We took a long trip to the beautiful snowless mountains of Vlasic. As usual, it was a harrowing ride through the mountains, with a bus driver full of personality. The small bus was crowded to the point of standing room only, and I was surprised to see only a few of the younger people stand for the older ones. I asked my husband to stand for an older “baba” who was happy to sit. She realized that I did not speak local language, and yet, she laughed and made a gesture with her hands to indicate the twisting winding road and crazy ride.
It is always a pleasant experience to find that so many people here are willing to help this confused American. At the Travnik bus station, we were lost looking for the local bus stop. That is the hard thing about travelling here. So many bus and train stations lack signs, and the time tables change rapidly. You cannot trust the online schedule which are limited to a the public lines. But we managed to catch the local bus to Babanovach, which afforded us a tremendous ride through the mountains. By the end, we were the last passengers left at the unmarked stop that lead us to the center of the town.
Foggy, rainy, and cold, we marched down the street up to a stunning hotel in the middle of mountains that should be snow covered but are brown.The lack of snow has been a disappointment to many this year, as well as a worrisome sign for the economy.
It feels as if we are many miles from everywhere, and if we did not hear the stray dogs barking, then we could be anywhere.
Amy in Mostar 