Don’t forget. This is a message tagged all across Mostar, but the meaning, as I would soon find out, runs much deeper than your usual roadside graffiti. I doubt I’ll ever have the words to accurately convey the pain, anger, resilience and laughter I saw from locals during our short stay in their home, but it’s these people, who have been to hell and back, who really make Mostar such an incredible place to visit today.
After Bosnia & Herzegovina declared itself independent from Yugoslavia in 1992, the result was a siege that tore the country apart. In Mostar, it highlighted the fragile alliance of the Croats and Bosniaks that lived side by side. Mostar became a melting pot of hatred with neighbour fighting neighbour; allies one day, enemies the next.
When we started planning our 2015 summer trip to Croatia, I have to admit that this city was never on the radar. Actually, I probably didn’t even know it existed. I guess I was too young to remember the Yugoslav Wars that engulfed this part of the world during the 90s, but there was nothing that would have prepared me for what I was about to see.
More than two decades might have passed since the conflict had ended, but in a lot of areas it may as well have been yesterday, such is the heartbreaking sights that wait around every corner. Some buildings burnt out, others riddled with bullets – a lack of money underpinning all restoration efforts. Rubble from the famous Stari Most bridge still lays scattered underneath, 25 years after the 16th century original was destroyed by a Croat tank. Nearby, a former bank (repurposed as a sniper tower during the war) remains standing – the debris, broken glass, scattered papers and bullet casings an eerie reminder of the horror that occurred on the front line.
Despite the constant reminders that follow you everywhere you go, it’s not all about the war. We were lucky enough to immerse ourselves in the culture, the incredible restaurants that costs you less than a meal at McDonalds, Ottoman architecture, $1 pints and people more welcoming than anywhere you’ll visit. We spent hours talking to locals who lived through the siege, and although they still hurt, they remain so positive. Despite so many lost loved ones and much of their city in a state of ruin, they carry on.
“Despite so many lost loved ones and much of their city in a state of ruin, they carry on.”
Although just a two-hour drive from Dubrovnik, Mostar is a city often overlooked in favour of it’s more high profile neighbours. Who would have known that a supposedly quick trip to tick another country off our list, would become the one place I regret not spending more time at. We might have only stayed for two days, but it is an experience that will always be remembered.
Anyone interested in learning more about the conflict that tore Mostar apart in the 90s, this BBC documentary is well worth a watch!
SG