In Search of the Untouched

A constant tension throughout our trip has been the draw to see beautiful, interesting things contrasting with our desire to get off the beaten track. Some places, however cool they might be, are a little less cool when there are more tourists than locals.

Yesterday we were talking to a man who lives inside the Old City of Dubrovnik. The old city seems to consist of only tourists and services that cater to tourists, which is really rather depressing. The man told us that nobody who actually lives inside the old city can use any of the services provided inside the old city. They have to go outside to find anything that isn't tourist rubbish.

Today we went on a day trip with two Aussies and a Croat whose family runs our hostel. The destination? Bosnia-Herzegovina and the city of Mostar. It certainly felt more off the beaten track; I mean, we're talking about Bosnia, right? The town was really cool, with mosques on one side and churches on the other, a beautiful bridge connecting the two. Local young men jump off the bridge into the river for cash from tourists. I felt that as we were walking down the streets trying to get a glimpse of the East, Turkish tourists were walking by on their vacations trying to get a glimpse of the west. Kind of eerie, but also very cool.

On the way there, our guide told us all about the history of the area, with the bias that is essential to this region that was rocked by the war with Serbia. It's hard to blame someone for resentment when just 15 years ago his family was huddled in a hotel with the rest of the town while their home was shelled by the Serbs. It was really a good illustration of how complicated the history and relations of the region are. When I asked him about the destruction of Stari Most (the Old Bridge, which has since been rebuilt), he mumbled something about a conspiracy that blamed the Croats. I stuck to the policy of ask, but don't argue.

We also learned the jokes about each of the ethnic groups in the area. Something like, "A Serb, a Croat, a Herzegovina, a Montenegrin and a Bosnian walk into a bar...." Each one has it's own stereotype and punchline. Yikes. One joke that I will share reflects a little bit of recent history. "Serbia is now like Nokia. Every year is a different, smaller model." It has been a tough 15 years for the Serbs, shedding one country after another in the Yugoslav wars, then losing Montenegro and, most recently, Europe's newest country Kosovo.

So, the big change in plans for our trip. Tomorrow we are heading to Montenegro, and in a few more days to Albania! We will still go to Greece, just not for as long. The way we figure it, Albania and Montenegro are going to be completely different in 5 or 10 years. They are already vastly changed from 5 years ago. It was clear even in Mostar that things had changed dramatically in the last few years (there was some awesome war memorabilia that I'm sure was half the asking price a few years back). The Greek islands, on the other hand, are not going to change much. We have an opportunity to explore relatively unspoilt countries, and it would be a shame to pass that up.