The Travellist Issue 2 March 2015 | Page 55

Daniel Joseph Pye • Bosnia & Herzegovina the potentially fatal twenty four meter jump into the river below. While the main roads and streets still contain the frame and hollows of homes and businesses, the Old Town has progressively been rebuilt. Shopkeepers proudly tend to their wares, traditional music resonates and the sweet smell of tea and local favourite burek draw many to the cafés dotted across the cobblestone alleyways. Perhaps most striking is the hospitality, openness and generosity embodied by the locals. Assistance is provided without hesitation and conversation and friendliness to those from afar abounds. A casual hello may lead to a discussion about life or the meaningful exchange of stories, certain to leave you enthralled and potentially bewildered, forgetful of whatever place or activity you were on your way to. mending. Niche cafés, quaint old houses and hidden gardens are easy to discover. Amidst all these elements you might just find some answers as to why you decided to embark on an adventure to Bosnia. Encapsulated in the country are some of the most hypnotising and untouched natural landscapes and well preserved settlements in Europe. With what many regard as the cleanest and purest rivers in Europe, such locations are accessible literally only minutes outside of Mostar, as well as many of the other urban centres dotting the countryside