Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

In Slovenia and Croatia, the effects of war were there, but reflected only in subtle ways. In Bosnia, however, the scars of war hit us directly in the face.

Out of all the countries that made up former Yugoslavia, Bosnia experienced the most violence while trying to gain independence. Directly bordering Serbia, it was first damaged by the Serbian-dominated Yugo army, and then experienced further turmoil in a bloody civil war between ethnic groups trying to lay claim to territory after the fall of the regime.

Mostar is a small city divided physically and psychologically by the Naretva River. The Bosniaks, liberal Muslims, live on one bank, while the Roman Catholic Croats live on the other. A beautiful 16th century bridge united the riverbanks, and when Mostar was part of Yugoslavia the two groups were tolerant of one another, living peacefully.

In 1993, however, violence erupted between the Croats and Bosniaks in Mostar. The beautiful stone bridge was torn down, buildings were bombed, and thousands were killed as neighbor turned against neighbor.

Though peace was established through the Dayton Treaty in 1995, damage is still evident everywhere in the city. Bosnia's national government is still very fractured; foreign investment is lacking, unemployment is at 40%, and many Mostar citizens were killed or left the area, leaving abandoned homes and businesses behind.

There is hope in the ruins, however. The spirit of the Bosnian's remains, and the people of Mostar seem ready to forgive, though not forget. A few years ago outside funding was even provided to rebuild the old bridge. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, generating tourism revenue and symbolizing a reunited Mostar, a place moving forward from a violent past.

Our favorite Mostar moments:

- The scenic bus ride from Split to Mostar. The majority of the route took us down the spectacular Croatian coast, where mountains met the sea. We were inexplicably forced to change buses three times - at ad hoc bus stops - but the comedy of the situation and the scenery well made up for it.

- Walking through one of the many cemeteries in Mostar and being overwhelmed by all the graves from 1993.

- Watching an emotional video in the Mostar museum of the Croat forces shelling the bridge until it collapsed.

- Eating amazing traditional faire at Sadrvan, a restaurant near the old bridge. Our meal: duvec (vegetarian stew), stuffed onion, stuffed pepper, grape leaves, and smothered mushrooms. The food was so good we came back the next day for more.

- Surveying the damage on the street that was known as the front line during the conflict to see the severely shot-up and bombed buildings, debris, and abandoned structures firsthand. Making the haunting climb to the top floor of the "sniper's nest," an eight-story former bank that had been used as a gun tower.


Next stop: Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Hangin' in Hvar

Earlier in our trip we met some backpackers from the University of Florida who encouraged us to add Hvar to our Croatia itinerary. Heeding their advice, we boarded a ferry from Split bound for the small island.

Once ashore we were reminded why so many Europeans vacation in Croatia: green mountains, warm sunshine, blue water, and cheap beer... a small slice of paradise!

Our favorite Hvar experiences:

- Riding on the jam-packed bus between the ferry dock and Hvar Town. There was standing room only but that didn't stop the driver from speeding down mountain roads, brazenly passing bicyclists and motorists as he used his cell phone.

- Walking through the harbor, people watching and gawking at the expensive yachts.

- Watching the beautiful sunset from the deck of the ferry.


Next stop: Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Sea and Sunshine in Split, Croatia

Split is Europe's waterfront playground - a city of orange roofed buildings standing in sharp contrast to the blue Adriatic Sea.

European tourists have long recognized Croatia's coast as a holiday destination so infrastructure is in place to keep things comfortable for vacationers.

We lucked out with our accomodations, ending up in a private three room cottage in a pedestrian cul de sac near the old part of the city. The place had powerful AC and an equipped kitchenette and was less than $50 USD a night. The communal feel of our street, where people opened their doors and drug dining tables to the sidewalk, was enjoyable.

An elderly non-english speaking neighbor motioned that we were welcome to use his clothesline to dry our laundry and we were moved to later find the clean clothes had been left neatly folded on our doorstep.

Our favorite Split memories:

- Walking through Diocletian's Palace - Roman ruins that Split city center has been incorporated into. Instead of being untouched and preserved the site is used as it was designed - it's lived in, worked in, and enjoyed, with shops, lodging and restaurants built into the crumbling ancient architecture.

- Enjoying the cool evening air while taking in the nightlife on Riva Harbor, where thousands of gather to walk, drink, and listen to live music.

- Waiting in line for a table at Fife, a very popular family-style restaurant at the far end of the harbor. When finally seated we feasted on black cuttlefish risotto, swiss chard, gnocchi, and fresh whole fish while chatting up our Irish tablemates. Croatian cuisine has Italian and Greek influences, and relies heavily on seafood, which was perfect for pescatarian Molly.

- Bravely jumping off the high rocky ledges at Bacvice Beach into the warm saltwater below. AD demonstrated the most courage, easily conquering the highest perch. Molly took some cajoling but eventually lept as well, albeit from a lower point.


Next stop: Hvar, Croatia

Lost in Plitvice

We discovered early into our trip that if we preloaded a google map of an area the GPS on our tablet would function even without an active internet connection. This find has been a godsend, helping us navigate everywhere from hidden Venice back alleys to remote Iceland roads.

In Plitvice, however, our beloved GPS failed us.

When our bus dropped us off in the Croatian countryside, we headed off on foot, towards the lodging marker we had pre-plotted on our tablet. Immediately things didn't seem right; nothing was pedestrian friendly, and roads seemed to be missing and mislabeled.

With no buildings in sight we began walking along the winding shoulderless highway. Realizing we weren't a safe distance from the cars speeding past, we moved to a small wooded path shadowing the road. As the path faded, however, we feared getting even more off track and Molly, remembering the Plitvice landmine warnings she had read on the State Department's website, became alarmist over the unlikely possibility of hidden explosives. The pavement felt like a better bet so we decided to take our chances back on the road. We were grateful when a man pulled over and gave us a lift to our guesthouse - which ended up being nowhere near google map's stated location.

Our favorite Plitvice memories:

- Hiking Plitvice National Park, with its gorgeous waterfalls and turquoise colored lakes. The park was like no other habitat we've ever encountered, almost like a swamp of fast flowing fresh mountain water.

- Resting our tired feet while eating apricots and pistachios on the porch of our cute and clean guesthouse after a long day at the park.


Next stop: Split, Croatia

Zagreb, Croatia

The EU had been skimping us on passport stamps so it was nice to venture to Croatia, where customs gave our passports a workout and we got to exchange our money for a new currency, the kuna.

Zagreb is Croatia's capital and biggest city, a bustling departure from tranquil Ljubljana and a nice change of scenery. The weather was sticky and hot, so we were thankful our Old Town hostel had AC. The hostel also had a friendly house dog, an adorable black lab mix named Nika, who liked to hide under our bed.

We found the coffee to be a bit more expensive than our last few stops, but the beer was cheaper so we called it a toss up.

Our favorite Zagreb moments:

- Visiting the Museum of Broken Relationships, a quirky, sometimes-funny, sometimes-sad, thought provoking collection of momentos and stories from failed couples. It was a good reminder to keep cherishing one another.

- Sipping espressos on popular Tkalciceva Street while taking in the city's fantastic cafe culture.

- Splurging on a fancy meal at Trilogija, an intimate restaurant in Upper Town where the menu changes daily based on fresh market offerings. Our meal: lemon trout, truffle risotto, and Croatian wines.


Next stop: Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Our accommodations at the University of Ljubljana were comfortable and affordable, so we decided to extend our stay in Slovenia's pristine, pint-sized capital to a total of four nights. It's the longest we've stayed in one place, but allowed us time to get ahead on trip planning and do some laundry. It was also nice to slow down for a bit as we will need to travel at a breakneck pace for the rest of our time in Europe in order to visit the places we intend.

We knew very little about Slovenia before getting here and we've really enjoyed learning more about the history of the country. Slovenia single-handedly won independence from communist Yugoslavia in the 1990's, in a rather remarkable ten day war. The Slovenes are hardworking and extremely proud of their heritage, and since gaining independence the country has flourished, becoming the first former communist country to join the EU. It's been very interesting to study this part of the world and learn more about Slovenia's struggles and triumphs.

Our favorite Ljubljana experiences:

- Eating Mexican food and drinking margaritas at a cantina downtown. The Slovenes are unexpectedly nuts about Mexican faire, and chowing down on a familiar comfort-type food was a real treat after a month on the road. The interpretation of the cuisine was peculiar but good.

- Sipping Lasko beers with the alternative crowd on the adult jungle gym at Metalkova, the former army barracks-turned spray painted, super cool counter-culture hub. 

- Bypassing the elevators and making the sweaty hike up to Ljubljana Grad, the castle in the center of town, on foot. Climbing the spiral staircases to the top of the torrent for awesome city views. 

- Eating venison goulash, fish stew, and polenta at Abecedarium, a restaurant located in the oldest building in town. Slovene cuisine is a pleasant east-meets-west, north-meets-south mixture of neighboring nations and it was great to sample local flavors at one of the most famous dining spots in town. 

- Having a hilarious late night chat with an inebriated young Slovene whose knowledge of the US seemed to be limited to gangster rap references. 

Next stop: Zagreb, Croatia

Bled, Slovenia: The Most Beautiful Little Town You've Probably Never Heard of

Bled is an absolute hidden treasure.  A small town nestled at the foot of the Julian Alps, it has all the makings of a storybook setting: a blue lake, an island with an old church, and a castle perched on a cliff.

It's so pretty it doesn't seem real.

Our favorite experiences in Bled:

- Renting a boat and rowing out to the tiny island in the middle of the lake.  There, AD (kindly) carried Molly up the 99 cobblestone steps of the old church.  Per local custom this brings couples good luck.

- Making the 6.5 mile hike around the lake and to the top of the Osojnica viewpoint where we were rewarded with the most spectacular views.


Next stop: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Villach, Austria

Our transportation schedule luckily left us with an afternoon in Austria, in a little mountain town called Villach.

The train station was even equipped with some nifty electronic lockers to store our bags in, which allowed us to explore burden-free.

Our favorite Villach memories:

- Having an authentic Austrian meal at a lodge in town; local beer, homemade pretzels, wiener schnitzel, cheese dumplings, and apple strudel.

- Visiting the local supermarket - Molly's favorite thing to do in a new place - to peruse the aisles and look at the different products.


Next stop: Bled, Slovenia

Venice, Italy

First and foremost, Venice is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind city.  It is postcard pretty, and a place we're glad we saw.  That being said, it's also an absolute zoo, with hoards of tourists and vendors.  With the aggressive crowds, cheesy shops, and terrible restaurants the place can really feel like a floating tourist trap.

Since the prices on Venice are so inflated, we made the wise decision to stay on mainland Mestre, near the airport, for our first night in the country.  This saved us quite a bit and allowed us to experience another, perhaps more authentic, area of Italy.

On our second day in the country we moved to an expensive, though not fancy, room in historic Venice, near Piazza San Marco - AKA the heart of the city's contrived touristy chaos.

Ironically, we spent most of our time on Venice trying to avoid the area we had paid so much to stay in.  Instead, we tried to find the residential, quiet pockets on the islands.  We think we succeeded fairly well - finding legitimate, lived-in neighborhoods near both the university and soccer stadium.

Our favorite Venice memories:

- Marveling in the unique beauty that is Venice.  Winding through the pedestrian alleys and getting lost on purpose - every turn leads to another waterway, bridge, and photo op.

- Eating gelato. Lots and lots of gelato.  Every day.

- Filling our hungry post-flight bellies with delicious fresh-from-the-oven pizza in Mestre.

- Wising up to the fact that much of the Venetian food scene is lousy and overpriced and making our own meal of store-bought wine, antipasti and caprese salad.  Finding a quiet square overlooking the water on the east side if the islands and dining in peace.

- Discovering a cheap cafe (no cover charge or service fee!) with AC and wifi that we returned to again and again for cappuccinos, Prosecco, and campari cocktails.


Next stop: Villach, Austria

Portugal - Lisbon & Cascais

By the time we found ourselves back in Lisbon we felt pretty good about Portugal.

We now know that all the decent restaurants don't open for dinner until after 7pm, and we can decipher most menus and order ourselves a decent meal.  We've learned sardines are almost always a safe bet, and at this point, we can debone the fish with finesse.

We own a metro card, and we've gotten darn good at using the transit system - jetting across town or the country with relative ease.

We're speaking in euros now, too - calculating cost in our heads in terms of the European currency instead of dollars - and can readily identify euro coins at glance.

We're looking forward to learning new skills in the weeks to come as we transition from tourists to travelers.

Our favorite Lisbon & Cascais memories:

- Drinking sangria and dancing the night away at the Lisbon Gay Pride event in Palace Square.

- Discovering that the pair of double french doors in our room opened to a gorgeous fifth floor deck overlooking the water and a bustling Lisbon pedestrian street.  We spent hours on that deck - reading, eating breakfast, taking in the stunning cityscape and feeling like the luckiest people in the world.

- Taking a day trip to the lazy beach town of Cascais, where we drank Sagres beer among the topless sunbathers.

- Dining at a fantastic hole-in-the-wall in the historic neighborhood of Alfambra.  Our delicious meal included a bottle of wine, bread, soup, fresh grilled swordfish and squid.  With tip and tax: about 20 euros.


Next stop: Venice, Italy

Portugal - Sintra

No trip to Portugal would be complete without a visit to the tourist mecca of Sintra.

Just an hour outside if Lisbon, Sintra is set atop a small, green mountain of sorts.  Its position high above the sea brings fantastic views and cool breezes, making it a long favorite destination for rich and royals.

The town's long history of affluence means there are plenty of fine estates for tourists to explore.

Our favorite Sintra experiences:

- Eating a mouthwatering meal of grilled octopus and sardines at an authentic, small neighborhood eatery tucked away from the throngs of Sintra tourists.

- Making the hike up to the Pena National Palace, the colorful royal castle that looks as if it belongs in Disney's Magic Kingdom.  Spending hours walking the lush, fairy tale-like grounds and taking in the beauty of the Artist King's wild creation.

- Getting lost in the maze of grottos and passageways at Quinta da Regaleira, the wacky 19th century estate of an eccentric Portuguese merchant.


Next stop: Lisbon, Portugal

Portugal - Coimbra

We will spend nearly two weeks in Portugal, which is plenty of time to add stops in off-the-beaten-path type places like Coimbra.

Located in central Portugal, Coimbra is a cute college town full of narrow, cobblestone streets.  We liked that Coimbra fit into the mid-sized city category, as it was a departure from the urban and rural Portugal we had experienced to date.

Our favorite Coimbra memories:

- Triumphantly hoofing, packs and all, to our B&B, which was located at the peak of Coimbra's Upper Town.  Though our host had pre-warned us that our accommodations were difficult to reach and it would be best to take a taxi, we fought burning legs past the Quebra Costa (back breaker stairs) and successfully navigated our way there.

- Our B&B itself, Casa Pombal, is one to be remembered: charming and adorable, it was all pink, flowery frills.  Super romantic.

- Eating bacalhau fresco (fresh cod) at a bar full of university students while the Portugal vs. Spain Eurocup game aired.


Next stop: Sintra, Portugal