mostar

We arrived at Mostar in the evening and were greeted by a beautiful traditionally decorated hotel/museum and mint tea.  

 

 

Without much time to spare we headed out to explore the city center.

 

As promised the Mostar Bridge was picture perfect with its opaque blue green waters but the rest seemed to be built solely around the bridge to support tourist activities.  Further out (after the cobblestone streets have abruptly stopped) you can find more of what is current Bosnia with its mix of pristine new buildings shuffled with ruins from the recent war.

 

 

After walking around for a bit we stopped for dinner at a “local” place I found in my lonely planet guide where we stuck out like sore thumbs and couldn’t read the menu.  Luckily you could see the food as it was being cooked, so we used the international language of pointing to order.  

 

 

After the waiter left I realized we didn’t have any Bosnian currency, only Croatian Kuna so we called him back.  

 

Me:  Um. Do you take Kuna?

Him:  [Big smile] Yes yes all is good.

Me:  Ok great.   Thanks.  

Him:  [leaves]

 

Then we realized we don’t have enough Kuna.  Called the waiter back.

 

Me:  Um.  Do you take Euros?

Him:  [Big smile] Yes yes all is good.

Me:  Ok great.  Sorry.  Thanks.

Him:  [leaves]

 

Then we realized we have too much in Euros and the thought of getting back a bunch of change in Bosnian currency was not at all appealing since we were leaving Bosnia early the next day. We did however have some change in Euros… but not quite enough.  We called the waiter back.

 

Me:  Um.  Sorry again. 

Him:  Yes?

Me:  Would you mind if, um, we paided half in Kuna and half in Euros?

Him:  [confused look]

Me:  Pay.  Like.  This? [Gather our change together] 

Him:  [Big smile] Yes yes all is good.

Me:  Great thanks.

Him:  Ok?

Me:  Yes.

Him:  Yes?

Me:  Yes

Him:  [still big smile] Ok Ok

 

So not only was the food great but the service excellent.  Gotta love post-war mentality of not sweating the small stuff.