BOSNIA & HERCEGOVINA

Location - South east Europe; Capital - Sarajevo; Population - 3.9 million; Currency - Convertible Mark MORE BOSNIA

The drive from Sarajevo to Mostar crosses beautiful mountainous scenery following emerald green rivers on its way down to Mostar. Apparently the train ride is even better - April 2013.

Bosnian notes are printed with both Latin and Cyrillic script. Muslims and Croats use the Latin script whereas Serbs use Cyrillic

Neutral figures are on the notes, with one version having the Latin script first (above right) and the other version Cyrillic (right)

The cold Neretva River waters flow beneath the Stari Most at Mostar

The original Stari Most, or Old Bridge, was destroyed during the Bosnian War - Mostar

A local fakes a dive as he drums up business for the real deal - Mostar

In April it was easy to spot the real divers as they wore wet suits - Mostar

It's a lot steeper than I expected so the slats come in very useful - Mostar

The beautiful 16th century Ottoman bridge was blown up by Bosnian Croat forces in November 1993 - Mostar

Following its destruction Stari Most was painstakingly reconstructed, and reopened in a grand ceremony in 2004

Look down on the bridge and the old town from the Bridge Museum - Mostar

One of the best places to admire the Neretva River and bridge is at the Urban Grill's terrace - Mostar

Another great viewpoint is this rooftop terrace bar with a perfectly located coffee table (right) - Mostar

The narrow lanes of the old town - Mostar

Most of the old quarter was quiet at night but the new town is livelier - Mostar

Spotlights shine on the Stari Most - Mostar

Yep it's the old bridge - Mostar

The cobbled streets of the old town are awash with souvenir shops - Mostar

There's also plenty of cafes, bars and quaint restaurants. The city has a very appealing, relaxed vibe despite the mass influx of daytrippers - Mostar

Colourful shopfronts on the walk down to the old bridge - Mostar

The Hotel Neretva still stands, just about, a relic of the war - Mostar

Spanski Trg (Spanish Square) suffered as a result of being on the frontline - Mostar

Ljubljanska Bank Tower, also on Spanish Square, is another monument to the war - Mostar

Venture inside the gutted nine-storey Ljubljanska Bank for excellent views of the city - Mostar

The valley and distant mountains shelter Mostar

Until recently what was the bombed out Gymnasium has now been lovingly restored - Mostar

Graffiti artists get the chance to put their enviable talents to use - Mostar

The Ljubljanska Bank is strewn with rubble and glass (and plastic bottles); a liftshaft with a teensy bit of a drop - Mostar

The former frontline along Aleske Santica and Bulevar have still several war damaged buildings - Mostar

The Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque stands on the banks of the Neretva River - Mostar

The very scenic old town, just minutes from the old bridge - Mostar

More gorgeous views from the minaret of Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque - Mostar

There's several restaurants on the right, some set below the level of the bridge and all with terraces, where you can take in the beauty of the old town - Mostar

Fishing for supper - Mostar

Hidden in the twists and turns of the old quarter is the cute Crooked Bridge - Mostar

The Radobolja River flows beneath the Crooked Bridge and on to the Neretva - Mostar

There's plenty to see in the vicinity of Mostar and Kravice Falls is without doubt a highlight

Spring's a good time to see them when the water level is high - Kravice Falls

The 25m falls on the Trebizat River are about 40km south of Mostar - Kravice Falls

In the summer a rope bridge is built over the river - Kravice Falls

It's a lovely spot, well worth a trip - Kravice Falls

On the way back to Mostar from the falls stop off at Pocitelj, a village dating back to the Ottoman era - Pocitelj

The stone village is dominated by a hilltop fortress - Pocitelj

A mosque in the stone village close to the Neretva River - Pocitelj

The lush green Pocitelj enjoys an idyllic location overlooking the river - Pocitelj

The picture postcard fortress village of Pocitelj

Through a fortress lookout the deep green Neretva meanders through the valley - Pocitelj

Another popular sight near Mostar is the tekija or Dervish monastery at Blagaj

The monastery dates back to the 16th century and has a beautiful location - Blagaj

The Buna River, with monastery on the left, emerges from the mountain rock - Blagaj

The waters of the Buna River are so pure there's a dish where you can drink from source. Just give it a clean! Blagaj

The bus ride from Mostar to Trebinje via Gacko is a mountainous climb - Mostar to Trebinje

The city of Trebinje is in Republika Srpska, with most signs written in Cyrillic

The picturesque sight of the old town walls standing on the banks of Trebisnjica River - Trebinje

Reflections in the Trebisnjica River - Trebinje

Trg Svobode is the central square of Trebinje, a good place for al fresco dining

And the main man in the city is poet Jovan Ducic, born in Trebinje in the late 19th century

Locals begin setting up stalls on the tree-lined Trg Svobode, just outside the old town - Trebinje

A mosque welcomes pedestrians walking through an archway into the old town - Trebinje

There's not much to see in the old town but there's a couple of lively bars and restaurants. And a cat - Trebinje

Back outside the old town, a wooden bridge in Ducic Park leads to an Orthodox Church - Trebinje

Squinting through incense clouds to the church - Trebinje

Not quite in the right sequence, but if you go from Trebinje to Split via Dubrovnik you'll come across the resort of Neum. It's the only Bosnian town on the country's tiny 9km coastline - Neum

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LINKS

www.bhtourism.ba - Bosnia tourist board

www.autobusni-kolodvor.com - Bosnian bus timetables

www.zfbh.ba - train timetables

I am not responsible for the content of external websites.