North West Bosnia & the Northern Counties of Croatia - julia_t explores
Oct 9th, 2014, 04:21 AM
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North West Bosnia & the Northern Counties of Croatia - julia_t explores
As some of you will be aware, I have already visited Bosnia & Herzegovina on several occasions, with trip reports posted (you can find them by clicking on my name). I have fallen in love with this beautiful country, part of whose charm is that it is still one of the few undiscovered tourist destinations in an overcrowded Europe.
Bosnia and Herzegovina – as the name suggests – is a country made up of two regions, separated by the Dinaric Alps, with Bosnia to the north and Herzegovina to the south. They each have their own unique cultural histories but share many similarities in language, ethnicity, culture and identity. More confusing is the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a single country consisting of two entities, one of which is The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the other is the Republic of Srpska. And each of these entities includes part of Bosnia and part of Herzegovina.
I usually refer to the entire country by the abbreviation of BiH, but on this trip I was totally in Bosnia (and the Bosnian part of the republic of Srpska) so will be calling it as such.
I booked return flights London Gatwick –Zagreb for free on EasyJet using my Sainsburys supermarket Nectar points! Originally I was going to visit Slovenia, but changed my mind as my plans evolved.
ZAGREB
On arrival at Zagreb I took the airport bus into the city bus station where I got on the No 6 Tram which took me to Trg Bana Jelacica, which is the central main square. It was a short walk to Hotel Jadran (single occupancy of a 3 bed room for €49 inc breakfast for 2 nights)
http://hotel-jadran.com.hr/en/home
Restaurants where I ate dinner, both very good, around 200 kuna (€26/£20) for 2 courses plus 2-3 glasses of wine
Lanterna na Dolau on Opatovina
Gostionica purger at Petrinjska 33
I rode the little funicular up to the Old Town and wandered around for most of the morning. I loved the Museum of Naïve Art with the utterly charming paintings and exhibits. But by midday I'd been into all the churches, visited the cathedral, and kind of felt I'd seen enough of Zagreb for the day.
So I took a bus to Samobor, a very pretty little town about 40 minutes away, situated along the banks of a river. I ate a late lunch at Samoborska Klet – local sausage ‘Cesjovske’ with potatoes and sauerkraut and the local Samoborska mustard. With a glass of local Pinot Savi the bill was 76 kuna (€10/£7.80) While still in Samobor I also sampled the local Kremsnitsa, a delicious custard cake, for 12 kuna at a café in the central square.
The following morning I visited the Museum of Arts and Crafts, which I enjoyed, before heading over to the Sheraton Hotel to pick up the rental car. I’d booked through www.economycarrentals.com and my rental was with Fleet who are based at the Sheraton. The rental was for 4 full days starting from 12.30pm, return to the airport, and included the essential green cross-border card. Although I was charged the deposit in euros and the rental in Kuna , the cost works out at less than £22 per day for a Fiat Panda.
It’s been a few years since I last drove on what is for me the ‘wrong side’, and I was nervous about starting off in a city, but Zagreb isn’t particularly big or busy, and I found my way out fairly easily, heading to Karlovac where I would turn off on the road to Plitvice, heading for the border crossing at Maljevac, close to Velika Kladusa in Bosnia.
Bosnia and Herzegovina – as the name suggests – is a country made up of two regions, separated by the Dinaric Alps, with Bosnia to the north and Herzegovina to the south. They each have their own unique cultural histories but share many similarities in language, ethnicity, culture and identity. More confusing is the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a single country consisting of two entities, one of which is The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the other is the Republic of Srpska. And each of these entities includes part of Bosnia and part of Herzegovina.
I usually refer to the entire country by the abbreviation of BiH, but on this trip I was totally in Bosnia (and the Bosnian part of the republic of Srpska) so will be calling it as such.
I booked return flights London Gatwick –Zagreb for free on EasyJet using my Sainsburys supermarket Nectar points! Originally I was going to visit Slovenia, but changed my mind as my plans evolved.
ZAGREB
On arrival at Zagreb I took the airport bus into the city bus station where I got on the No 6 Tram which took me to Trg Bana Jelacica, which is the central main square. It was a short walk to Hotel Jadran (single occupancy of a 3 bed room for €49 inc breakfast for 2 nights)
http://hotel-jadran.com.hr/en/home
Restaurants where I ate dinner, both very good, around 200 kuna (€26/£20) for 2 courses plus 2-3 glasses of wine
Lanterna na Dolau on Opatovina
Gostionica purger at Petrinjska 33
I rode the little funicular up to the Old Town and wandered around for most of the morning. I loved the Museum of Naïve Art with the utterly charming paintings and exhibits. But by midday I'd been into all the churches, visited the cathedral, and kind of felt I'd seen enough of Zagreb for the day.
So I took a bus to Samobor, a very pretty little town about 40 minutes away, situated along the banks of a river. I ate a late lunch at Samoborska Klet – local sausage ‘Cesjovske’ with potatoes and sauerkraut and the local Samoborska mustard. With a glass of local Pinot Savi the bill was 76 kuna (€10/£7.80) While still in Samobor I also sampled the local Kremsnitsa, a delicious custard cake, for 12 kuna at a café in the central square.
The following morning I visited the Museum of Arts and Crafts, which I enjoyed, before heading over to the Sheraton Hotel to pick up the rental car. I’d booked through www.economycarrentals.com and my rental was with Fleet who are based at the Sheraton. The rental was for 4 full days starting from 12.30pm, return to the airport, and included the essential green cross-border card. Although I was charged the deposit in euros and the rental in Kuna , the cost works out at less than £22 per day for a Fiat Panda.
It’s been a few years since I last drove on what is for me the ‘wrong side’, and I was nervous about starting off in a city, but Zagreb isn’t particularly big or busy, and I found my way out fairly easily, heading to Karlovac where I would turn off on the road to Plitvice, heading for the border crossing at Maljevac, close to Velika Kladusa in Bosnia.
Oct 9th, 2014, 06:27 AM
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After stopping for a Croatian platter of local meats and cheeses with bread and olives and a coke zero at Restoran Karan on the road near Tulisovic, I continued toward the border. This part of Croatia was quite flat, but it seemed quite poor with many of the houses in a state of disrepair. It wasn’t particularly attractive scenery either. Crossing the border was no problem, they barely looked at my passport or car papers, just waved me on and through.
The currency on Bosnia is the Bosnian Convertible Mark (BAM) worth about .50 eurocents or 40p. You cannot get it outside the country so one of my first tasks was to find an ATM. As I drove to Velika Kladusa I didn’t see one, so continued on towards Cazin where I did find one.
One reason for driving through this part of Bosnia was to visit Ostrozac Castle (pronounced Ostroshats), which I had seen mention of and when I looked it up on google images I wanted to see it. However this day was very dull and overcast with intermittent but heavy showers, so I passed it on the hill above Cazin and continued down the other side (27 or more hairpin bends – I lost count!) where I had booked the Hotel Sedra on the banks of the River Una. I knew it had been built in the communist era and was a bit dated but it had some reasonable reviews and I thought the location would make up for a good deal. It was cheap at 24 euros, and also not too far from the castle so wouldn’t mean a big backtrack.
But although the reception area was nice, my room was very dark. The view over the gardens to the river was nice; however the bathroom was pretty grim, it smelt unpleasant, and when I lifted the lid of the toilet with its ‘sanitized for your protection’ seal, I saw there was no seat. So, I gathered my things and went to reception and asked if they had another room. I was shown to a larger and obviously better room, but at the front of the hotel so no view. Then I became aware of the sound of running water, and on investigation found the high-level cistern was pouring a constant stream into the toilet. I had reserved this hotel by email so there was no cancellation charge, so I walked out. I knew there were hotels in Bihac a few miles further down the road and although it was getting darker I was not going to stay at the Hotel Sedra. http://www.hotelsedra.ba/index.php/en/ Not recommended.
Then I got lucky! About 2 miles further on towards Bihac I spotted a hotel on the roadside, also on the river bank. I pulled in and asked to see a room. This place was gorgeous, the room was very nice with a balcony overlooking a spectacular waterfall and an island with goats on! They quoted me 74 BAM (€39/ £30).
http://www.kostelski-buk.com/
There was a fancy restaurant which wasn’t open that evening, but even better was a dining room on a lower level with a river terrace (though the weather was still bad). I had a table by the full length windows with a view of the waterfall and ate trahana soup, a delicious veal steak, green salad and forest fruit pancakes. With two glasses of Grascevina and one of a local red Dingac the bill was 37 BAM (€19 /£15). Breakfast next morning was in the fancy restaurant, and the most amazing spread! I think I missed this hotel when researching where to stay in the area because I was focussing on Cazin and Ostrozac, and this hotel came up under Bihac even though it was out of town. But as I said before, I got lucky with this place. I checked out, and set off up those many hairpin bends for Ostrozac Castle on a damp, grey chilly morning.
The currency on Bosnia is the Bosnian Convertible Mark (BAM) worth about .50 eurocents or 40p. You cannot get it outside the country so one of my first tasks was to find an ATM. As I drove to Velika Kladusa I didn’t see one, so continued on towards Cazin where I did find one.
One reason for driving through this part of Bosnia was to visit Ostrozac Castle (pronounced Ostroshats), which I had seen mention of and when I looked it up on google images I wanted to see it. However this day was very dull and overcast with intermittent but heavy showers, so I passed it on the hill above Cazin and continued down the other side (27 or more hairpin bends – I lost count!) where I had booked the Hotel Sedra on the banks of the River Una. I knew it had been built in the communist era and was a bit dated but it had some reasonable reviews and I thought the location would make up for a good deal. It was cheap at 24 euros, and also not too far from the castle so wouldn’t mean a big backtrack.
But although the reception area was nice, my room was very dark. The view over the gardens to the river was nice; however the bathroom was pretty grim, it smelt unpleasant, and when I lifted the lid of the toilet with its ‘sanitized for your protection’ seal, I saw there was no seat. So, I gathered my things and went to reception and asked if they had another room. I was shown to a larger and obviously better room, but at the front of the hotel so no view. Then I became aware of the sound of running water, and on investigation found the high-level cistern was pouring a constant stream into the toilet. I had reserved this hotel by email so there was no cancellation charge, so I walked out. I knew there were hotels in Bihac a few miles further down the road and although it was getting darker I was not going to stay at the Hotel Sedra. http://www.hotelsedra.ba/index.php/en/ Not recommended.
Then I got lucky! About 2 miles further on towards Bihac I spotted a hotel on the roadside, also on the river bank. I pulled in and asked to see a room. This place was gorgeous, the room was very nice with a balcony overlooking a spectacular waterfall and an island with goats on! They quoted me 74 BAM (€39/ £30).
http://www.kostelski-buk.com/
There was a fancy restaurant which wasn’t open that evening, but even better was a dining room on a lower level with a river terrace (though the weather was still bad). I had a table by the full length windows with a view of the waterfall and ate trahana soup, a delicious veal steak, green salad and forest fruit pancakes. With two glasses of Grascevina and one of a local red Dingac the bill was 37 BAM (€19 /£15). Breakfast next morning was in the fancy restaurant, and the most amazing spread! I think I missed this hotel when researching where to stay in the area because I was focussing on Cazin and Ostrozac, and this hotel came up under Bihac even though it was out of town. But as I said before, I got lucky with this place. I checked out, and set off up those many hairpin bends for Ostrozac Castle on a damp, grey chilly morning.
).
Oct 9th, 2014, 07:30 AM
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It was only 9.30am when I arrived in front of the castle gates. I’d not been able to find the opening times online, but there was a phone number on a sign by the gate. So I called it – and the man who answered said something which I think meant 10 minutes; I waited and sure enough he arrived shortly after. He opened the gates, asked for the admission of 2 BAM or 1 euro (I only had larger BAM notes) and drove off! So I had the entire place to myself…
There are quite a few pictures of this stunning romantic fairytale castle online, but little else. Wikipedia tells us ‘The castle dates back to the 16th century when the Ottoman Turks established the Ottoman province of Bosnia. A second addition was made to the castle between 1900 and 1906 by an unconfirmed member of the Habsburg family.’ And that’s it, though I found a little more information here…
http://tinyurl.com/ngemzuv
The outer ward is grassy with trees, stecak (Bosnian tombstones) and more than a few modern sculptures and statues. At the end of a long path is a gateway revealing a rambling ruin of a manor house with towers and turrets. I found it beautiful but quite creepy. I didn’t really venture far inside as I knew I was totally alone here (or was I?). There was a magnificent flight of stone stairs leading upwards, but many of the rooms didn’t have ceilings and I could hear rustling and shuffling noises which were most likely birds or small animals, but I started to feel uncomfortable and left fairly rapidly. Yes, call me cowardly if you like, I don’t care!
On the road again, down the many hairpins for a second time, I stopped in Bihac for a coffee. I didn’t have change for the ticket machine in the car park, but a nice young man bought me one hour's parking for 1 BAM. In town there was a ruined church, only the tower still standing, and another tower which housed the town museum but that was closed. The town is built along the banks of the River Una and would be more appealing on a brighter day. It was rather dismal in the rain so I didn’t stop for any longer.
I was heading towards Jajce (pronounced Yaitse), and the road passed through the Una National Park. It was raining heavily by now, and there was thick fog or low cloud from halfway up the mountain. Probably a good thing given my dislike of heights – I couldn’t see what fearful chasms might have been just out of sight over that low guardrail…!
Anyway, up at the top it was bright sunshine and a lovely wide road stretched across open moorland with hills and mountains in the distance. It was now past noon and I wasn’t hungry after the fabulous breakfast but I could do with another coffee.
Passing through the small town of Vrtoce I caught sight of a sign pointing to a restaurant - Cardaklije. It was a cluster of buildings, like a model farm, set in orchards and really quite charming. A tour bus had been parked down near the road, and the little restaurant had most of the table filled, but I was able to sit down and drank a filjan of Bosnian coffee which cost 2 BAM (€1). A very pleasant place to take a break. http://cardaklije.vrtoce.com/
I reached Jajce without any problems, passing through some lovely scenery; over hills, through river valleys, past lakes. The fortress towers over the small town, and I drove through one of the ancient stone gates to reach my hotel for the night, the Hotel Stari Grad, situated right in the middle of the old town.
There are quite a few pictures of this stunning romantic fairytale castle online, but little else. Wikipedia tells us ‘The castle dates back to the 16th century when the Ottoman Turks established the Ottoman province of Bosnia. A second addition was made to the castle between 1900 and 1906 by an unconfirmed member of the Habsburg family.’ And that’s it, though I found a little more information here…
http://tinyurl.com/ngemzuv
The outer ward is grassy with trees, stecak (Bosnian tombstones) and more than a few modern sculptures and statues. At the end of a long path is a gateway revealing a rambling ruin of a manor house with towers and turrets. I found it beautiful but quite creepy. I didn’t really venture far inside as I knew I was totally alone here (or was I?). There was a magnificent flight of stone stairs leading upwards, but many of the rooms didn’t have ceilings and I could hear rustling and shuffling noises which were most likely birds or small animals, but I started to feel uncomfortable and left fairly rapidly. Yes, call me cowardly if you like, I don’t care!
On the road again, down the many hairpins for a second time, I stopped in Bihac for a coffee. I didn’t have change for the ticket machine in the car park, but a nice young man bought me one hour's parking for 1 BAM. In town there was a ruined church, only the tower still standing, and another tower which housed the town museum but that was closed. The town is built along the banks of the River Una and would be more appealing on a brighter day. It was rather dismal in the rain so I didn’t stop for any longer.
I was heading towards Jajce (pronounced Yaitse), and the road passed through the Una National Park. It was raining heavily by now, and there was thick fog or low cloud from halfway up the mountain. Probably a good thing given my dislike of heights – I couldn’t see what fearful chasms might have been just out of sight over that low guardrail…!
Anyway, up at the top it was bright sunshine and a lovely wide road stretched across open moorland with hills and mountains in the distance. It was now past noon and I wasn’t hungry after the fabulous breakfast but I could do with another coffee.
Passing through the small town of Vrtoce I caught sight of a sign pointing to a restaurant - Cardaklije. It was a cluster of buildings, like a model farm, set in orchards and really quite charming. A tour bus had been parked down near the road, and the little restaurant had most of the table filled, but I was able to sit down and drank a filjan of Bosnian coffee which cost 2 BAM (€1). A very pleasant place to take a break. http://cardaklije.vrtoce.com/
I reached Jajce without any problems, passing through some lovely scenery; over hills, through river valleys, past lakes. The fortress towers over the small town, and I drove through one of the ancient stone gates to reach my hotel for the night, the Hotel Stari Grad, situated right in the middle of the old town.
Oct 10th, 2014, 11:21 PM
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RM67 - I did have to pay about £12 as I didn't have quite enough Nectar points, and you don't get the same choice of flights as you have to book via Sainsburys/Nectar, but it's better value than spending your points on wine or cake! Also, if you donate stuff to Oxfam and register for Gift Aid you get bonus Nectar points for signing up, and when your items sell you get Nectar points - and it is surprising how quickly that can increase your points balance.
gertie - I need to go back and re-read your trip report, I remember enjoying it at the time.
Bilbo - totally agree, and also about taking enough socks! More on that when I write some more.
Off to work today, but hope to write another installment tomorrow.
gertie - I need to go back and re-read your trip report, I remember enjoying it at the time.
Bilbo - totally agree, and also about taking enough socks! More on that when I write some more.
Off to work today, but hope to write another installment tomorrow.
Oct 11th, 2014, 04:53 AM
#9
lol, Julia, last time I went to Plitvice it was part of Yugoslavia. did you get there on this trip or was it simply the direction in which you were heading?
in those days virtually all the hotels and restaurants were of the "communist" style, both architecturally and service-wise, so we sought out smaller establishments whenever we could - I seem to remember that if you had fewer than 6 employees you were allowed to own your own business.
Good tip about using nectar points to buy easyjet tickets - did you know that Flybe take Avios now? I feel several short breaks coming on, possibly to Zagreb if you carry on like this.
in those days virtually all the hotels and restaurants were of the "communist" style, both architecturally and service-wise, so we sought out smaller establishments whenever we could - I seem to remember that if you had fewer than 6 employees you were allowed to own your own business.
Good tip about using nectar points to buy easyjet tickets - did you know that Flybe take Avios now? I feel several short breaks coming on, possibly to Zagreb if you carry on like this.
Oct 11th, 2014, 05:31 AM
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I didn't go to Plitvice this time. At one point in my planning it was high on my agenda, but as time went on I couldn't squeeze it in; it did seem a bit silly as I was going to be within 30 miles (though a 90 minute drive each way). I'd have had to have gone on the first afternoon after picking up the car, so wouldn't have got there much before 3pm, or early the next morning but then I couldn't have got to Jajce before dusk, and the balance of the whole trip would have to shift. I'd got enough to see without cramming Plitvice in.
Anyway, the weather was damp and gloomy, as dark at 2pm as it was at 6pm. So I will save Plitvice for another trip!
Anyway, the weather was damp and gloomy, as dark at 2pm as it was at 6pm. So I will save Plitvice for another trip!
Oct 11th, 2014, 08:33 AM
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Just back in London myself from my Sicily trip and have time to see where everyone else has been recently!
This is a good read. Sorry the weather wasn't kinder to you. You must have done a lot of research before you set off.... Or maybe you already know the area well. It strikes me as well off the tourist route and my kind of place! How did you manage with the language? And also with renting a car by yourself? I'm very wary of doing that because I don't want the responsibility if something should go wrong and also I have always thought it isn't economical to hire a car for just one person. Maybe my preconceptions are unfounded and you can put me straight!
This is a good read. Sorry the weather wasn't kinder to you. You must have done a lot of research before you set off.... Or maybe you already know the area well. It strikes me as well off the tourist route and my kind of place! How did you manage with the language? And also with renting a car by yourself? I'm very wary of doing that because I don't want the responsibility if something should go wrong and also I have always thought it isn't economical to hire a car for just one person. Maybe my preconceptions are unfounded and you can put me straight!
Oct 11th, 2014, 09:32 AM
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gertie... I don't think you wrote a trip report for your Sarajevo trip did you? I couldn't find one.
There are a lot of places in Bosnia which it is pretty impossible to research because there is only one guide book - Tim Clancy's - and even he cannot cover everything! Ostrozacs Castle is an example, I quoted the entire wikipedia entry above.
No, I didn't know the area at all, but I had a large paper map. My Full Europe satnav only has major routes in Bosnia & Herzegovina so was not a lot of use. It truly is well off the tourist route, except perhaps for Jajce which has a few tour buses from Sarajevo, which is why no-one could ever see much of this area using public transport. I did meet a couple of young German lads on well-laden bicycles, but you do need a car here.
I have seen some fantastic and wonderful things by driving myself - The most breath-takingly beautiful scenery, fabulous old castles, cascades and waterfalls, smooth wide rivers and narrow tumbling rivers with rapids. Vineyards, endless maize fields (or possibly tobacco as that is also a crop out there), adorable villages, tatty shabby villages, old ladies in black stooping over their vegetables.
Because I only had a short time (6 nights but only 5 full days) public transport wasn't ever going to be an option. Renting a car enabled me to see so much more, and a small economy vehicle was little more than £20 a day, plus a couple of fill ups which was approx 600 kuna (€79/£62). I did cover a lot of miles - well, almost 900 km which converts to 559 miles. It was a bit more driving than I anticipated because the roads are so winding, but I didn't really mind too much. If anything I blamed myself for planning such an ambitious trip, but I did get to see pretty much everything on my list. #happy!
It was a solitary trip, but then I knew it would be. Apart from the person on the hotel check in desk and waiters, shop keepers, garage attendants, I didn't talk to anyone. But it didn't actually bother me. I was quite happy to be alone and quiet, and didn't even have the radio on in the car. I'd forgotten to pack any CDs but I don;t think I would have listened to them if I had. I enjoyed sitting quietly, thinking, and just being quiet alone with my thoughts. It made a change from my usual frantic busy noisy life!
I didn't worry too much about the language. I have learnt a few basic words and phrases over the years, which get me started, but then most people there have a little knowledge of English so I got by OK, despite having forgotten to pack my Bosnia/Croatia phrase book! One place I ate didn't have an English menu translation but did have it in French so that was great - there is some funny food out there so I am a bit wary of picking something at random!
gertie, you'd be just fine renting a car. The roads are in very good condition, and there's very little traffic on most of them. The people are all so willing to be helpful, like the man with the parking ticket, and others with directions/scribbled maps when I got lost (which I did, often). Honestly, if you want to see these places then just do it.
There are a lot of places in Bosnia which it is pretty impossible to research because there is only one guide book - Tim Clancy's - and even he cannot cover everything! Ostrozacs Castle is an example, I quoted the entire wikipedia entry above.
No, I didn't know the area at all, but I had a large paper map. My Full Europe satnav only has major routes in Bosnia & Herzegovina so was not a lot of use. It truly is well off the tourist route, except perhaps for Jajce which has a few tour buses from Sarajevo, which is why no-one could ever see much of this area using public transport. I did meet a couple of young German lads on well-laden bicycles, but you do need a car here.
I have seen some fantastic and wonderful things by driving myself - The most breath-takingly beautiful scenery, fabulous old castles, cascades and waterfalls, smooth wide rivers and narrow tumbling rivers with rapids. Vineyards, endless maize fields (or possibly tobacco as that is also a crop out there), adorable villages, tatty shabby villages, old ladies in black stooping over their vegetables.
Because I only had a short time (6 nights but only 5 full days) public transport wasn't ever going to be an option. Renting a car enabled me to see so much more, and a small economy vehicle was little more than £20 a day, plus a couple of fill ups which was approx 600 kuna (€79/£62). I did cover a lot of miles - well, almost 900 km which converts to 559 miles. It was a bit more driving than I anticipated because the roads are so winding, but I didn't really mind too much. If anything I blamed myself for planning such an ambitious trip, but I did get to see pretty much everything on my list. #happy!
It was a solitary trip, but then I knew it would be. Apart from the person on the hotel check in desk and waiters, shop keepers, garage attendants, I didn't talk to anyone. But it didn't actually bother me. I was quite happy to be alone and quiet, and didn't even have the radio on in the car. I'd forgotten to pack any CDs but I don;t think I would have listened to them if I had. I enjoyed sitting quietly, thinking, and just being quiet alone with my thoughts. It made a change from my usual frantic busy noisy life!
I didn't worry too much about the language. I have learnt a few basic words and phrases over the years, which get me started, but then most people there have a little knowledge of English so I got by OK, despite having forgotten to pack my Bosnia/Croatia phrase book! One place I ate didn't have an English menu translation but did have it in French so that was great - there is some funny food out there so I am a bit wary of picking something at random!
gertie, you'd be just fine renting a car. The roads are in very good condition, and there's very little traffic on most of them. The people are all so willing to be helpful, like the man with the parking ticket, and others with directions/scribbled maps when I got lost (which I did, often). Honestly, if you want to see these places then just do it.
Oct 11th, 2014, 09:47 AM
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There will be photos at some point - I took a lot with my phone and tatty little old camera, and have uploaded them to my computer. Now I have to edit them, and will probably add them to an album or two on facebook. Though that may mean that not everyone can see them, so I might have to resurrect my old flickr account. We'll see.
Oct 11th, 2014, 10:53 AM
#15
Signing on for the trip! I do admire you driving solo. I have to drive everywhere at home, and am so glad to use public transport when traveling, but I know I miss some places.
Good decision to walk out of the bad hotel! Have done that myself - in fact I just did it on my current trip, but only after one night. (I would have lost one night's rent otherwise, and it took one night to reinforce the need to move.)
Good decision to walk out of the bad hotel! Have done that myself - in fact I just did it on my current trip, but only after one night. (I would have lost one night's rent otherwise, and it took one night to reinforce the need to move.)
Oct 11th, 2014, 11:54 PM
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Ditto Thursday. I also think driving is much more necessary when time is short. I am lucky in that I usually have quite a bit of time but not so much cash and I like to make it stretch.
Julia_t, no, I didn't do a trip report for my Bosnia trip. It was part of a month-long trip starting in Berlin and ending in Split. Only spent a couple of days each in Sarajevo and Mostar but loved it. Got to Sarajevo by overnight train from Zagreb. 9 hours. That was an experience!
Interesting point you make about the solitariness of the solo traveller. One of the attractions for me is that I can talk to people if I want to, but equally can spend time alone in peace and quiet.
Julia_t, no, I didn't do a trip report for my Bosnia trip. It was part of a month-long trip starting in Berlin and ending in Split. Only spent a couple of days each in Sarajevo and Mostar but loved it. Got to Sarajevo by overnight train from Zagreb. 9 hours. That was an experience!
Interesting point you make about the solitariness of the solo traveller. One of the attractions for me is that I can talk to people if I want to, but equally can spend time alone in peace and quiet.
Oct 12th, 2014, 04:09 AM
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Oct 12th, 2014, 05:39 AM
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JAJCE
Jajce is a most attractive small town situated at the meeting of two rivers, where the Pliva cascades 60 feet to join the Vrbas. It is dominated by the fortress 1500 feet above the town. This palace was built by Bosnian Kings, and was the last stronghold to fall to the Ottoman invaders in 1528. This old historical part of town has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It deserves to be added to the list. The outer castle walls extend right down the hill, and you enter the old town either by car or on foot through one of the ancient gates in a tower.
So I entered via the Travnik Gate, and found my hotel just round a corner on the left. There was a parking space outside, and I was shown to my room. The Hotel Stari Grad is in a terrific central location, within easy walking distance to all the main sights. The hotel has been built on the ruins of a Turkish bath, hammam, which was destroyed by a fire 200 years ago. It was determined that the hammam had been built (or reconstructed) by Melek Ahmed Pasha while he had been doing his service as vizier in Bosnia (1658 – 1659), information found in Evlija Čelebija’s Travel Book from 1660. To preserve the ruins yet still build the hotel, they were encased in glass – which now forms part of the floor of the reception hall/dining room!
http://jajcetours.com/en/hotel-stari-grad/
My room was 77 BAM (€39//£31) and though a reasonable size was quite dark with little natural light. But fine for the price which included breakfast.
With a small map from the hotel I set out up the hill, passing by the ruins of a church with St Luke’s tower, the only surviving example of a medieval steeple in the Balkans. This church has been destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries, including being transformed into a mosque. The last Bosnian King was crowned here in 1461. Opposite the church are the Catacombs, carved out of rock during the late 14th century and said to be the last resting place of the ancient Bogomil kings. The carved altar featuring a cross, sun and crescent moon symbolises the afterlife. It is only 2 BAM (€1) to enter so though there isn’t a lot to see, it is hardly a wasted experience.
I continued up a steep cobbled path to the castle entrance, wondering about the long-dead people who must have walked this daily, and also those people who still live on this hill, in the beautiful old Ottoman houses clinging to the steep slopes. The castle was 2 BAM (€1) to enter. The turfed ramparts and battlements are still complete and can be walked around by those not vertiginously challenged. In fact the walls are high enough to provide a decent barrier so I did venture up. There are several buildings inside, some of which can be entered, and with the grassy lawns and terraces it is an attractive place. The views from up here are stunning.
I walked down the other way, passing some lovely old traditional buildings, though some were in a dire state of repair. The museum/art gallery was closed so I continued on down the cobbled streets. I found my way out through the stone gate under the tower again and crossed the Pliva River – flat and calm here… but turning back on the other side the river suddenly fell crashing and tumbling into the Vrbas River in the gorge below. It is apparently one of the 10 most beautiful waterfalls in the world. Well, not having seen any others I cannot comment, but it is certainly spectacular. Intriguing is the diving platform perched between the two cascades. I did a bit of research, and the first international diving competition was held on 9 August 2014, won by a Mostar man.
http://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/p...bosnia-n177026
I’d got a note of two places to have dinner; one was in the Travnik tower above the gate called Kod Asim, the other was a few miles out of town. I thought I could maybe get a taxi to Konoba Slapovi, but was told it was closed at this time of year. Oh well. I went to look at Kod Asim but didn’t like the look or feel of the place, it seemed quite grubby, so I ate a surprisingly good meal in the hotel restaurant. I had their version of Trahana soup, grilled squids with fries and a mixed salad. With 2 glasses of wine the bill was 29 BAM (€14.8 / £11.65).
I slept well, the only problem the next morning was the tube on the hairdryer was detached so that didn’t work. After breakfast I was taken to another room – actually a huge suite dominated by pictures of Tito – and allowed to use the hairdryer in the bathroom.
There was one more thing I wanted to see before I left Jajce, and that was the 3rd century temple dedicated to the god Mithras with a carved altar stone. I had read it was hidden in a locked shed and I would have to find someone with a key, but I found it enclosed in a huge glass case down some steep steps. It was locked however, but I was able to walk round and get a good look. One can clearly see the winged Mithras holding the bull down as he plunges his knife into its neck – it is a very vivid sculpture. Unfortunately the reflection of light on the glass meant my photos aren’t much good, but I felt privileged to have seen it.
I left Jajce via the Banja Luka Gate, then through a tunnel under the hill the fortress and town is built on, and set off towards Banja Luka and the Croatian border.
Jajce is a most attractive small town situated at the meeting of two rivers, where the Pliva cascades 60 feet to join the Vrbas. It is dominated by the fortress 1500 feet above the town. This palace was built by Bosnian Kings, and was the last stronghold to fall to the Ottoman invaders in 1528. This old historical part of town has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It deserves to be added to the list. The outer castle walls extend right down the hill, and you enter the old town either by car or on foot through one of the ancient gates in a tower.
So I entered via the Travnik Gate, and found my hotel just round a corner on the left. There was a parking space outside, and I was shown to my room. The Hotel Stari Grad is in a terrific central location, within easy walking distance to all the main sights. The hotel has been built on the ruins of a Turkish bath, hammam, which was destroyed by a fire 200 years ago. It was determined that the hammam had been built (or reconstructed) by Melek Ahmed Pasha while he had been doing his service as vizier in Bosnia (1658 – 1659), information found in Evlija Čelebija’s Travel Book from 1660. To preserve the ruins yet still build the hotel, they were encased in glass – which now forms part of the floor of the reception hall/dining room!
http://jajcetours.com/en/hotel-stari-grad/
My room was 77 BAM (€39//£31) and though a reasonable size was quite dark with little natural light. But fine for the price which included breakfast.
With a small map from the hotel I set out up the hill, passing by the ruins of a church with St Luke’s tower, the only surviving example of a medieval steeple in the Balkans. This church has been destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries, including being transformed into a mosque. The last Bosnian King was crowned here in 1461. Opposite the church are the Catacombs, carved out of rock during the late 14th century and said to be the last resting place of the ancient Bogomil kings. The carved altar featuring a cross, sun and crescent moon symbolises the afterlife. It is only 2 BAM (€1) to enter so though there isn’t a lot to see, it is hardly a wasted experience.
I continued up a steep cobbled path to the castle entrance, wondering about the long-dead people who must have walked this daily, and also those people who still live on this hill, in the beautiful old Ottoman houses clinging to the steep slopes. The castle was 2 BAM (€1) to enter. The turfed ramparts and battlements are still complete and can be walked around by those not vertiginously challenged. In fact the walls are high enough to provide a decent barrier so I did venture up. There are several buildings inside, some of which can be entered, and with the grassy lawns and terraces it is an attractive place. The views from up here are stunning.
I walked down the other way, passing some lovely old traditional buildings, though some were in a dire state of repair. The museum/art gallery was closed so I continued on down the cobbled streets. I found my way out through the stone gate under the tower again and crossed the Pliva River – flat and calm here… but turning back on the other side the river suddenly fell crashing and tumbling into the Vrbas River in the gorge below. It is apparently one of the 10 most beautiful waterfalls in the world. Well, not having seen any others I cannot comment, but it is certainly spectacular. Intriguing is the diving platform perched between the two cascades. I did a bit of research, and the first international diving competition was held on 9 August 2014, won by a Mostar man.
http://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/p...bosnia-n177026
I’d got a note of two places to have dinner; one was in the Travnik tower above the gate called Kod Asim, the other was a few miles out of town. I thought I could maybe get a taxi to Konoba Slapovi, but was told it was closed at this time of year. Oh well. I went to look at Kod Asim but didn’t like the look or feel of the place, it seemed quite grubby, so I ate a surprisingly good meal in the hotel restaurant. I had their version of Trahana soup, grilled squids with fries and a mixed salad. With 2 glasses of wine the bill was 29 BAM (€14.8 / £11.65).
I slept well, the only problem the next morning was the tube on the hairdryer was detached so that didn’t work. After breakfast I was taken to another room – actually a huge suite dominated by pictures of Tito – and allowed to use the hairdryer in the bathroom.
There was one more thing I wanted to see before I left Jajce, and that was the 3rd century temple dedicated to the god Mithras with a carved altar stone. I had read it was hidden in a locked shed and I would have to find someone with a key, but I found it enclosed in a huge glass case down some steep steps. It was locked however, but I was able to walk round and get a good look. One can clearly see the winged Mithras holding the bull down as he plunges his knife into its neck – it is a very vivid sculpture. Unfortunately the reflection of light on the glass meant my photos aren’t much good, but I felt privileged to have seen it.
I left Jajce via the Banja Luka Gate, then through a tunnel under the hill the fortress and town is built on, and set off towards Banja Luka and the Croatian border.
Oct 12th, 2014, 06:11 AM
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