When traveling, you’re guaranteed to encounter surprises, new ideas, or situations that make you question (or even change) your assumptions. These are a few items I have encountered so far, but this is part 1 with more to come.

Bosnia and Herzegovina may have the most interesting history of the Balkan countries, and not just recent history. The country still has an interesting fusion of features from the Ottoman empire, Austro-Hungarian empire, and Yugoslavia. Mostar has had four religions (Orthodox Christians, Catholic Christians, Muslims, and Jews) living in the same city for centuries.

Montenegro translates to “Black Mountain” in Italian, named for the tree-covered mountains. I personally think they only look black when in the shade of the mountain. Regardless, the scenery in this small 16-year-old country of under 1 million people is stunning. I rented a car to properly see the more mountainous regions.

Dubrovnik, Croatia is my first destination in the Balkans, but certainly not the last. Known for its scenic coastline with rugged mountains sloping down to the water, Dubrovnik has more recently gained fame as a destination for Game of Thrones fans. Unlike the rest of the Balkans, Croatia is not really undiscovered anymore and the downtown areas are filled with tourists, especially when a cruise ship is docked. The biggest surprise during my stay was a 5.7 magnitude earthquake, the largest in the area in decades.