ARRIVING IN MEDJUGORIE IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, IT SEEMED TO BE BACK IN ITALY

  

From Dubrovnik (Croatia), with a bus at 3.15 pm of the Autobusni Kolodvor company (103.30 Kuna Euros) I reach Mostar (Bosnia Herzegovina) in 2 hours and 30 minutes, crossing 2 borders. (there are several buses at different times of the day that cover this route and there is even the direct bus Dubrovnik - Medjugorje).

At the bus station located, adjacent to the train station over 1 km east of the center of Mostar, I take a 30-seater bus at 19.10 from the Autoprevoz company (cost: 5 Bosnian brands), which goes up and then down on the surrounding hills reaching after about 1 hour in Medjugorje (Bosnia Herzegovina).

The small bus station is about 1km south-east of the center.

In a few minutes I reach it on foot.

And here is the Surprise. Dozens and dozens of little shops selling everything. The dominant language is Italian. Hundreds and hundreds of mostly Italian tourists. People praying everywhere. The Parish Church of San Giacomo is packed. I spend the night at the Pension An & Stjepan located a few tens of meters from the bus station. I have a very clean and comfortable single. (18 Euros per night).

In the morning at 5 am I am already on my way to Mount Krizevac mt 520. I walk several kilometers on foot in the plains (about 40 '), heading north before arriving at the Via Crucis in Salita through a mule track with rocks and stones.

It is 5.30 in the morning but it is already full of people praying. Some go up barefoot, some even on their knees and my knees hurt just looking at them.

However, in less than 1 hour I am on the very crowded peak of Mount Krizevac 520 meters, where there are a lot of people praying.

The view over Medjugorie (Bosnia Herzegovina) and the adjacent hills is beautiful. I get off the same route as the outward journey and still cover a scant half hour on the plains towards the south - west.

I then go up in about 20 minutes through a mule track similar to the previous one to the Apparition Hill.

Here, too, dozens and dozens of people in prayer.

Then I return on foot first downhill and then on the flat and in less than 40 minutes I am back in the center and then at the bus station.

My complete travel report with map, photographs and videos is available at this link:

http://vivendosalendo.blogspot.com/2012/10/il-giro-dei-balcani-in-autobus-e-treno.html