Sights in Mostar - Croatia and Slovenia - page 692

the town's population is divided evenly between Croats and Bosniaks. Tension still hangs
heavy in the air. Local Croats have erected crosses in front of several buildings in town, and
the main square features a giant monument engraved with the names of Croats killed in the
fighting here. The new, super-modern Catholic church spire rockets up over town, evoking
the one-upsmanship of the similar steeple in Mostar. In a recent soccer match between the
Croatian and Turkish national teams, local Bosniaks backed the Turks...and things got very
tense.
If you're interested in learning more, it's well worth hiring local guide Sanel Mari ć to
showyouaround.Sanelisanindustriousyoungmanwhoworksforalocalorganizationthat
strives to help the people of Stolac transcend the scars of the recent war. He can both show
you some of the ancient sights around town, and fill you in on recent events (€30 for a tour
around town, mobile [phone], [e-mail] ).
M e đ ugorje
Me đ ugorjeisanunassuminglittlevillage“betweenthehills”(asitsnameimplies)thatranks
with Lourdes, Fátima, and Santiago de Compostela as one of the most important pilgrimage
sites in all of Christendom. To the cynical non-Catholic, it's just a strip of crassly commer-
cial hotels, restaurants, and rosary shops leading up to a dull church, all tied together by a
sillylegendaboutahilltopapparition.Butifyoulookintothetear-filledeyesofthepilgrims
who've journeyed here, it's clear that to some, this place offers much more than what you
see on the surface. Strolling through the grounds, you can hear the hushed sounds of prayer
whispering through the bushes.