Kosovo

Driving around Balkans, part II for me and Juha. Last year our ”adult trip” took us driving around the Balkans: Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina. We enjoyed this trip so much that this year we decided to go back. This time to North Macedonia where my dear friend Manja comes from.

While visiting Macedonia, Juha and I looked at each other and said - well - why not drive around a bit. See other places while we are at it. Indeed I have only visited Serbia and Greece of the neighboring countries...

”Pizzerias and Gas stations”, said Manja’s dad when he heard that we planned to drive to Kosovo first: ”That’s what they started to build when the was was over.” And he was not wrong.

Entering Kosovo from Skopje with a rental car is easy. The border is like 15minute drive away from the city centre. The border controllers are not too bothered of us and we fail to get our passports stamped even though both Kosovo and North Macedonia are not European Union countries.

Last night we have had a fabulous Macedonian family dinner where we learned that even though most Macedonians would have liked to have become an EU country - the biggest problem was the regulation not to make your own Rakija at home. No more home made Booze..? Well, obviously we cant have that.

We drive around the mountains on Kosovo’s countryside to visit a small memorial of 45 civilians that were massacred for the sake that they were Albanian.

This started the war here in Shtime 20 years ago. The dead include children and elderly. They all have their faces carved in stone by the memorial side where we are probably the only visitors today. Maybe even this week or month.

The troubles in this area - like in many cases in the world - revolve around religion. In this case, Muslim and Orthodox. You can see Mosques everywhere. Super Markets in the countryside dont sell beer.

We stop at a restaurant and try to communicate with a confused Kosovian waiter.
”Which money do you use..?”
”...?!?”
”dinar..? Credit card..? Euro..?”
”Oooh! EURO!”

Luckily we have some cash. Our Macedonian prepaid internet cards have stopped working in Kosovo, even though we ”activated” the Balkan package and they should have worked... oh well.

It is our plan just to see Kosovo driving on one day and therefore we do not plan to spend the night here. Sometimes it is rather blissful to drive around without social media bothering.

Kosovo seems similar to Bosnia, or indeed Romania or another country at this part of The World. Lunch is two ham omelettes and a chicken salad. 5€ total... Juha is thinking of  moving here for the food-price ratio.

Green corn fields, Blue mountains, red rooftop villages. Beautiful country. There are storks on the field when we drive out of the country. A sign perhaps?


/ Eilen vierailimme Kosovossa. Viime vuoden Balkanin roadtrip-matkan jälkeen emme malttaneet olla tekemättä toista. Lisäksi ystävättäreni on Macedonialainen ja olen jo pitkän aikaa halunnut käydä täällä hänen kotimaassaan, joten päätimme suunnata tämänkin vuoden kesälomareissun Balkanille. Macedoniasta on lyhyen ajomatkan päässä montakin maata, jossa en ole vielä vieraillut: Kosovo ja Albania. Kreikassa ja Serbiassa olen viettänyt aikaa aiemminkin. Niinpä ensimmäisen päivän visiitti suuntautui Kosovoon. Ajoimme Shtimen kylään, jossa 1999-vuoden sota alkoi. Yli neljäkymmentä siviiliä murhattiin - mukaanlukien vanhuksia ja lapsia. Paikka vetää hiljaiseksi. Laakso on täynnä uudelleen rakennettavia punakattoisia omakotitaloja. Jokaisessa kylässä, jonka ohitamme, on myös moskeija. Paikalliset eivät juurikaan puhu englantia, mutta myyvät pitsaa ja bensaa. Makedonialaiset ystävämme olivatkin kertoneet meille eilen, että sodan jälkeen, alkoi Kosovon puolelle syntyä juurikin näitä: Huoltoasemia ja pitserioita. Mitä ihminen muuta tarvitsee paitsi ruokaa ja päästä liikkumaan...? Kosovosta matkamme jatkui Mavrovon kansallispuistoon takaisin Macedonian puolelle.