莫斯塔尔：一窥波黑的战火肆虐史

Isiting Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an eyeopening and humbling experience. When we traveled to Croatia， we took a day trip to Mostar.

While we were prepared to see signs of the war， actually seeing them in person was very startling. We had been in Dubrovnik， which had also been directly hit by war， but everything there has been rebuilt. So Mostar was our first sighting of bullet hole ridden and gutted buildings in ruins. Living in a country where home-based wars are in our far past and current wars are an ocean away， it was very sobering to see physical manifestations of war everywhere and realize that the people of Mostar， and many other areas of the former Yugoslavia， lived with war raging around them daily.

After our day in Mostar， I can say it is very touristy， but not in a way that should be a turnoff to visitors. The streets were lined with shops selling trinkets，

We reached our first site， the famous Stari Most， the Old Bridge. This striking single-arch stone bridge was built from 1557 to 1566. There are large towers on either side of the bridge， one of which houses a museum. The sad history of the bridge is that while it was able to stand for over 400 years， and even withstood the weight of Nazi tanks， in 1993 the bridge was shelled and collapsed into the river below. Amazingly， after the war ended， the bridge was rebuilt with stone from the original quarry in the exact way it was built so long ago. Nowadays， local young men hang out on the bridge in speedos waiting for someone to pay them to jump into the chilly Neretva River below.

After taking in the view from atop the bridge and touring the bridges museum， we visited our first mosque， Koski MehmedPasha Mosque. The nice thing about visiting the mosques in the more touristy part of Mostar is that they are a little more lenient with visitors. You can still wear modest clothing （which can be difficult when it is so hot）， but women are not required to wear scarves and it is not necessary to remove your shoes.

The grounds of Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque offer a beautiful view of Stari Most. You can also climb to the top of the minaret for another stunning view. Muslims do not make images of living creatures in mosques， so the colors of the mosques interior were created from colorful rugs and bright painted forms on the white walls and ceilings.

After visiting the mosque we veered away from the main tourist drag one street over to the New Muslim Cemetery. Before the war， it was a park. But during the war， the more exposed cemeteries were unusable because visitors were visible to snipers， so this tree protected park became a cemetery. Visiting the cemetery was moving and heartwrenching. Every single tombstone is dated 1993， 1994， or 1995. I think this hit me even more than the structures riddled with bullet holes and the completely gutted buildings with full-grown trees growing up the middle. Ive always been a fan of cemeteries because I like to feel the people buried there had long fulfilling lives， surrounded by people that loved them enough to build memorials to them. The occupants of these tombs had their lives stolen away from them far too soon.

Being outside of the main tourist street kind of took me out of my comfort zone. I didnt feel unsafe， but I did feel like an outsider. The residents stared at us， and I couldnt tell what they were thinking.

Another reason we strayed from the main street was to visit the Museum of Herzegovina. Unfortunately， this wish was denied. Something that also happened to us frequently in Dubrovnik was that the museum did not have change for our money. I have never encountered this elsewhere. I felt like Pretty Woman， except instead of being denied the opportunity to shop， I was denied the opportunity to visit a museum. Seriously， does it get any nerdier than that？ If at all possible， acquire small change to pay entrance fees， though in my experience， this is easier said than done.

Our next stop was the Biscevic Turkish House， one of Mostars traditional Turkish-style homes that are open to visitors. The house was built in the 1600s and has beautiful woodwork on the inside and intricate river stone work on the outside. There is even a box of traditional costumes that can be tried on for pictures.

Our last stop was Karadozbeg Mosque. This mosque was built just before Stari Most was started. It was simpler and not as colorful as the first we visited， but was still beautiful and has retained some of its original decorations. There is a cemetery adjacent to this mosque， also filled with tombstones from the war.

On the way back we did a little souvenir shopping. There are many different types of articles to choose from， including hammered-copper items， rugs， scarves， and war remnant paraphernalia. Also be sure to try borek （or burek）， a traditional street food made with spiraled crispy phyllo dough filled with cheese and meat.

I felt Mostar was a little different from the typical day trip destination. Later in our trip we encountered some travelers who were deciding whether or not to go to Mostar， and when I responded to their question of if it was worth it， I hesitated. Mostar is beautiful and has very different sites with its bridge， mosques， and Turkish-style homes. However， for me， it had more to do with learning a little about a culture I am very unfamiliar with and reflecting on a difficult notso-distant war-torn past， something I hope I will never have to experience personally.

到波斯尼亞和黑塞哥维那的莫斯塔尔市观光是一次令人大开眼界又教人谦虚的经历。我们去克罗地亚旅行的时候，去莫斯塔尔游览了一天。

尽管我们做好了要看战争遗迹的心理准备，但亲眼看到时还是十分惊诧的。杜布罗夫尼克也是个被战火直接侵袭过的城市，之前我们已经到过那里，但是那里的一切都经过了重建。所以在莫斯塔尔，我们才第一次见到弹孔累累、被毁劫一空的楼房废墟。生活在我们自己的国家，在本土开战的战争已然是久远的历史，而如今的战争又在大洋的另一边爆发，当看到随处皆是实实在在的战争痕迹，意识到莫斯塔尔和其他原南斯拉夫地区的人民每日与狂暴的战争共眠，让人从麻木中幡然醒悟。

在莫斯塔尔游览了一天之后，我会说这里游客非常爆满，但这种拥挤倒不至于令游客讨厌。街道两旁小饰品店林立。

我们到达了第一个景点，著名的莫斯塔尔古桥。这座引人注目的单拱石桥建于公元1557年至1566年。橋的两边矗立着高大的塔楼，其中一座塔楼里设有博物馆。此桥有一段令人叹惋的历史，那就是虽然它能够屹立四百多年不倒，甚至连纳粹坦克的重量都经受住了，却在1993年遭遇炮击，倒塌在了下方的河流里。令人惊诧的是，战争结束后，人们按照最初建造的方式重建了这座桥，采用的石头和原来的石头也来自同一个采石场。如今，当地的年轻人们穿着泳衣在桥上闲逛，等着有人付钱看他们跳进下面冰冷的内雷特瓦河里。

在古桥上欣赏完风景，游览了一圈古桥的博物馆以后，我们参观了第一座清真寺，科斯基·穆罕默德·帕夏清真寺。在莫斯塔尔较热门的区域参观清真寺的好处是对游客的要求没那么苛刻。你还是要衣着端庄（天气很热时会很难受），但不要求女士戴头巾，进门也不需要脱鞋。

从科斯基·穆罕默德·帕夏清真寺的角度刚好能欣赏到莫斯塔尔古桥的美景。你还可以爬到宣礼塔顶欣赏另一番美景。清真寺里不会有任何生灵的形象出现，因此寺内的色彩来自五颜六色的毯子，以及白墙和天花板上着色鲜明的窗格。

参观完清真寺以后，我们离开主要的游览线路，走了一条街的距离到达新穆斯林公墓。战前，这里是个公园。但在战争期间，其他比较暴露的墓地不能再使用了，因为祭拜者会暴露在狙击手的枪口下，因此这个树木掩映的公园就成了公墓。参观这个公墓让人为之动容和痛心。每一块墓碑上刻的日期都是1993年、1994年或1995年。我觉得这比弹痕密布的建筑和被毁劫一空、中间长出大树的楼房更打动我。我一直喜欢参观墓地，因为我喜欢感受埋葬在那里的人有过绵长而圆满的人生，围绕在他们墓前的人都是愿为他们立纪念碑的至亲至爱。然而这些坟墓的主人都过早地被夺走了生命。

离开了主要的观光街道也就让我离开了心理舒适区。我并没有感到不安全，但我确实觉得自己像个局外人。居民们盯着我们，而我看不出来他们在想什么。

我们离开主要街道的另一个原因是为了参观黑塞哥维那博物馆。不幸的是，这个愿望落空了。在杜布罗夫尼克，我们也频繁遭遇博物馆因没有我们的货币而没法找零的情况。我还没在其他地方遇到过这种情况。我感觉自己像《风月俏佳人》里的女主人公，只不过被剥夺的并非购物的机会，而是参观博物馆的机会。说真的，还有比这更傻的吗？要是可能的话，先去换小额零钱再来付门票钱，尽管根据我的经验，这说起来容易，做起来难。

我们的下一站是比谢维奇土耳其屋，是向游客开放的莫斯塔尔传统土耳其风格民居之一。这所房子建于17世纪，内有美丽的木制品，外有纷繁复杂的鹅卵石（铺的地面）。甚至还有一箱子的传统服装，可供游客穿上拍照。

我们的最后一站是卡拉多兹堡清真寺。这座清真寺刚好在莫斯塔尔古桥动工前建成。它比较简约，没有我们参观的第一座清真寺那么色彩缤纷，但也很美，保留了一些原始的装饰。该寺旁边有一个墓地，也立满了战争死难者的墓碑。

回去的路上我们购买了一点纪念品。纪念品有很多不同种类的物件可以选择，包括锻铜制品、地毯、围巾和战争遗留用品。还有一定得尝尝布列克馅饼，这是一种传统的街头小吃，螺旋状，用酥脆的薄生面饼包裹奶酪和肉馅做成。

我感到莫斯塔尔和典型的一日游目的地有所不同。之后的旅途中，我们遇到一些在考虑要不要去莫斯塔尔的游客，当我回答他们是否值得一去的这个问题时，我犹豫了。莫斯塔尔很美，也有着古桥、清真寺和土耳其式民居等独特的景点。然而对我来说，游览莫斯塔尔有着更重要的意义，就是去了解一点对我而言很陌生的文化，回顾一段晦涩的、不太久远而我永远都不想亲身经历的战争肆虐史。