Since we had a rental car, we decided to drive to some of the scenic towns near Mostar. Here’s a brief overview of the spots we visited.
Blagaj
The spring feeding the Buna River is here, which produces crystal clear aqua water. The Dervish Monastery is nestled into the base of the mountain, at the side of the river.
It was a beautiful spot, but there really wasn’t much to do in the town, except take pictures of the Dervish house and river. Rafts go into the cave pictured on the upper right of the photo, but they left later in the day.
Pocitelj
This fortress town dates from the middle ages.
We were pretty amazed that we were able to climb in, around, and on the ruins. And, there was no entrance fee. These ruins are just a part of life for residents.
Our favorite part of our time in this town was when we came across a mother, her two boys, and their grandmother, sitting down to eat freshly picked walnuts. They offered us some nuts, showing us how to use rocks to smash them.
We had some chocolates, which we gave the boys in return.
Medjugore
Medjugore became a pilgrimage site for many Catholics after the Virgin Mary appeared to six children in the 1980s. The Vatican is still investigating the claims, so it has neither approved nor denied the site as a holy spot yet. Nevertheless, hundreds of devout Catholics (mainly Italians) flock to the town daily to pray. The sacred spot is up a very rocky hill, which doesn’t have a path, and definitely is not paved. Seeing 80 year old, frail women use every bit of their strength to make the climb, was humbling. Some were even climbing barefoot. It is a testament to the power that firm faith can impart.
Kravice waterfalls
There’s not a lot to say about these waterfalls, except that they are quite lovely.
We jumped into the frigid water, and swam across to the other side.
