There are certain questions that come up on tour again and again. Some of our guests ask if this gets dull for us, showing visitors our hometown every day and hearing the same questions. And the answer is “No, it doesn’t!” And we mean it! 

Despite being asked a few of the same questions frequently, each tour is different because of our guests – Mostar’s complicated history and current day context might stay the same with only small developments day to day, but each tour is unique. Visitors come to Mostar with their own cultural background and identity, travel experiences, and knowledge and often contribute this to the narrative of the tour. When the groups are small enough (a reason to visit Mostar off-season), tours can feel like a conversation amongst friends. The first free tour I gave was with 4 fantastic women from Germany, Costa Rica and Russia – they were so open, curious, and knowledgeable that I was sad when we parted ways after 3 hours together! 

When we hear a question often enough, we learn to incorporate that information into the tour. There is one question, however, that we often hear even before we really get going on tour, especially from people that come from outside of the Balkans:

What exactly does Red Army (RA) 1981 refer to?

It is a great question, and it means that you are paying attention to your new surroundings. As you walk around Mostar you might see variations of this message spray painted on the sides of buildings. In some cases, it is incorporated into more elaborate murals. Most visitors believe it must have to do with communism, a military group or action…perhaps the Soviet Union. Maybe something political happened in 1981? Spoiler Alert: it is none of these particular things! Curious to find what this message really means? Come on tour with us. If you are especially interested in street art and graffiti, check out our Signs of the Times Tour: Urban Landscape Tour described under Private Tours, which will ensure you visit and get an explanation for the noteworthy murals as well as monuments and memorials located throughout the city.