Onwards to Mostar, Herzegovina - Brettispaghetti Travels

Probably a beautiful journey..

10.8.15

Last night we were waiting to go to bed but needed to pay Amira and her daughter said she was sleeping.
We played with crazy dog for a while then decided we would have to knock and find her due to early train.
She appeared and we double checked still OK for texting driving lady to pick us up at 6.30 am.
She rang her and said that she was going to the seaside but would call someone else in the morning and not to worry.
Being used to Turkish time we had already told a white lie and said our train was 15 mins earlier than it really is.
At 6.25 am Amira knocked our door and our taxi was waiting.
‘Rocket man’ drove us and we were at the station just after 6.35 am.
Plenty of time for espresso and now feeling hyper and ready to go!
We couldn’t go up to the platform because it was freezing so the choices were dying from passive smoking or freezing.

We made it onto the train and needless to say it was not a smoke free zone.
Might as well start smoking again as I was currently on 40 a day without the buzz although the espresso comes close 🙂
We found a pair of comfy seats with a table cloth and assumed all carriages were the same.
It was pandemonium! Cases and bags everywhere, a no-nonsense man made some people move their bags then asked us what we would like to drink. Maybe later I said.
Got told in no uncertain terms we drink or go as he waved at our table cloth
Oh OK then, another espresso.
Its 7.15…I’ve had one coffee in the room, one at the station and another was on it’s way.
My metabolism was so fast that I was going to resemble a stick insect and no one will recognise me when I get home.

Bang on 7.15 am and we’re on our way on what is supposed to be one of the most beautiful train journeys in Europe.
Last time we did a most beautiful journey was in Vietnam and didn’t see much through the torrential rain.
Today was sunny and I was really excited.
(probably caffeine related )

Sadly the excitement was short lived.
I’m not being anti smoker and I know ex smokers are the worst but this was ridiculous.
A hardened 40 a dayer would have struggled I’m sure.
The couple across from us had 4 each in the first 15 minutes. A haze covered the whole carriage.

No one seemed to want windows open and window wars broke out between us and the chainıes behind us.

The journey was 3 hours, not 2 and a bit but not sure if that’s because we stopped randomly a few times.
There were lots of very long tunnels and one scary moment with lots of tooting, screeching to a very noisy halt and sitting in a tunnel for around 20 minutes.
The scenery got better and better as the journey went on.

On arrival we followed the booking.com map which was dreadful.
The gentle stroll I imagined became 1 hour 20 minutes and about 5 km along ugly main roads in 40 degrees asking for directions along the way.
By the time we finally stopped at a little cafe for refreshments I was at the stage of saying this was the last holiday we were going on together as having organised everything – except Johns job -maps I was very angry.

I sent John off to ask the cafe owner if he had any idea where we were and it turned out we were a few houses away. The cafe owner took John along to show him. The Appleline aparts said check in was 12.30 pm so not long to wait.
We had drinks and went along and met the really friendly owner who was cleaning the pool.
The place was such an oasis behind a frontage of rough looking apartments.
We were welcomed with beer which went straight to my head and made me forget the drama of getting here.
The owner told us we shouldn’t go into town til after 5 pm as it was too hot and said he would drive us to a beautiful place out of town tomorrow morning.
It was hot and sunny but not humid like it is back in Fethiye this year, everyone’s saying it’s the worst for many years.
We were shown to our apartment. It was beautiful.

We snuck out without being seen and are found a Turkish restaurant where we had chicken wraps and ezogelin soup. And of course some Turkish çay.

Chatted to the couple running the restaurant, she is Bosnian, he is Turkish, she wants to live here, he wants to live in Turkey.

Opposite was an ice cream stall. I soon checked out the flavours.
I never managed to re-find the Ferrero Rocher stall yesterday so will have to make do with Tiramisu today…or Nutella…or peach….

So tiramisu it was. Very good but Kinder is still the winner for me.

We had a wander around part of the town where we spotted Halip from our Sarajevo tour and stopped to chat.
Next to a mosque, where we could walk up the minaret for a small fee.
Felt rather nauseous round the small stone spiral staircase, got jelly legs again but amazing views from the top and glad we did it.

Stopped on a small terrace in the old town which boasts the best view of the Old Bridge. Just beautiful and the river is the most beautiful shade of green.

That one view made it worth coming, just stunning.

We walked along and over the bridge stopping to watch some crazy men jumping from the bridge.

I found myself at eye level way too close for comfort with a man in Speedos who was collecting money!
They collect until they feel they have enough and then launch themselves off, apparently its 21 metres.
In Lonely Planet it says you can be taught for a fee and have people in wet suits ready in case of problems.
Think I will give that a miss.

We stopped in a little stone walled bar overlooking the river and old buildings for a while.

I made the mistake of ordering homemade lemonade.
After a few teaspoons of sugar and a mountain of ice it was OK.
Ah….talking of sugar…we’ve been collecting sachets to replace what was lost all over my suitcase.
They give 2 sachets with every espresso so one spare sugar each time 🙂

(I spotted an espresso machine on the landing by our room but haven’t tried it yet, but assume its for communal use.)

Walked back from the old town, it was quite a long way.
Look what I spotted along the way, and easy to remember where it is for tomorrow! Yayyyyy!

We felt exhausted after an early start and walking almost the length of Herzegovina today.

We didn’t fancy walking back in to town to eat so took the bridge to the right of where were staying. Had to go past some dodgy looking buildings and a load of people staring at us outside a grotty bar.
The wind got up and there was lightening so we went into the first eatery we saw, could possibly be the only one locally, and had pizza! Just for a change.
Not the nicest surrounds but was really delicious.

John was convinced 2 guys sitting outside were drug dealers.
We ate quickly and popped in the local shop and home by dark as it all felt very seedy.
Johns got a little drop of beer – 2 litres for £1 and I got a Kinder Bueno and it was now time to catch up on Corrie.