of 300 sheets and began studying page after page. On this he spent about 30 minutes. On page 200-he still found the text of the resolution, under which I can skip it. After reading it aloud to all the staff, he gave me a stamp in the passport and released him. Total border crossing took about 40 minutes ...

From the border with Croatia, I went to Mostar and almost never stopped (except for a nap for 40 minutes, as the previous night was very alcoholic, and I slept only 2.5 hours, but wound up sleeping in the car I did not want to, but no air conditioning in tridtsatigradusnuyu heat it was impossible to sleep) and no pictures on the road. Were very beautiful scenery, but for some reason, take them to the camera arm is not stretched. So, I arrived in Mostar, a city with a very interesting history and an indescribable charm. Already in Mostar in front of me have built those two cars. At this very moment I let go of the wheel with both hands and took the camera and went beyond them. These pictures have been taken in the parking lot near the city center. Oh, how juicy Jaguars.

Yes, I said that, after a stormy night felt unwell, but I got into a fist and will set off to explore the city.

A bit of history and interesting facts. Mostar - the main city of Herzegovina, which has long lived and Christians, and Muslims. In general, if not the war in the 90s, Mostar would be proud of, along with Kazan peaceful coexistence of people of two religions ... But the story does not know the subjunctive, and Mostar was one of the fields of religious hatred.

Mostar is situated on both banks of the Neretva River, was founded to control the crossing, but eventually grew and grew rich. Major role in the development of the city played a Turkish Muslim, and Christian community is not stricken. Historically, the river Neretva divides the city into two parts - the Christian and Muslim, but Muslims have gradually started to explore both the coast and is now part of the city are little different from building. The only difference is that the "Christian" part of the city there are churches and mosques, and in the "Muslim" - only the mosque.

The symbol of the city was a stone bridge over the river, built in the XVI century and destroyed during the war in 1993. All these centuries linked the bridge of the city, on his trade route, symbolically linked the bridge, as I wrote above, "Christian" and "Muslim" side of the river. A few years after the cease-fire bridge was reconstructed using original technology since its construction. Mostar returned to civilian life and now receives thousands of tourists from all over the world.

Small text over, now to the photo. Actually, the hero of the occasion, in whose honor and named the city - the bridge.

Incidentally, the white stone on the bridge very carefully polished on it even in dry weather and very easy to slip. And if not for the special cross-bumpers for each step, the rain turned to bridge at the rink.

On the bridge, the girls cover their heads uncovered and photographed together.

Passes by old Muslim.

On the war fronts reminiscent of the ruined buildings and souvenirs from the automatic shell casings.

In Mostar, a very beautiful street. Sometimes they are buried in verdure, and sometimes light and airy. All paved, with some interesting shutters on windows and other details. As elsewhere in the Balkans, when someone dies, funeral announcements stick around the city.

By the way, the water in the Neretva amazingly beautiful green color. There is no possibility to swim here because of strong currents, but the water is still and very clean.

And finally a few photos of Mostar.

From Mostar to Sarajevo is the only mountain road, the species from which the nature of stunningly beautiful. Cover photo was taken just somewhere on the road. The first part of the road runs right beside a mountain river, flowing in a deep gorge. The slopes of the mountains, where they are more gentle, all in the woods. The water in the Neretva and upstream retains its wonderful color. It's a pity that the light was not very good, and even places to stop on this road is not so much as well as places for overtaking: sorry to miss return forward trucks, which overtook the previous several miles.

Then it becomes poravninney, and the road to the river at a greater distance apart, somewhere not far reaching and even a railway line.

Somewhere there Herzegovina Bosnia ends and begins. With approximately the same species, I'll start the next record, but there will be many other cities. Well, Bosnia is the only country of the trip, which is located to ensure that the Bole detail to go into its history. History is also not overlooked.

My rolling Focus in the Bosnian mountains.