You know what’s more fun than going back through Albania and Montenegro to Dubrovnik?
Going by way of Kosovo.
This had not been an original part of the plan. I couldn’t find a tour that made it all work in my time frames, and I promised myself I’d take more time being still this trip. But being still is overrated, and the opportunity presented itself, so I said yes. (I think, when presented with an adventure, the appropriate answer is always “yes.”)
As you’re reading this, I’ve already left Kosovo, so everyone relax. I‘m spending the night in Montenegro.
Leaving Albania
Breakfast at the hotel was very nice – fried eggs (that had been salted), fresh tomatoes (salted), fresh cucumbers (salted), fresh olives (salted) and drip coffee (unsalted). The hotel owner sat with us; he does not meet many Americans, so I was extra polite to make him think we are nicer than we really are.
It was raining pretty heavily for most of the drive, with lots of fog.
Prizren
This was our first stop. Prizren is considered the cultural capital of Kosovo. (The actual capital is Pristina, which is towards the northern end of the country).
Sinan Pasha Mosque
This mosque was built in 1615 in Prizren and is considered the most important mosque in the region.
I’ve never been inside a mosque before. I’ve attended some events in Minneapolis outside of them, in courtyard areas, but that’s it. I clarified (via google) what appropriate clothing would be, and had pants and a long shirt with me (plus a raincoat), so I was fully covered. I also had a scarf with me (which I use as a mini blanket on planes). I had physical issues with the scarf (it is harder than it looks to tie into place, and I was very stressed about it falling off) but no emotional issues. A lot of religions have dress codes – the Vatican doesn’t allow bare shoulders in the heart of Rome, Hindi temples don’t allow leather or other animal skin, and hats must be removed before entering Buddhist halls. Respecting other cultures and religions is actually super easy, it turns out.
It was quite peaceful, and was an active mosque. (We were there with permission, and I was given permission to take a photo).
And, just a block away, you’ll find the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of Saint George. It was built in the second half of the 19th century, during the Ottoman rule in the region. It’s within a walled area, and there is a sign that says no photos as you enter. My guide clarified; no photos allowed on the inside or outside (though the guard said it is only because his boss was there, otherwise he would let us, so I didn’t feel guilty taking one on the other side of the wall.
Minarets
Minarets are tall, slender towers often found near mosques, which are used to call Muslims to prayer.
Muslims pray five times a day: at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and nightfall. The call to prayer, made from the minaret, serves as a reminder to stop what one is doing and pray. I had seen some in Albania but kept forgetting to ask what they were.
Stone Bridge
The Stone Bridge connects the two banks of the Bistrica river.
This bridge is the oldest one in Prizren and it is considered by locals as one of the icons of Prizren and a symbol of the city’s rich cultural heritage and Ottoman history. It’s the most common image on tourist-type stuff.
Prizren Fortress
Dating back to the Byzantine era, the fortress has been used in the century for storing weaponry and to defend Prizren from invaders. The road up to it was unfortunately closed today because of the weather, so no hiking for me. So sad.
Thirsty
My guide is from Macedonia; his mother is Serbian, and his father is Turkish. He strongly believes that the only tea worth drinking is Turkish tea. There is a very large Turkish population in this part of the country, which means we had access to some really excellent tea.
Visoki Dečani Monastery
This is a Serbian Orthodox Christian Monastery that was built around 1330, to be used as a royal endowment and mausoleum.
There is a main church, and chapels, a defensive wall, and monk “cells.” Currently, 25 monks live here. It’s considered to be the best preserved church in the Balkans, and was called irreplaceable by UNESCO.
During the most recent war, the monks sheltered refugees of all religions – which is why it was specifically attacked, with grenades, in 2007. It is now protected by UN peacekeepers (currently, from Italy), who stand guard in the courtyard; the road to get here also had checkpoints, watch towers, and a few tanks. You have to leave your ID with the guards to actually get in, which was a little unnerving, but they gave it back!
It may be the most beautiful interior I’ve ever seen. Pictures do not do it justice.
KFOR
KFOR stands for Kosovo Force; that’s the NATO-led peacekeeping force. They’re working on transitioning responsibility to Kosovo, but that will still take years. The force includes about 575 American military members. Up until 2022, Ukraine also had troops that were stationed in Kosovo for the KFOR, but they’ve had to withdraw all of their troops. Troop count had been steadily declining for a while, but was increased in September of ‘23, based on larger Serbian forces gathering near the border.
Though it was very cool to visit, the driver said we would be better staying in Montenegro for the night. This same guide had already agreed to be my Bosnian guide, so we’ll head directly to Sarajevo tomorrow.
The Road Less Traveled (which is reasonable because the roads in and out of Kosovo were really really rough).
So, you can see on the below image where we went – and also where we didn’t go: Serbia. You have to be very careful about the border between Serbia and Kosovo. That’s mostly because Serbia does not believe Kosovo exists (and not in a cool Mr Snuffleupagus kind of way – they can absolutely see Kosovo. They just don’t want to.)
Kosovo also has some abnormal passport crossings. In particular, with Serbia. Kosovo lets you leave…but Serbia, who refuses to acknowledge the sovereignty of Kosovo, doesn’t formally let you in. If you get “caught” in Serbia after you’ve crossed through Kosovo, they can arrest you – since by their laws, you’re there illegally. They have traditional border crossings with the rest of the countries, and their requirement is those are the only borders that count.
I’m told Kosovo warns you of the risk when you cross the border, and I’m also told that generally only those from Kosovo are jailed. This didn’t feel like something I should test out myself, however, so we were careful to go back into Montenegro. (And I won’t be going into Serbia. For real. It’s totally different than how I wasn’t going to Albania, or Kosovo.)
North Macedonia
No, I’m not going there – though I’m told that Skopje is an incredible city, and if I had another day’s worth of clean socks packed, I probably would have tried to make it work.
Anyway, we locals just call it Macedonia, which is what their name has historically been. “North” is a new addition, forced on them by Greece. Greece also has a Macedonia, and so adding “North” to the country’s name was a compromise, for them to pursue EU membership. Greece had actually vetoed their ascension into the EU (and NATO) until they agree to the name change in 2019.
Serbia
They actually speak Albanian in the area of Kosovo that I was in, and the second most common language is Turkish. It seems like if Kosovo had to be a part of another country, Albania or Macedonia would make more sense? But I’m told Serbia believes they have a right to all land; they say if there is a Serbian family on my street in Minneapolis, Serbia probably claims my street as theirs, just surrounded by America. (I don’t think there are any Serbians on my street, but I am intrigued as to what that might mean, for my tax bill?)