Bosnia Does Not Have Hamburgers

Please note the slide show installed on 2nd blog.

Diana and Mike's visit was fun, it was a little cold but never rained.  I went on 3 adventures with them, on Tuesday we took a public bus up the coast to the village of Ston, where there is a giant wall (second longest after China) and they grow mussels and oysters, and farm salt. Farming salt and growing oysters gives them lots of time to built walls.  We walked on the lower wall and that is when I discovered that Diana does NOT like edges. When I return with the students, they will love walking the 3 mile wall, which is rustic at best, not only was it bombed during the war, but also an earthquake did some damage in the 1980s.  The more dangerous, the more attractive to 20 year olds.

We also took a water bus out to the Island of Lopud, one of the Elefanti islands, which was peaceful, sunny, and deserted. Very off season.  A messy old fat lab escorted Diana and I on our wanderings, and was a good guide to all the places the cat food bowls were hidden.

Finally, I got the nerve to rent a car and drive them to Medjugorje in Bosnia, the dubious holy sight where teenagers who snuck off to smoke in 1981, were visited by the Virgin Mary.  What a bleak area, driving in it did not look too promising, lots of garbage sacks along the road, and the town around the church full of newly constructed hotels for the pilgrims that flock there.  The street around the church were full of Jesus Junk.  We did not have time to walk up the mountain where Mary appeared, but we got to see the weeping knee which impressed even me.  There is a big bronze statue of Jesus on the cross, and his knee weeps tears.  Pilgrims bring handkerchiefs and gather a few tears to take home.  Every time I looked at the knee, a ray of light broke through the dark clouds and lit it up!  Diana and I kept looking for a spotlight in the trees!

We left Medjugorje for the Bosnian city of Mostar, which is famous for the 14th century bridge and mosques.  We only had a few hours, but it was a really interesting town, and I am returning with students in April.  The bridge is built without mortar in the 14th century, but the Croatians bombed it in the war and just last year it was rebuilt.  We were very hungry, and Bosnian food is loved by many for the lamb kabobs, but Diana does not eat, I do not eat meat, and Mike eats only hamburgers and pizza.  So he ordered a hamburger, and was surprised to find it wraped in a flat pita bread (pretty sure it was a lamb-burger)! After lunch I could barely drag them out of the bazaar, Daina even bought a Yugoslavian army knife, that should be interesting at customs!