We arrive at the spa town of Vrnjačka Banja, where a folklore festival was taking place. Discreetly, we joined in the dances in the crowd, tasted a few sips of the local water, and once again got into our car and headed towards the last stop in Serbia, the rock formations of Davolja Varoš. On the way, we traveled peacefully through the hills and valleys when suddenly, out of nowhere, an old man on an even older tractor came barreling down the hill from a bend, almost sweeping us off the road, what a wild man. I hope he managed to brake down below. We passed the village of Pleš, where we stopped briefly to remember Dan Kuťák.

We reached the rocks in the late hours after closing time, but since the gate was open, we went in further and got the chance to see the rocks, a beautiful sunset over the local hills, and the small church of Saint Petka. One unnamed member even managed to break through the flimsy railing.

Around nine o'clock, we crossed the border and entered Kosovo. Here, a few locals attempted to play kamikaze in Balkan road traffic, but otherwise, nothing too terrible. The sleeping place somewhere in the woods and in the dark raised considerable concerns, with two of the bravest even considering sleeping in the car, but in the end, we all slept outside. You can read about the terrifying events that happened at night in the next article.

Hanz

Visit Adrian's family in Kosovo

23.07.23

As far as writing is concerned, I'm currently a bit behind. This is partly because I didn't have internet everywhere and partly because I'm actually out and about every day until late in the evening... Busy Busy

At the same time, I continue to meet many open-minded people with whom I have conversations, drink coffee, eat together, and ultimately, they change my 'plans', if I even had any, and as a result, I experience many unexpected things. Bürsti also reports more and more small problems that somehow need to be fixed. Busy, Busy... 

That's why it's now a bit harder for me to mentally and emotionally go back a few days to write about it. But that's how it is as a blogger, I've been told. I won't disappoint Vakantio. 

When I think back to the drive from Pristina to Peja, the first thing that comes to mind is that I wanted to mention the highway. You could say that in Kosovo there are real highways. Good highways. I was told that they started investing in infrastructure here earlier and more targeted than, for example, in Albania. The differences are quite noticeable.

When I think of the drive, I also immediately think of the countless cool cars, popular and trendy, especially German manufacturers, that are omnipresent on all streets here. It almost looks like they want to show off what they have when they come home. The numerous car wash stations are doing their best business these days, because what looks cooler than a Mercedes? Of course, a freshly washed, shiny Mercedes. Or maybe it's just because of the dusty roads.

In addition:

https://www.zueritoday.ch/videos/knattern-posen-runden-drehen-so-praesentieren-schweiz-kosovaren-ihre-autos-in-der-heimat-152656937

Of course, my observation is subjective and without judgment. 

For me, this lifestyle seems partly a bit strange. On the other hand, it's the same. Pretty sure. It is what it is and it's exciting and exciting to encounter what you encounter here... 

Peja itself seems to have adapted to the tourists and presents itself not entirely touristy with all its clothing, handbag, and jewelry stores. The vibe itself reminded me a lot of Pristina and Prizren. With different 'sights', of course, but somehow similar in terms of atmosphere, offerings, and people. I didn't take much time for that. As usual, I drink coffee, recognized and spoken to as a German, small talk, ride a bike a bit, and stroll through the pedestrian zone. 

Peja is almost on the border with Montenegro and is more or less surrounded by mountains, gorges, rivers, and (untouched) nature. 

Back at the camper, the daily question arises: What now? Where to? There is little Park4night. No campsites either. Other motorhomes are elsewhere, definitely not here. 

Best time to browse through my tried and tested 'Balkan Roadtrip Handbook' again. This literary and pictorial compilation has been quite helpful in the past. It contains coordinates for parking lots, among other things. It also includes selected descriptions of interesting places and useful general information about the countries. Yes, I would recommend it to a friend. (Balkan Peninsula, M. David Brecht, Stefanie Hardt) 

One of the recommendations then helped me make the decision and led me to the monastery Visoki Decani, about 30 minutes away. 

The guys from the fruit and vegetable stall, where I stopped on the way, were also very communicative. Their main topic was women. Very funny conversation, in which some statements may not completely correspond to my attitude, but still okay. 

To my initial surprise, the access road is guarded and monitored by soldiers. I only understand why later. Although I had been told about the difficult political situation time and time again, it was just a story. Seeing the soldiers made a different impression and led me to look into the history and background a bit more closely. My conclusion: it's complicated. As often. History may be history, but people, depending on where they come from and what they have experienced, usually tell their own story, resulting in different perspectives as well. 

The Serbian Orthodox monastery is still guarded by European soldiers. In 2004, the KOFOR had to defend the monastery against a mob of Albanian nationalists. KOFOR stands for Kosovo Force and is a multinational military formation established under the leadership of NATO in 1999, after the end of the Kosovo War. Very exciting, but also a topic in itself.

Also in 1998-1999, hostilities, initiated by the UCK (Kosovo Liberation Army, was an Albanian paramilitary ultranationalist organization that fought for the independence of Kosovo), were directed against the Serbian Orthodox monks. This would contribute something to the educational mission once again. 

To enter the monastery, I have to change clothes first. Shorts are not allowed. Lucky for me, it wasn't as hot anymore. Photos are also not allowed. 

The almost 700-year-old monastery exudes deep serenity. Already upon entering, one is captivated by the spiritual atmosphere. The grounds are well-kept and maintained. A place to feel good and come to oneself. The interior of the monastery, the frescoes, are truly admirable. 

Small side story:

In the outdoor area, I meet a Serb named Jovan, who invites me to the 'monastery cafe' to talk about coffee and Raki. Nice guy who was very sociable. At the same time, a bit weird. Very weird, as it would turn out later. 

Communication was a bit difficult because he hardly spoke English....

Long story short:

After we exchanged numbers, he kept sending me messages that I couldn't understand. The next day, he kept calling me over and over again. What he actually wanted. No idea. It started to annoy me anyway and had a strange taste. His messages then became increasingly provocative and sexual. Pretty uncool... Blocked contact. Easy. It's strange, but you can encounter something like this too. 

At my request, the guys from KOFOR recommend that I continue following the road with my camper for a while and then be able to park at a riverbed. 

Best tip. Best spot so far in Kosovo. Finally, nature, peace, and space to spread out, do sports, etc. 

I also found it very interesting to drive into the river with his car to wash it there. But since the river is used just as frequently for this purpose as the thousands of car wash stations in the cities, it quickly became clear to me: that's how it's done here. Normal. 

And while you're at it, you might as well thoroughly clean all the upholstery from home. But only with biodegradable soap, of course. 

On that day, I made fun of it, but the next morning I found myself in the riverbed to give my friend Bürsti another little wash. And to refill water. I was also just about to wash my carpets. It got postponed. 

All in all, an excellent spot. Finally, camping in peace again. You can also swim in the beautiful cold water from the mountains. 

The decision to stay one more day was already made that evening. 

Further video recommendations:

https://www.zueritoday.ch/videos/deshalb-gefaellt-den-schweiz-kosovaren-der-ausgang-in-der-heimat-besser-152668389

https://www.zueritoday.ch/videos/prost-qenan-haziri-nimmt-ein-schweizer-bierfaessli-mit-in-den-kosovo-152625175

For today, I have an appointment with Benjamin, a tattoo artist from Pristina.

A few days ago, I sent Benjamin an email and simply searched for information on the internet beforehand. A larger city is perfect for things like this...

Before I hop on my bike in the morning, I stop by Feim's cafe next door. Since I'm only 10m away in the parking lot and I'm already a regular, we naturally know each other by now. He speaks German, not surprisingly. His brother lives in Esslingen and he himself has lived in BaWü as well. A few years ago, he came back and opened a small cafe here. He lives right upstairs and even his siblings, who actually live in Germany, have an apartment here. They're coming to visit him next week. That's how it goes here... Delicious coffee with milk and a bit of chatting, then off to the city.

On the second day with the bike, I feel a bit like I actually live in the city. Having the bike with me definitely makes things much easier. Especially in the cities, you're super flexible and independent. And sometimes I feel a little bit at home when I cruise through the streets like this.

You never really know what to expect when you plan a tattoo based on a few pieces of information from the internet....

Beni is definitely a very likeable and smart guy, who I got along with perfectly right from the start. He is also very open and interested, so we talked about all sorts of things. Among other things, we also talked about the many 'tourists' who are currently visiting from Switzerland and Germany. He and his friends lovingly call this time 'Schatzi Time'. On the one hand because they're visiting family, but also because 'money is coming in'. And of course, in German... For him, it's also a time when he works a lot. Beni also mentioned that 37 planes arrived in Kosovo today alone. That's quite a lot for such a small country.

When it comes to his job, he is really professional and does really good work.

The 27-year-old was born in Pristina and studied art here. He now tattoos full-time. Before that, he worked as a graphic designer.

After the first session in the morning, we immediately scheduled a second one in the afternoon.

I would go back anytime. Had a really good time with Beni in his studio.

In the end, he asked me if I would like to try tattooing myself sometime... I had actually wanted to do that for a long time. He showed me everything and I gave myself my first tattoo. It was amazing. A little dream come true. It went pretty well too.

Beni said that occasionally he offers this to clients when his instinct tells him it might be a good fit. Beni is not only a cool guy, but also a creative artist. His entire studio and the way he works and what matters to him, make the place more than just a standard tattoo shop. At the end of the day, the studio should be a space for creative expression and not lose its natural underground character. In line with this, all his clients are allowed to immortalize themselves on one of the walls with a spray can or other utensils. Smoking, drinking, eating, no problem at all, as long as you feel comfortable. And I did. It was a beautiful and unique day.

Today, I drive about 80km north from the south of the country to the capital, Pristina. The city has about 200,000 inhabitants and is considered a very young and dynamic city. The country itself also has the youngest population in Europe. The city is the focal point of the country and therefore also its cultural, economic, and political center.

At noon, I reach the city, which suddenly appears out of nowhere in front of me. There is a lot of open nature around it and, in my impression, very little civilization.

However, I quickly realize that the city is extremely lively and popular, already noticing it at the first roundabout. In addition to the high traffic volume, I also notice the many Swiss and German license plates on the cars again. It seems to be peak season and people are using their vacation time to return to their homeland, visit family and friends.

At first, I catch this vibe. It is exciting to suddenly be part of this way of life, part of this bubble.

But this feeling of excitement does not last very long, as finding a parking space turns out to be anything but easy. On the one hand, there are very few entries on Park4Night, and on the other hand, the city is simply full of cars. Bürsti has simply grown too big..

I would have preferred to leave the city immediately. But I already had a tattoo appointment for the next day.

To counteract the strongly declining mood, I stopped at the next supermarket. Cold lemon soda and a few cookies have proven to be useful in such situations. Most of the time.

Once again, I am approached outside in the parking lot. 'German?' 'Yes!' 'Ahhhhh, how are you my friend? Everything okay? Yes, no, thank you.'

Nice guy. Funny conversation in German and English. He asks if he can look at my motorhome. Of course.

For most people, this is already something special and unfamiliar, that people like me are traveling through Europe in this way and alone. The reactions are usually very positive despite a little lack of understanding. For some, this is probably a bit strange and although I am now familiar with these situations, I sometimes also feel a bit strange. I already feel like I stand out even more here than in some regions in Albania. So far, I have only seen one other motorhome.

Anyway. Actually, this is often exactly what makes a journey exciting and thrilling. These encounters trigger something in me, occupy me sustainably, and usually leave a lasting impression.

In this case, the helpfulness of the man saved my day. He asked if I needed a parking space and offered me to use the one near his café. Perfect. He drove ahead, I followed. An ideal parking space, with some shade, next to a park, about 3km from the city center.

Directly adjacent to the parking space, a small shady café invites you to linger. My new regular café.

Before I plunge back into the hustle and bustle of the capital, I enjoy the peace and the bearable temperature under the trees for a while.

My first stop in the center was supposed to be a second-hand shop. Who needs culture when there is the opportunity to rummage through musty piles of clothes, in search of a fancy vintage piece that only has a place in one of my overcrowded closets if I lose one of my t-shirts at a festival like last week?

Vintage & Art is the name of the store and to my disappointment, I had to realize that the selection for men was very limited. As a consolation, I convinced myself that I could use another pair of sunglasses.

I cycled aimlessly through the area a little bit, just to have seen a bit of Pristina. In the end, it's just a city that actually has a young, lively character. But for me, it was almost a bit too lively, which is why I returned to my base quite soon.

Shade and peace and maybe a cup of coffee, that's actually all I wanted.

By chance, I saw on Maps that a large outdoor pool surrounded by a forest was only 2km away from me.

Shade + water is somehow better than just shade.

So off to the swimming pool. Good decision. Far away from the flashy SUVs and other hot rides, it's quite pleasant to be here.

I'm returning again...

Even though my motivation is still lost somewhere in Shkodra and hasn't resurfaced, I'm here to write a blog post...

This time from the beautiful, yet completely unknown to me, Kosovo.

After almost 2 months in Albania, the Peaks of the Balkans, volunteering in a hostel in Shkodra, a festival, and many other wonderful experiences, I am once again traveling alone - back on the road. I almost lack words to describe all the beautiful moments and encounters in Albania. A country that has taken a special place in my travel heart. But it's not just the country itself that has made a lasting impression. It's mainly the people you meet. Some even became friends. That makes me really happy.

Similar to Albania, Kosovo has sparked my interest. Especially because it is not (yet) one of the typical vacation countries and is less touristy compared to other Balkan countries, but still unique and exciting.

Just considering the history of this small country with two million inhabitants, there is a lot to tell. Without having delved into it, you still come across it quite often in everyday life, especially in conversations with people here. The same happened on my first morning, at some gas station near Prizren. They asked me directly if I'm from Germany, as if I had those black-red-golden stripes on my face and one of those cool flags on my car windows.

Actually, I'm always very happy when I start a conversation with people and they are interested. Because I am interested too, and it's always a joy to somehow communicate with each other.

In any case, they immediately invited me for a coffee and the former soldier talked about the division of Albania. Ultimately, it wasn't easy to follow him, but it wasn't because of the language. His German was good. The Serbs didn't come out well, that's as much as I remember.

The communication has been super easy so far because many people here speak German. Not surprising to me, considering that almost half of the population now lives abroad, especially in Switzerland and Germany.

About 30 km from the Albanian border lies the city of Prizren, which was recommended to me in advance and should be my first stop in Kosovo. The city in the south of the country has 85,000 inhabitants and is worth seeing with its mosques, Orthodox cathedrals, and synagogues. The river Prizrenzka Bistrica flows underneath ancient stone bridges, through the charming, lively city center. You can enjoy a splendid view from the Kalaja Fortress, located slightly above the city. In the center itself, there are once again plenty of cafes and restaurants. The touristic side of the city is also reflected in the many small souvenir shops and jewelry stores.

I'm spending one night in a well-visited parking lot right next to a park. It's also very popular among the locals and is perfect for visiting some of the cafes, a mini amusement park for children, and the city center.

In the mornings and evenings, people also go for walks here. Regardless of age, with or without sportswear, once it's not scorching hot anymore, people use the park to move around. Everyone does it. There are also a few outdated fitness equipment pieces that seem to be particularly popular among the over 70-year-olds. A picture that still brings a smile to my face. They all eagerly occupied the area with the fitness equipment. Even in slow motion, they were all active and on the move.

Speaking of movement. To be honest, I'm moving around in slow motion now too, because everything else is too hot. Most of the time, I escape to as shady places as possible or somewhere near water. Nevertheless, I dragged myself up to the fortress in what felt like 48 degrees. I had hoped to at least cool off my feet a bit in the nearby river and also wash them, but you'll search in vain for bathing spots here. The only leisure activities listed here are drinking coffee, shopping, and walking. The first one is now part of me too. I already miss swimming or the sea.

Even though the city and the parking lot were ultimately too chaotic for me, I still arrived well in the land of emigrants. I'm looking forward to more impressions and encounters.

Tomorrow, I will go to the capital, Pristina.

Since there is often no internet on the way and the hiking days are getting longer, here's a brief summary...

Started walking with Cornelia. Johanna and Christoph left a bit earlier, with the goal of possibly walking further than the actual stage destination on this day.

Just like every day, there are several meters of altitude to overcome. For this stage, it's about 1200 meters.

Lost track of Cornelia near the end. I arrive in Reka Allegas, my own destination, in the early afternoon. By the way, since yesterday I am on Kosovar soil.

Waited in Reka Allegas for Cornelia for a while and considered continuing to walk. It's still about 3 hours and another 500 meters of altitude to Drelaj, the place where Johanna and Christoph are heading. The descent would be about the same for this day.

Reka Allegas was not particularly inviting, so I decided to keep walking. I would also be happy to meet the two lovely people from Hamburg again.

So, muster all the strength again. I even meet Cornelia again along the way. Proudly reach the place and fortunately meet Jochri again. Jochri is the shortcut for Johanna and Christoph from here on.

They have already checked into a guesthouse. The little house looked really nice. In general, the houses here in Kosovo seemed a bit more upscale. Couldn't miss out on dinner and now dreaming about it. It was one of the best meals in a long time. The whole house and atmosphere were very stylish and above all, really clean. I almost feel a bit too dirty to sit at the table. But the hunger is stronger...

Really nice to meet Jochri again. They also celebrate the fancy guesthouse and it attracts me so much that I spontaneously decide to check in here. The price is fine, only 35 for everything.

The host is also super friendly and speaks excellent German.

I can't wait to get my room, take a shower, and then use the WiFi from the fresh bed until my eyes close.

Cornelia is camping outside in the garden.

We drive to Gjakova, this city was heavily hit during the 1999 war, memorial plaques remind of it. Hard to imagine, yet it happened so recently.

Everywhere we stop, we come into contact with locals and every second person can speak German, lives in Germany or has family there, probably because of war and fleeing.

Really everyone is super open and very very nice, we are even invited for drinks!

We enjoy the day, drink coffee, hike up the hill next to the city, and when a thunderstorm approaches, we sit in a bakery and eat to our heart's content for only 1.90€ 😍 then we go on a little shopping tour, Heidi sits on the floor in the store and it's just funny and beautiful. We spend the evening in a restaurant in one of the oldest houses in the city and eat everything that is recommended to us without understanding a word and the food is fantastic! We pay 26€ for all the specialties that the house had to offer and we are completely satisfied and happy! What an excellent day 😍

We decide that we want to see a little more of Kosovo and continue further north. The next day, we drive to the next city: Peja with a stop at two monasteries. The first one is a monastery of a brotherhood with incredibly well-preserved frescoes up to the ceiling - we are deeply impressed! Again, everyone here is endlessly nice and we are invited to relax on a balcony in the monastery courtyard with a drink. Crazy, but because the monastery is Serbian Orthodox and in the middle of Kosovo, it is still guarded by NATO troops, who apparently actually had to prevent attempted attacks from time to time, such as a few years ago with explosives and a few years before that with a rocket launcher.

Then we visit another monastery, beautifully located in front of a mountain panorama and equally beautiful old frescoes. We treat ourselves to the audio guides, but we have to realize that the information is really too detailed and long, and we only remember that some frescoes come from talented artists and some from artists with rather modest talent (partly also available without an audio guide). 😄

Our stroll through the city is great again! We are even invited to lunch by another local who speaks German, just like that. Really super nice!

Our trip to Kosovo takes us to Prizren, a beautiful city on the river, with a castle and endless shops for wedding dresses and gold jewelry. Wow, there is a lot of glitter!

We are very happy to have seen a bit of Kosovo, it really is an enrichment!

As a traveler and hiker, I am naturally heavily influenced by the English language, and since it sounds cooler, the headline is in English today. Yes.

Sammy will be on his own from today onwards. He is taking a different path, so our ways are separating. I really enjoyed the time with him as a companion on the road. See you around.

However, for today's stage, I'm in good company again. Both Johanna and Christoph, as well as Cornelia, arrived at the same accommodation the night before. Like most people, they also want to hike the Peaks of the Balkans. Johanna and Christoph are from Hamburg. They are both super nice and likable. They are actually traveling with a van.

Cornelia is from Denmark. The 27-year-old veterinarian is well equipped and sleeps in her tent. Even the heavy rain and thunderstorms don't deter her. Pretty tough. I immediately get along with her as well. There are few people with whom I can have such detailed conversations about outdoor equipment. She works at an outdoor shop in Copenhagen.

After breakfast, we start together as a newly formed group of four.

Pretty cloudy or changeable weather. Sweating, freezing, putting on jackets and taking them off.

As always, steep climbs.

Along the way, Christoph unpacks his drone. With the beautiful surroundings, you naturally get magnificent shots.

Great atmosphere to be on the road with the group. And this despite the excessively muddy and worn-out paths. Actually cow paths. We weren't on the right path anymore. At some point, it starts raining too. That's exactly what was missing on such paths.

During a cozy break, a whole gang of young cows suddenly approaches. Close together, driven by their curiosity or maybe hunger, they get closer and closer to our picnic table. A funny scenario.

In Milishevc, Johanna and Christoph go to a guesthouse. Cornelia and I had originally planned to camp, but then we spontaneously find an empty hut. This time without cow dung, but with a beautiful wooden balcony and an priceless view of the meadows and mountains. A truly perfect place for an overnight stay.

The weather report predicts rain and thunderstorms for today's lunchtime. That's why the alarm clock goes off at 06:00 am. The plan is to take advantage of the day for an extra summit and then return to the accommodation. The highest mountain in Kosovo (2656m) is the target and is located just 10km from our starting point in Doberdol. Today, we have to conquer 1450 meters.

06:00 am - wake up. Breakfast takes a bit longer because about 40 people want to eat at the same time and then leave as soon as possible. The accommodation here is very simple and rustic. For example, the electricity and the internet only work through solar power. It's 08:00 am by the time we leave. The Irish group has the same plan and we set off together.

Sammy and I climb without taking a break and reach the peak in just 3 hours. After a quick snack and a photo session at the top, we take the same path back that we came from, hoping to escape the predicted rain and thunderstorms as much as possible. Unfortunately, we get a little lost, which costs us some more time. Back on the actual trail, the weather forecast turns out to be right and it starts raining heavily out of nowhere. Thunder and lightning follow. The storm is directly above us. It's really not a good feeling to be on the mountain under these conditions. Within a very short time, I'm soaked and the wind is blowing hard from the side. Just keep walking...

Fortunately, the dry accommodation is within sight and when we almost reached it, the rain subsides again.

By the way, Oscar proved again today why he is a true mountaineering dog. We were just on the first hundred meters of the descent when Oscar suddenly shot towards us. He was with the Irish group and actually followed them to the summit and back down.

Spent the evening relaxing with the group.

Tomorrow, we will continue on the PofB Trek.

Von Nordmazedonien aus wollten wir weiter in das jüngste Land Europas fahren, das Kosovo. Aber das gestaltet sich gar nicht so einfach. Das Kosovo wird seit dem Kosovokrieg von Serbien nicht als eigenes Land, sondern weiterhin als serbisches Staatsgebiet betrachtet. Da ist Serbien aber nicht allein, neben Russland, erkennen selbst die EU-Länder Spanien und Griechenland das Kosovo nicht an. Also fristet der Kosovo ein Schattendasein auf dem Balkan mit großer Untersützung der meisten Nato-Staaten und Albaniens, ist aber regelmäßigen Schikanen Serbiens ausgesetzt. Da Serbien den Kosovo nicht als Land anerkennt, sind natürlich auch die Außengrenzen des Kosovos nach serbischem Verständnis serbische Außengrenzen, aber eben ohne serbische Grenzbeamte. Somit ist jeder, der von Albanien, Montenegro oder Nordmazedonien in den Kosovo einreist und weiter nach Serbien fährt offiziell illegal im Land. Um bei unserem späteren Abstecher nach Serbien bei der Einreise keine Probleme zu bekommen mussten wir also einen großen Umweg fahren um zuerst nach Serbien einzureisen und dann von Serbien in den Kosovo zu fahren.

Unser erstes Ziel im Kosovo ist die Hauptstadt Pristina. Hier hatten wir schon ein AirBnB gemietet und bangten pünktlich anzukommen, denn das Fahren durch den Kosovo zieht sich. Die meisten Verbindungen sind nur Landstraßen, die einen durch sämtliche Orte entlang des Weges führen und jeder der Orte hat seinen eigenen kleinen Verkehrsinfarkt. Von allen Ländern, die wir besuchten, herrschte hier das größte Verkehrschaos. Aber von der Straße aus bekamen wir gleich einen ersten Eindruck von der Zerissenheit, denn je nach Ort und der vorherrschenden Ethnie im Ort wehten entweder serbische oder kosovarische und albanische Fahnen an den Straßen. Es war wie in Nordirland, wo sich die Beflaggung auch je nach Stadtteil änderte.

Also kamen wir erst recht spät in Pristina an und haben für die ungefähr 200 km Fahrt von Skopje nach Pristina einen ganzen Tag gebraucht.

Auf dem Mutter-Teresa-Platz sind wir immer mal wieder mit Einheimischen kurz ins Gespräch gekommen. Fast alle fragten mit großen Augen, ob wir denn schon in Albanien gewesen sind und wo es uns in Albanien am besten gefallen hat. Entweder wissen sie, dass der Kosovo nicht viel zu bieten hat oder die Verbindungen und der Stolz auf Albanien sind noch riesig.

Wir merkten aber schnell, dass es in Pristina nicht so viel mehr zu tun und zu sehen gibt. Zum Glück fand aber gerade die Kunstbienale Manifesta 14 in Pristina statt. Das öffnete uns einige Türen, die uns sonst verborgen geblieben wären.

Pristina erstickt im Verkehr, die Straßen sind verstopft und jede Brachfläche, von denen es einige gibt, wird zum Parken genutzt. Leider gibt es auch kaum Parks und Grünflächen. So gibt es auch relativ wenig Spielplätze um Karl ein wenig freizulassen. Die Menschen hier verbringen ihre Zeit eher im Café. Cafés gibt es sehr, sehr viele und im Verlgeich zu Albanien, sind sie hier auch sehr oft von Frauen besucht. Viele Cafés öffnen bereits früh um 7 oder 8 Uhr. Aber ein Café zum Frühstücken zu finden ist echt schwer, denn die meisten haben wirklich nur Kaffee und ein paar Desserts im Angebot. Trotzdem sind sie schon morgens gut besucht für den Kaffee und die Zigarette in Gemeinschaft am Morgen.

Im Großen und Ganzen zeigt sich Pristina als typisch südosteuropäische Stadt mit vielen Betonbauten.

Für den Kosovo gilt: Gewalt zahlt sich aus. Also zumindest wenn man die Staatsgründung betrachtet. Im Kosovo leben schon immer vorrangig Albaner, aber auch die Serben waren immer präsent. Für die Serben stellt das Gebiet sogar einen wichtigen Teil der serbischen Identität dar. Immerhin befinden sich hier ein paar der wichtigsten serbisch-orthodoxen Klöster und hier fand auch die heroische Schlacht auf dem Amselfeld statt. Die Serben wurden dabei zwar von den Osmanen ordentlich vermöbelt und verloren die Schlacht, trotzdem begründet sich der Nationalnarrativ Serbiens auf diese Schlacht. Die Schlacht fand unweit von Pristina auf dem Kosovo Polje (Fusha e Kosovës) statt. Davon leitet sich auch der heutige Name des Kosovo ab.

Insofern wollte Serbien den Kosovo ungern abgeben. Allerdings nervten die ganzen Albaner im Kosovo. Denn diese wollten sich nach dem Zusammenbruch Jugoslawiens nur noch ungern von den Serben regieren lassen und strebten nach Unabhängigkeit. Also führten die Serben einige Schikanen gegen die Albaner im Kosovo ein und im Kosovo gründete sich die UÇK für den Unabhängigkeitskampf. Nach kleinen Intermezzos und gewaltsamen Attacken der UÇK ging der Konflikt aber schnell in einen Bürgerkrieg über. Um einen Genozid zu verhindern griff schließlich die Nato mit dem KFOR-Einsatz ein und beendete den blutigen Konflikt recht schnell, allerdings ohne Legitimation der UNO. Zur Wahrung der Sicherheit des Landes sind nach wie vor KFOR-Truppen notwendig und viele Länder erkennen den Kosovo aufgrund der erfolgreichen Autonomiebestrebungen nicht an.

Von Pristina ging es durchs Land gen Westen nach Prizren. Die Straßen waren gut ausgebaut, hier scheint viel Fördergeld zu fließen. Was auffällt, es gibt entlang der Route einige große Läden, die Dieselgeneratoren im allen Größen verkaufen, vom kleinen Generator für den Garten bis zum Generator in Autogröße um einen Wohnblock zu versorgen. Hier zeigt sich dann doch die marode Infrastruktur, die von regelmäßigen Stromausfällen geplagt ist.

Auf dem Weg nach Prizren stoppten wir noch an einem kleinen Wasserfall, der als die Plitwitzersee des Kosovo beschrieben wird. Naja, es war ein Wasserfall. Aber die Fahrt übers Land dorthin war ein wenig erschreckend, jedes Feld, jeder Feldweg, jede Parkbucht wurde genutzt um Müll abzulagern.

Prizren ist die Perle des Kosovo. Hier trifft orientalisches Gewusel und Verkehrschaos auf eine schöne osmanische Altstadt und das eingerahmt von den albanischen Alpen. Von hier ist es über die Autobahn nur eine Stunde bis an den Strand von Durrës, auf dem wir selbst noch vor einem Monat waren. Wir mieteten uns wieder ein AirBnB in den verwinkelten Gassen. Beim buchen wussten wir nicht,  dass wir in einer Art Englischgrundschule schlafen würden, die gerade Ferien hat. Also hatten wir einen Haufen Platz und super kinderfreundlich war die Wohnung auch noch.

Auf dem Spielplatz trafen wir auf einen Exilkosovaren, der jetzt in der Schweiz lebt und auf Familienbesuch ist. Besser gesagt ist er auf Hochzeitsmarathon und hat gerade Verschnaufpause auf dem Spielplatz. Im Sommer ist hier Hochzeitshochsaison und alle Kosovaren kommen zurück in die Heimat. Später in der Rugova-Schlucht trafen wir auch auf eine Familie, die in einer Woche vier Hochzeiten absolviert. Naja, aber da der Schweizer nun schon hier ist, lässt er sich eben gleich noch günstig die Zähne machen, während er überlegt noch ein paar Immobilien in der Stadt zu kaufen. Auf dicke Hose machen können die Exilkosovaren auf jeden Fall, aber laut seinen Aussagen ist er auch relativ bekannter Fußballer in Deutschland bei Trier und in der Schweiz gewesen. Wen man nicht so alles trifft...

Kosovo ist nicht nur der jüngste Staat Europas, sondern auch der jüngste Staat was den Altersdurchschnitt angeht. Insofern gibt es viele Hochzeiten zu feiern. Aber es gibt eben auch viele Jugendliche, die die Schule besuchen oder in Ausbildung sind. Genau für die gibt es eine Masse an privaten "Hochschulen" und jeder zehnte Einwohner des Landes ist in einer Hochschule eingeschrieben. Gegen verhältnismäßig hohe Kosten erlangen die Studenten hier Abschlüsse, die allerdings in keinster Weise internationalen Ansprüchen genügen bzw. in Fächern abgeschlossen werden, die im Kosovo absolut nicht gebraucht werden. Juliane besuchte zum Beispiel im Rahmen einer Dienstreise eine Verkehrshochschule in Pristina, die sich am Ende eher als Fahrschule mit Konferenzraum entpuppte. So gibt es in dem Land viel zu viele arbeitslose Akademiker, obwohl doch Handwerker und Fachkräfte für den Aufbau des Landes und der Wirtschaft viel mehr gebraucht werden würden.

Wie bereits erwähnt befinden sich im Kosovo für Serbien wichtige orthodoxe Klöster. Zwei davon liegen in der Nähe von Peja, unserem nächsten Etappenziel. Das Kloster Viskoi Decani wird noch immer streng von KFOR-Soldaten bewacht. Aktuell waren Österreicher vor Ort und hatten ihre eigenen Puchs mitgebracht. Leider wurden wir freundlich verscheucht, als wir neben den Verwandten vom G parken wollten. Wir mussten wieder unsere Pässe abgeben und Juliane musste sich bedecken um das Kloster zu besuchen. Viel war nicht los und in der Klosterkirche nahm uns direkt ein Mönch an die Hand und zeigte uns alles und ließ Karl mit der Kircheneinrichtung spielen. Danach wurden wir noch auf Kaffee, Raki und Burek eingeladen.

Das Kosovo ist ungefährt so groß wie halb Sachsen-Anhalt und hat, genauso wie Sachsen-Anhalt den Brocken hat, nur eine Naturschönheit, die Rugova-Schlucht. Diese liegt im Nordwesten bei Peja und ist für viele DAS Ausflugsziel hier. Sie ist wirklich schön und man kann Wandern, Klettern, Klettersteige gehen und Zip-Lining machen.  Aber das übliche Problem tritt hier wieder offensichtlich zu Tage: Müll, Müll, Müll. Einen Wanderer, den wir trafen und der uns fragte, wie es uns hier gefällt, sprachen wir darauf an. Er tat zumindest sichtlich beschämt und meinte nur, für das Verhalten seiner Mitmenschen könne er nichts.

Bevor wir den Kosovo endgültig verlassen noch eine kurze Anekdote zur Seriösität dieses Staates. Der erste Ministerpräsident des Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, ist ein Mitbegründer der paramilitärischen UÇK, die den Kampf gegen die Serben führte. Dabei gingen sie nicht zimperlich mit Serben, politischen Gegnern und anderen Ethnien um und Thaçi wird für 100 Morde direkt verantwortlich gemacht. Deshalb ermittelt ein Sondergerichtshof gegen ihn in einem Prozess, der seit 2020 bis heute andauert. Zusätzlich werden ihm Verwicklungen in den illigalen Organhandel während des Kosovokrieges vorgeworfen. Tatsächlich sind aber alle acht wichtigen Zeugen gegen ihn auf mysteriöse Weise verstorben oder zu Tode gekommen. Zwar ist Thaçi nach erfolgter Anklage 2020 vom Ministerpräsidentenposten zurückgetreten, aber dass jemand mit so viel vermeindlichem Dreck am Stecken überhaupt in diesen Posten kommen kann wirkt auf uns topseriös.

For a €9 room you have to put up with a lot. Except for a bed, there was no other furniture. Or the mirror in the bathroom fixed with duct tape, you can still tolerate that. But the fact that the room was not cleaned, there were still half-drunk beverage bottles lying around, or the mold in the bathroom, that was quite serious, even by Albanian standards. When the landlord presented me with the bill, I almost exploded. €9 for the room, then I double-checked, €24 for a beer, 1 cola and a lukewarm bad meal. When I tried to protest, the landlord suddenly couldn't understand English or German anymore, the night before it still worked.

Without accepting the coffee he offered, I left the hotel with nasty words to start towards Kosovo.

Even Albania has become much more expensive compared to my trip in 2019.

I went back to the mountains, but it must have rained a lot up here at night. There had been a lot of rockfall, sometimes the lane on the sloping side could not be used.

Then the border crossing to Kosovo soon came into view. Very nice processing, only, I didn't know that I was missing a vehicle insurance for Kosovo. The green insurance card is not recognized here. But there are insurance offices at the border crossings. Here I could take out a policy for 15 days for €10. I should have paid in €, but I only had Albanian Lek with me. One of the border police officers persuaded the insurance representative to accept Lek and he even changed a large banknote, I emphasize, without asking for anything in return. He just wanted to be friendly, wished me a warm welcome to Kosovo and a pleasant onward journey.

Shortly after the border, in the next town, I took a coffee break

I paid 50 cents for 2 coffees and the obligatory glass of water. That made me feel more reconciled.

I continued through Pizren, I would have liked to take a closer look at the city, but the temperature had risen to 30 degrees again, chaotic city traffic and the lack of secure parking spaces made me continue driving.

Once again up to 1200 meters. Up here, it was only 19 degrees. Shortly before, I had opened all ventilation options of my clothing, which now almost gave me frostbite 🥶😅. Fortunately, I went downhill quickly, on this side, it was only 27 degrees. Shortly before Pristina, I chose a hotel. I wanted to drive through the capital of Kosovo in the morning coolness and then turn towards North Macedonia.

One more note: The average income of a Kosovar is €400 per month. The price of gasoline here is €1.88. This should make some German complainers think.

Ps. If you visit a bar/restaurant or similar in Kosovo, you should have toilet paper with you. There is almost none available on publicly accessible toilets.

May 30, 2022: Rugova Mountains

Before crossing another national border, we want everyone to write a conclusion about Kosovo. We wrote it independently of each other, without knowing the content of the other. So here are our conclusions about Kosovo:

1. Many people in Kosovo say that Kosovo is like Albania without a beach. I don't think that's completely true. Sure, Kosovo also has beautiful mountain regions like Albania, and mainly Albanians live in Kosovo, but the history of the last 25 years has changed the country dramatically. The Kosovo War was cruel and terrible like any war in the world. Nevertheless, I am very grateful that we met people who told us their stories from the war when they fled from the Serbs as 7-9 year olds (#134). Regardless of whether the Serbs or the UÇK were right and whether the NATO intervention was legal, people my age in the former war zone were able to vividly show me what happened back then. I also know this from my grandparents in Germany, but this was somehow different - probably because they were the same age as myself. The tensions between Serbs and Albanians still exist, but as a tourist, you don't notice that directly. The KFOR is still present, but even in the border area between Kosovo and Serbia, we were able to stay without any problems. However, I would advise against going there without locals, as there are still some areas that may contain landmines.

Just like Albania, Kosovo also has absolutely beautiful landscapes and at the same time a trash problem that sometimes mars this beauty a little. In addition, I would say that the Albanians in Kosovo are even friendlier than the Albanians we met in Albania. This is of course just my opinion, but I found that English is much more widely spoken in Kosovo, which made the already great Albanian hospitality even better for me. Many Kosovars were also particularly fond of us two Germans, as they received a lot of help from the German NATO troops during the Kosovo War.

Now a brief overview of the traffic and road conditions in Kosovo. The traffic is just as crazy as everywhere else in the Balkans. When people from Kosovo come to Germany, they are often stopped by the police because they are once again driving without a seat belt. Many drivers in Kosovo do that. The roads are mostly in good condition. There are only a few unpaved roads left, and it's particularly fun to drive on the new north-south highway from Pristina to Skopje.

Many people in Kosovo wish for more tourists to come to their country, as they are currently experiencing what is happening in Albania. Some see the lack of a beach and the fact that Kosovo has not yet been recognized as an independent country by all nations as a major problem. The latter also makes it difficult for many Kosovars to leave the country or travel to the EU. Unlike all neighboring countries, Kosovo does not have a travel agreement with the EU. I can only highly recommend a visit to Kosovo and if you want to experience an authentic off-road day in Kosovo, I can only recommend the guys from OffRoad Drenica.

2. Kosovo is an impressive country with beautiful nature and incredibly nice people.

Kosovo is full of high, beautiful mountains, especially the border regions on all sides are mountainous, and there is only a plain in the middle of the country. My favorite places were the Rugova Mountains (#135) and the Mokra Mountains near Berim in the west of the country (#134). There are waterfalls, hidden caves that have not yet been fully explored, and hot springs. Like in other Balkan countries, there are bears and wolves here, but you only rarely encounter them in the wild; you can admire bears better at the bear sanctuary in Pristina. But the real reason for a trip to Kosovo are the wonderful people.

Never before have I met such nice, helpful, open, and hospitable people anywhere. What we often heard about the people in Albania beforehand, I can confirm about Kosovo. All the locals we met let us take part in their lives, told us about their history and dreams, invited us, and took care of our well-being. We were often told that if we have a problem, we should just ask someone, everyone will help us. I have no doubt about that. The most amazing experience was in Skënderaj (#134), where we were invited by a group of people we had spoken to a few minutes weeks ago. They had told us to get in touch when we are in Kosovo. We did that to get tips about the country. We not only got tips, we were invited. As a matter of course, we were accommodated in our own house, we were entertained every evening with drinks, food, and nice people, and a spectacular mountain trip was organized on a Thursday. Those who came along had taken the day off work just for us, and then they even apologized that the others had to work and couldn't come. Naturally, we did not have to pay a single cent during the whole time. This experience was the best of our entire trip. But it was not an isolated case. All the other travelers we met in Kosovo were invited by locals. Hospitality is highly valued in this country. (There is also a proverb about it: The guest is God.)

Beforehand, like many others, I mainly associated Kosovo with the war. Due to the war from 1998-1999, there are hardly any beautiful cities left, except for the beautiful Prizren (#132). Nevertheless, the cities are lively and the cafés, restaurants, and bars are full at all times. 50% of the population is younger than 28, making it the youngest country in Europe. That's a good thing because it not only makes the country young and dynamic, but also means that about 50% of the population no longer remembers the war.

Although the war is not omnipresent, it is still vivid in the memories of the older people, and by that I mean those over 30. We have heard stories from people our age about how they were in captivity during the war as children, how they didn't know for months whether their fathers were still alive, how their grandfathers were shot, how they witnessed all the war crimes that exist, and how lucky they were that none of their family members were killed or raped. Hearing such stories from the war, we in Germany only hear from the generation of our grandparents; to hear it from peers over a beer in a bar is completely different, depressing, but also interesting and hard for us to imagine. (While we can only try to imagine what it is like in Ukraine at the moment, they can actually imagine it well.)

The war has not only left memories but also other things: Hatred of the Serbs is more pronounced in some people and less in others. The soldiers of KFOR, who ensure peace, can be seen regularly throughout the country. The ethnicities are now geographically separated, unlike before the war, so hardly anyone who is 95% Albanian has contact with the 5% Serbs in the country, and the Albanians only speak Albanian and the Serbs only speak Serbian, so they can't communicate with each other except maybe in English. Another legacy of the war is, of course, the independence of Kosovo (since 2008). However, Kosovo is not recognized by all countries, so Kosovo is the only European country whose residents are not allowed to enter the EU without a visa (excluding Turkey and Russia). This burdens them heavily, as tourist visas are very regularly rejected, even to visit their own families. We hardly met anyone who does not have relatives in Germany (or Norway) or who has never lived there themselves. Some fled to Germany during the war, some were already there before, and some worked there after the war to finance the reconstruction of the country. That's why quite a lot of people in Kosovo speak German. The connection to Germany is also strong because Germany fought on the side of Kosovo against the Serbs during the war. They really appreciate that here. But even before the war, Kosovo had the German mark as its currency and now has the euro.

When we entered Kosovo from Albania, many things seemed similar at first glance. The people are (mainly) Albanians and speak Albanian (so I could continue to use my laboriously learned Albanian words). However, Kosovo is more developed than Albania but still significantly less touristy. And of course, the history is very different, which influences many things.

The fact that the country is still relatively untouched by tourism means that there is not a single campsite in the whole country. Nevertheless, I would recommend a trip with a camper van in Kosovo. Although free camping is not officially allowed, it is tolerated, and if you need a shower, water, a washing machine, or anything else, you can simply ask one of the locals, and you will be well taken care of.

A trip to Kosovo is also worthwhile for other tourists. (There are hotels, restaurants, rental cars, and public buses.) The country is quite small (only about 1/5 the size of Lower Saxony), but it has a lot to offer: in winter, deep snow; in spring, raging rivers and waterfalls; and beautiful mountains and wonderful people at any time of the year. The 8 days we spent here were full of breathtakingly beautiful nature, delicious food, and incredibly nice people. We could have stayed longer and definitely have to come back.

Day 226 - Total tour 16,777 km

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Email: querfeld2@gmail.com

May 27-30, 2022: Mirusha Waterfall, Peja, Rugova Mountains

J. We had to process all the impressions of the last two days and spent a whole day at the Mirusha Waterfalls. They are not only located in the middle of peaceful nature and are very beautiful to look at, but you can also hike/climb up a steep trail to the top of the waterfall and find more waterfalls and pools where you can swim.

The next day we continued to Peja, a slightly more touristy city. Peja has an old bazaar, but the rest of the city is architecturally unspectacular.

Peja is primarily known for its surroundings. First, we drove to the Visoki Dečani Monastery, located 15km south, which was described in our travel guide as one of the absolute highlights of Kosovo. The monastery is an Orthodox monastery where, despite regular attacks (last one in 2007), there are still 25 Serbian monks living. Therefore, the monastery is strictly guarded by KFOR soldiers. The fact that there is still a traditionally Serbian monastery here in Kosovo is probably the real highlight. Apart from the many roadblocks, guardhouses, and KFOR soldiers, the monastery was rather unspectacular. It was quite nice, but we were only allowed to visit the courtyard and the church. In Greece and Albania, for example, we have seen much more exciting monasteries.

On the way back, we passed a spring where many locals were having picnics and many, especially grandmothers, were bathing their feet in the water. The water definitely has healing properties.

Afterwards, we drove to the actual highlight of the region: the Rugova Mountains, or rather the Rugova Gorge, which stretches from Peja to the border with Montenegro. You can already see the impressively high mountains and the beginning of the gorge from the city center of Peja. But it looks even more impressive when driving along the gorge. In some places, it is so narrow that tunnels have been built into the mountains for the road. The tunnels were not very long, but narrow and unlit, which made the drive through the gorge even more thrilling.

Shortly before the border, we drove out of the gorge up the mountain and were rewarded with a magnificent view. Although there was a wedding taking place in the restaurant up here, we were allowed to park and spend the night behind the restaurant, overlooking the gorge. As a thank you, we had dinner in the restaurant and tried many regional specialties and local wine while watching the American-Kosovar wedding celebration through a window (which was ridiculously small for Kosovar standards with about 120 guests).

The next day, we had planned to go hiking, but we were awakened by the sound of rain on our roof and when we looked out the window, all we could see was white. We were trapped in a cloud with a maximum visibility of 20 meters. However, it was supposed to be dry for four hours starting at 10 am, so we hiked in the drizzle into the white wall, hoping to get above the clouds. It actually stopped raining and the fog cleared from time to time, giving us breathtaking views of the steep wall next to us and the dense forest around us. After about an hour of hiking, it started pouring rain and a powerful thunderstorm formed. The lightning flashed across the sky, making the fog even brighter and whiter. The thunder was incredibly long and built up, like a piece of music, through increasingly louder rumbling, to a climax with several super loud bangs at the end. In awe and trembling, we witnessed this natural spectacle and discussed what would happen if we hiked in a thundercloud. Since the thunderstorm was still directly above us even after 20 minutes, we decided not to continue hiking up the mountain. The risk of being struck by lightning was a bit too high, so we turned back. And then our wish came true after all: the fog cleared and we had a breathtaking view over the gorge and the clouds within it. We were above the clouds, or rather between the clouds, as it was still raining.

For the rest of the day, we watched the constantly changing clouds. Sometimes they only hung on the mountain peaks, sometimes they moved into the gorge like an army below us, sometimes they surrounded us in infinite white, only to open up briefly afterwards and reveal the view of the mountains opposite or a single cloud hanging below in the gorge.

The next day the sun was shining again and it was surprisingly hot. We drove to the north of Peja to another waterfall. Unfortunately, swimming was not possible here because the river carried an incredible amount of meltwater. We were told that the waterfall looks most beautiful in spring, as the river nearly dries up at other times of the year.

Behind the waterfall is a huge cave system through which the river used to flow. It has not yet been fully explored, but it is beautiful. It also offers a pleasant cooling with its constant 12 degrees. We had a private tour with lots of interesting information about the stalactites, stalagmites, and other beautiful rock formations. Only 3km of the huge cave system have been explored so far, and every summer, researchers spend weeks exploring it further. Bones and cooking utensils of our ancestors were even found in one of the cave entrances. Far below us, we could hear the sound of the river, which still flows through parts of the cave in spring. The size of this cave must be incredible.

From here, it is not far to the border with Montenegro, and so we say goodbye to Kosovo and its wonderful people after 8 wonderful days.

Day 227 - Total Tour 16,777 km

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May 25 - 26, 2022: Skënderaj, Berim

F. The following blog entry is about one of our most beautiful and best experiences of our entire European tour. I could probably write a book about these two days, but I'll try to keep it short and if anyone is interested in more details and stories, they'll have to invite me for a beer.

When we were at Gjipe Beach in Albania (#123), we met a group of young men who had spent a weekend at the beach with their off-road vehicles. We only talked to them briefly and they said that if we are in Kosovo, we should contact them. We did that and there were also a few tips for places we should visit. Among them were the war memorial in Skënderaj and the mountain region around Berim. For these two tips, the author of the Facebook message, whom we didn't know yet which of the 30 people from Gjipe Beach it was, said that he wanted to come with us when we are there. I thought it was strange. Well, in the meantime we had gotten a WhatsApp contact from Shpetim and were supposed to meet him somewhere in the pedestrian zone of Skënderaj. The city is moderately large with its 20,000 inhabitants and while looking for a suitable parking space, a person in a purple doctor's coat caught our attention by waving wildly. We stopped and met Valon the dentist and the person Jenny had talked to the previous day. What a coincidence, I thought. Valon briefly called Shpetim to let him know that we had parked at his practice. A short time later, Shpetim had arrived at the practice and we drove together with our van and Shpetim's car to Valon's holiday home just outside Skënderaj. There we met Valon's brother, who was also named Shpetim. Together, we were shown around the house and it was emphasized several times that we should feel at home. In addition, Shpetim, Valon's brother, apologized that he had to do some work with the tractor on the adjacent field in the evening and would therefore be on the property of the house. For me, this apology was a bit strange, since I was just a guest here and it was Shpetim and Valon's house. But he told me that it is now my house, since I am a guest here and the guest is always like God (freely translated). Amazing, that's true hospitality!

Valon had to go back to his dental practice and was driven there by his brother. We drove together in Shpetim's car to the war memorial in Skënderaj. This war memorial is the original site of the massacre of the Serbian army against the family of Adem Jashari and here are the graves of the 42 killed family members. Adem Jashari was the leader of the insurgent independence movement UÇK and the Serbian government thought that if they eliminate the leader, the rest of the UÇK will also disappear. But after this massacre, the UÇK grew so big that it led to the Kosovo War.

The other Shpetim had dropped off his brother at the practice by now and also came to the war memorial. So, we walked through the large complex with the two Shpetims and they told us some of their own stories from the time of the massacre and the war. Walking through the buildings destroyed by bullets and artillery and at the same time hearing stories from eyewitnesses who are the same age as me was extremely moving.

Jenny and I had to process all these impressions and Shpetim dropped us off at our new holiday home. After a shower and some rest, he picked us up again and we met more members of the Offroad Drenica team in a bar. After a sumptuous meal, to which we were invited, we continued through the city to another bar. The owner was a good friend of Shpetim and it was an honor for him, according to his own statement, to have us in his bar and he invited us and our two guides Valon and Shpetim for a few beers.

The next morning, Shpetim picked us up again and we went back to the first bar from the previous evening. Here we met Adnan and Emin, who wanted to accompany us to the mountains. A short time later, the five of us were sitting in Adnan's large off-road vehicle and we first went to the supermarket. Here we bought groceries for lunch. Then we met two more companions for the mountain tour - a quad rider and a motocross rider. Once we left the main road shortly before the mountains, Shpetim next to me in the car started jumping up and down with joy like a little child. Now I realized how much joy everyone involved had in doing this tour. With the other two companions, once we left the side road, they quickly disappeared from sight. But contact was still maintained with them via walkie-talkies - there was no cell phone reception out here. Adnan took us over rough and rocky terrain to the most spectacular viewpoints, which would have taken us ages to reach on foot.

All three vehicles met again for lunch and together we conjured up a very delicious and extensive meal from the groceries we had brought. After lunch, we visited more phenomenal viewpoints and a hot spring. The whole day was an absolute blast that I won't forget anytime soon.

Before we drove back to the holiday home, we stopped at Shpetim's family. His wife and three sons are super nice and the just playful outdoor enthusiast Shpetim turned into a loving father of three children.

In the evening, we sat on the terrace of the holiday home with the two Shpetims, Valon, and his wife, and ended the day with pizza, beer, and homemade raki.

On the last morning in Skënderaj, we met the small off-road team from the previous day again in a café in the pedestrian zone before we left. We chatted for quite a while and exchanged contact information. Here too, we were invited by the landlord/owner in the end.

Although we spent not even two full days with all the people from Skënderaj, this incredibly great hospitality has made everyone close to my heart. Not only did we not feel like we had a chance to pay a bill in the two days, but also how much time the people took for us. Work was interrupted or even a whole day off was taken. The holiday home was made available to us without hesitation and all this just because we had talked to a group of off-road enthusiasts for 5 minutes on a beach in Albania.

Day 223 - Total tour 16,611 km

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May 24-25, 2022: Prishtina, Mitrovica

F. Prishtina is the youngest capital in Europe. The city is moderately large with its 150,000 inhabitants, and so after about 4 hours we were already out of the city. The traffic is not much more chaotic than in other large cities in the Balkans, and I have already gotten used to it to some extent.

We passed by the two large mosques that were rebuilt by the Turks after the war, and headed towards the Ethnographic Museum. It consists of two old Ottoman houses that were inhabited until the mid-20th century. They give you an insight into the way of life of the people at that time. We had already visited such a museum in northern Greece (#117), so there wasn't really anything new to discover - especially since the second house was being renovated and was not available for viewing. Nevertheless, I took one thing as a new insight. In the culture of the Kosovars, it is the highest honor to be able to serve a guest with good hospitality.

After shopping at a huge fruit and vegetable market next to the museum, we continued through the city center. The pedestrian zone is modern, large, and offers many shopping opportunities. We treated ourselves to ice cream in the shade at over 30 degrees Celsius, and at 50 cents per scoop, it tasted even better. On the way back to the car, we also visited the Newborn Monument. This was built in 2008 as part of Kosovo's formal independence from Serbia. At first, the huge letters were yellow, then the country flags were painted on by the countries that recognize Kosovo as an independent country, and for a few years now, the letters have been repainted every year. The unveiling of the new paint always takes place on February 17th, Independence Day.

The next day we actually wanted to go to the bear sanctuary (east of Prishtina), but the next morning we spontaneously decided to participate in a free walking tour in Prishtina instead. Except for another German couple, no one showed up at the agreed meeting point for the tour, so we were a little disappointed that we didn't go to see the bears.

Instead, we decided to drive to Mitrovica. The city is located in the northern part of Kosovo and is divided by the Ibar River into a predominantly Serbian-speaking part and a predominantly Albanian-speaking part. The new bridge over the river, financed by the EU, is closed to car traffic and several KFOR vehicles are parked on it. There were violent outbreaks between Serbs, Albanians, and the KFOR in 2004 and 2008. During our visit, we could not see any current tensions, although the conflict between Serbia and Kosovo flares up here from time to time.

Day 221 - Total tour 16,556 km

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May 22-23, 2022: Prizren, Prevallë

F. At most border crossings, there are border controls both in the country you are leaving and in the country you are entering. Not so at the small border crossing in the north of Albania to Kosovo (Morina). Here, there were only border guards on the Kosovo side who checked documents and IDs. We were not allowed to enter because we did not have insurance for our car. Although I thought that our insurance covers all of Europe, including Turkey and Ukraine, there was an asterisk in the fine print stating that regions with unresolved political status are not covered. Therefore, Kosovo was excluded. Well, like at many borders, you can buy car insurance on site for a certain period of time. With a car insured for 14 days, we continued to Prizren.

Here we experienced a completely crowded city center. It was good weather and Sunday. Apparently, a good reason for many people to spend an afternoon in Prizren. In addition to a small old town through which a wide river flows, there is an old castle on the mountain in Prizren. From this castle, you have a wonderful view over Prizren and the surrounding region.

In the evening, we drove further east into the mountains, as there were supposed to be some nice places where we could park the van. Free camping is not allowed in Kosovo, but it is also not prohibited. We were somewhat unsure about the customs here and how the local authorities would react. However, our discomfort quickly dissipated when we met a local resident at the spot we had chosen, who had set up his camp including a caravan, quad bike, washing facility, and fire pit. He told us that he would stay at this place for a total of three weeks and that there are no campsites in Kosovo.

Without knowing it, we ended up in a well-known spa town in Kosovo. The next day, several large tour buses arrived and many people got off, who then often sat down on the meadow. According to the local honey vendors, people come to Prevallë because the air quality here is supposed to be particularly good. We also stayed for another day to breathe clean air and/or to spend the rainy day here.

Day 220 - Total tour 16,388 km

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The next day, Floh went off to search for our obligatory car sticker with the coat of arms or flag of the country, postcards, and breakfast, and also explored the city a bit, while I worked on my master's thesis in our cozy hotel room (haha).

Later, Floh told me that he had a very nice and interesting encounter with an elderly gentleman who had lived and worked in Austria and Germany for a long time and recognized Floh's language problems when ordering at the bakery and helped him out. (Very few people here speak English...) Later, the two of them went to look for the post office and the man told Floh a lot about the Kosovo War, the conflict with the Serbs, life in Germany, etc... He even invited Floh for a coffee and gave him his phone number in case we ever return to Kosovo.

FloH was still looking for postcards and we thought maybe we could find them at the border, where there are often some tax-free shops. FloH asked in every tiny bar, where the grandson had to be fetched first, who spoke English, but there were no postcards anywhere. People probably haven't encountered tourists who wanted to buy souvenirs from the region yet. The border control was quite unspectacular, even though the border officer processed us in good German and with a smile. When we asked him where he learned German so well, he replied: "No, not German. Bavarian." The car also needed an additional insurance for Kosovo for 15 euros for 2 weeks (less was not possible), as the international green card was not recognized here. After we had taken care of all that, we continued into the country - even if only on official roads, as there are still some areas that have not been completely cleared of mines. Even our Lonely Planet listed some highlights for Kosovo, so we decided to visit the Visoki Dečani Monastery on the way. To visit, we had to pass several (Austrian) military checkpoints and show our passports, or even leave them as deposit. The Austrian army is still stationed in Kosovo, to protect the Serbian minority and to protect the monastery from further graffiti attacks by ISIS (at least that's what our guide said).

The monastery itself is really modernly renovated and the church is decorated so beautifully that it left us speechless during the visit. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos from inside, but the colorful and very elaborate icons and wall decorations are still vivid in our memory.