Locals and tourists abound, and while gypsies make you guarded, a sense of peace is felt throughout the Turkish markets – where catholics and muslims chat from their store fronts, religion no longer creating a divide. And where, half-way into our lunch, speakers summoned the muslims to prayer, encouraging the entire town to pause and listen.

Professional, local divers (and daredevil visitors!) gather atop the city’s landmark bridge that was severely damaged and didn’t reopen for more than a decade post-war – Stari Most. (Literally meaning, ‘Old Bridge.’) If the crowd gives them 50 EURO? They’ll jump into the water below – a deafening 78 feet descent. We watched two successfully step off the ledge in just an hour.

Walking through Mostar in unforgiving 108-degree heat (!), a new friend who encouraged us to join her for this day trip, said to me: “This would be like our kids telling us they were going to Iraq. Bosnia means something completely different for our parents.”

She’s right. But her observation was not only striking, but humbling.

My hope is that when my children do become old enough to travel on their own, they choose to exercise their passport near and far. And I hope they’re able to go anywhere they wish to see in a world full of much more acceptance and open-mindedness than it is today.

If Mostar is any indication – love can, does and will – go a long way.