Be Part of the Family

04.07.23

Before getting up, I enjoy every second in this wonderful bed. I don't really want to leave here. I want to add another night. At least one... Actually, I want to go on holiday here and enjoy clean, functioning, and beautiful sanitary facilities for two weeks, which I don't have to share with anyone because they are in my room.

Of course, the breakfast leaves nothing to be desired either. The first time there is also some fruit. At least one apple for everyone. We are very happy about this apple. After all, we have been wishing for fresh fruit for days. So Jochri, Cornelia, and I.

The guesthouse Kacaku was there when we didn't expect it and when we needed it the most. It will always remain in our memory. Since then, I have been dreaming every night about the homemade cheese polenta served in a pretty ceramic bowl.

For today's stage, there are various options. Cornelia decides on a different route than Jochri and I. We, the pacemakers, as we now call ourselves, want to march 1.5 stages again today in order to reach the small village of Bambino Polje in the evening. That would mean that we can finish the PoB in 9 days instead of 10. From Bambino Polje, it is only 3 stages left.

Thought and done. We keep going until we reach the mentioned village, which actually only consists of 2-3 houses.

The path was once again very diverse and we are already leaving beautiful Kosovo, which we have just started to really like. So we're leaving when it's at its best and keeping this part of the trail in our best memory. Especially the good asphalt, on which we enjoyed running so much. Many other hikers even skip this part. A shame, if you ask me.

However, on this day, it is not only Kosovo that should leave a lasting impression on us.

Arriving at the point that Google Maps shows as the 'town center,' we look for a guesthouse. Shortly afterwards, however, it becomes clear to us that the selection here is very limited. To be exact, there are two houses to choose from. Both look very rural and rustic. There are also a few stables, cows running freely, and a stream naturally flowing under a small wooden bridge, which is also the entrance to one of the two houses. These nice little houses looked most like a guesthouse to us, so it should be our first point of contact.

Our arrival did not go unnoticed here either, and the neighbor boy ran over. His mother followed him, while at the same time an older woman and a little boy came out of the house we had targeted. A funny scene as we all stood there trying to communicate with a few words of English, hands, and feet. The mother and son were not even sure themselves whether their neighbor's house was a 'guesthouse,' but they kindly offered us to stay here. The older woman took us directly into the living room and showed us the premises, which in this case were limited to the living room and a bedroom on the upper floor. Plus kitchen and bathroom. A children's show was playing on the TV and it smelled like freshly cooked food. We agreed: paprika. Estimated room temperature about 28 degrees Celsius. The rooms were covered with large carpets. Underneath, there was concrete. There were so many carpets and older sofas that I would probably not have survived a night due to my dust allergy. Now I just had to somehow make it clear to the older woman that I would sleep outside under the pavilion.

The neighbor boy was definitely excited about our visit and could hardly be stopped while playing football. Christoph and I slipped into the role of Christiano Ronaldos despite our tired legs. Belmin, the young football player, could not be stopped and spoke to us as if we were supposed to understand every word. He also showed us his house and the puppies. Meanwhile, we were suddenly asked to help drive a cow or rather a bull into his stable. We were right in the middle of the action, trying to quickly integrate ourselves into the courtyard and family life. Christoph gave it his all and showed full commitment. With success. The bull was in the stable. So far so good. But it remained wild and exciting. In the meantime, the grandma had called her daughter, who should communicate with us over the phone in English, which was not quite so helpful due to the language barrier but also due to reception difficulties.

Shortly afterwards, the daughter arrived with her husband and some groceries. Our dinner seemed to be saved. Wow, this is what hospitality means here. The daughter took a picture with us first and showed us her Instagram profile. There are many ways to communicate. In any case, it was heartfelt. I think we were all a little overwhelmed, but it was nice nonetheless.

The daughter started cooking and we stayed outside, where something exciting was still happening. The very young boy, in any case, provided constant action. Either something was flying around or he came running to pinch someone's leg. The other boy, Belmin, still had plenty of energy to encourage us to play football.

The food was almost ready when Belmin suddenly came running up to us, gesturing wildly to let us know that we should come to the stable with him. We did just that. Whatever it was, we had arrived and were ready for it.

A cow was just giving birth to her calf. Everyone was in the stable. Belmin's mother and the grandma right in the middle. Where were the men actually? We don't know. But that doesn't matter, because the women naturally rocked the whole thing, and after this exciting event, we could finally eat. They had served us a lot. They also kept serving even though we objected, and they did it for everyone. 'No problems,' the daughter emphasized again and again. They had also taken some measures to accommodate the vegetarian and vegan guests within their means.

Now everyone else was in the living room, and especially the little boy continued to entertain us, for example, when he took off his diaper and did a classic streaker through the living room, and then decorated the entrance steps with ketchup. Our highlight: the little boy saw that I was pouring myself a juice and without hesitation, he took the glass when it was full, drank it in one go, and let out a hearty burp. It was just wonderful to be so welcomed as guests. After dinner, we also had coffee and fresh cake. It was very delicate. The grandma then lit a cigarette, visibly exhausted. Of course, they offered us one too. In this situation, however bizarre it was, I didn't miss out on this pleasure, even though it was really strange to smoke in the living room in the presence of children. But I can adapt well. We sat on the sofa for a while longer, and everyone seemed pretty tired but satisfied. I showed Belmin some more photos of my journey. This way, we could have a good conversation without many words.

Amidst all the excitement, we had completely forgotten that we had been hiking all day.

I slept outside under the pavilion. A pleasant night in the open air.