No fault of Kosovo, my last day was highly rainy and got caught in it as well 🙂
Location in the World map …
Some interesting tidbits about Kosovo …
“Republic of Kosovo”
Kosovo is considered a developing country.
Europe’s youngest country! Formed in 2008.
Two Official Languages: Serbian and Albanian are the official languages.
Flag features the country’s map! (Cyprus is the only other country which does this)
Despite not being a part of EU, uses Euro as its main currency.
65% of Kosovo’s population is under 30 years old.
Kosovo is notable for its religious diversity and tolerance, with examples like a mosque and an Orthodox church sharing the same courtyard (E.g. Ferizaj).
Marble Cave: A largely unexplored limestone cave discovered in 1966.
40% of Kosovo is covered by forests.
Pop Star Dua Lipa was born in Kosovo.
Pristina has streets named after Bill Clinton, George W. Bush Etc.
Kosovo has already won 3 Olympic Gold Medals (All in Judo).
Capital: Pristina
Largest City: Pristina
Population: 1.6M (Pristina has a population of 0.2M)
Language: Albanian (90%) and Serbian (5%). 50%+ speak English.
Religion: Islam (90%+)
Currency: Euro (1E == 103.19 INR)
GDP: 11.3 Billion USD
National Animal: None (Balkan Lynx is considered a National Symbol)
Timeline:
1st Century AD: Roman Empire >
5th Century: Christianity starts spreading >
12th Century: Serbia gains control >
1389: Ottoman Empire >
1912: Balkan Wars: Serbia regains control >
1941: Italy controls the region during WWII >
1946: Becomes part of Yugoslavia >
1990s: Balkan Unrest. Yugoslavia breaks up. >
1999: NATO strikes Yugoslavia after peace talks fail >
2008: Kosovo declares Independence.
There are tensions between Serbs in Kosovo and the rest.
My 1st impressions:
My damn “Balkan SimCard” has conked out in Kosovo! Got swindled nicely 🙁
Already spent 2 hours in Kosovo, no SimCard yet .. The hunt is on!
My Experiences
On the way to Kosovo … A gentleman filling a small cylinder.USA has a major impact on Kosovo … Here is a street named after the former POTUS. Pristina, Kosovo.Vala … The official Telecom of Kosovo. Got my SimCard here. Pristina, Kosovo.Kosovo-USA Bhai-Bhai 🙂 Pristina, Kosovo.Newborn Monument. Contemporary monument commemorating Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia. Pristina, Kosovo.Youth and Sports Center. Pristina, Kosovo.Some idiot has written over the board for Heroinat Monument! Pristina, Kosovo.The small medals used for the Heroinat Memorial. Pristina, Kosovo.A model of the National Library. Unique architecture. Pristina, Kosovo.Inside Cathedral of Saint Mother Theresa. Pristina, Kosovo.Cathedral of Saint Mother Theresa. Just 14 years old. Still a work in progress, it looks like. Pristina, Kosovo.Newborn Monument. Contemporary monument commemorating Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia. In keeping with the name, the area was teeming with youngsters 🙂 Pristina, Kosovo.Heroinat Memorial. It is a typographic sculpture. The memorial is placed in a park in downtown Pristina, in one of Pristina’s most central and frequented areas, in front of the Newborn Monument. It was unveiled on 12 June 2015, celebrated as Kosovo’s Liberation Day. HEROINAT depicts an Albanian woman using 20,000 pins. Each pin represents a woman raped during the Kosovo War from 1998 to 1999. The pins are at different heights, creating a portrait in relief. Pristina, Kosovo.Is that Osage Orange? If yes, I read that is native to USA. Pristina, Kosovo.A tiny Rover Mini … Saw it while I was roaming the streets. I am not tall and I think I would struggle to fit in 🙂 Pristina, Kosovo.National Library, Pristina, Kosovo. Due to US’ role in the former Yugoslavia and its constant support for the ambitions of Kosovo, “USA” is everywhere. This library has an “America Corner”. Streets are named after Bill Clinton, George W. Bush Etc. (Saw the former, latter not yet). Madeleine Albright, who played a major role in 1998-99 to stop Serbian actions against ethnic Albanians (NATO bombings), gets her own statue. Kosovo flag with US flag. Etc. There are regions (North and North-West), which are not safe to travel (As per State Department of USA) due to ongoing tensions between Serbs in Kosovo and the rest. Clearly, Albania dominates Kosovo. E.g. 90% speak Albanian. By the by, one can get by easily with English 🙂This Church beside the National Library was unmarked on Google Maps. It is totally rundown. Pristina, Kosovo.The main hall inside the National Library … I saw several tourists inside. Pristina, Kosovo.Statue of Ibrahim Rugova, former President of Kosovo. Near Skanderbeg Square. Pristina, Kosovo.Flag of Kosovo, current one and the pre-Independence (2008) one. Pristina, Kosovo.Map of all major sights in Pristina. Pristina, Kosovo.The Grand Mosque. Not very big, but quite busy at prayer times. There is a Cafe within the compound, which was unique for me. Pristina, Kosovo.National Museum. Alas, it was closed for renovation. Pristina, Kosovo.These stores are everywhere .. Pristina, Kosovo.Gjergj Kastrioti, commonly known as Skanderbeg, was an Albanian nobleman and military leader who led the League of Lezhë in the Ottoman-Albanian Wars until his death. Skanderbeg is considered to be a major figure of medieval Albanian history and today is the national hero of Albania. Pristina, Kosovo.Gjergj Kastrioti, commonly known as Skanderbeg, was an Albanian nobleman and military leader who led the League of Lezhë in the Ottoman-Albanian Wars until his death. Skanderbeg is considered to be a major figure of medieval Albanian history and today is the national hero of Albania. Pristina, Kosovo.Skanderbeg Square. It looks empty, but trust me, it was not. There were a lot of people around. Sheshi “Skënderbeu” is the central square, named after the national hero Skanderbeg. It serves as the city’s heart and a major social hub, featuring a prominent statue of Skanderbeg. The square is a vibrant space surrounded by cafes, shops, and restaurants, and it hosts various cultural events, concerts, and festivals throughout the year. Pristina, Kosovo.Liked this art installation … Skanderbeg Square. Pristina, Kosovo.Where is everyone!? I would have expected a perpetual stampede at this shop 😏😁 Pristina, Kosovo.Pristina Bus Station … Pristina, Kosovo.Stained glass inside Cathedral of Saint Mother Teresa. Pristina, Kosovo.Beer of the day! Pristina, Kosovo.From afar I really thought someone disliked sitting on the many benches all around and preferred to sit on the pavement instead 😂 It was a gorgeous day and looked like the entire 2 Lakh population of Pristina was out and about. Mosques all around, which is not surprising considering that 90% of Kosovo follow Islam. Pristina, Kosovo.When the Sun came out briefly 🙂 Prizren, Kosovo.Stone Bridge, Prizren, Kosovo. From 16th Century (Ottoman Era). Fixed/reconstructed after damages from floods Etc. Prizren, which is around 85km from Pristina, takes 2hr by bus, mainly due to the many stops on the way and a stretch of hilly terrain. You can see the Prizren Fortress in the background, which is from Bronze Age it seems. Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire, Serbian Empire, Ottoman Empire Etc. were here over the ages. The Old Town, a small one (Prizren has a population of only around 1.5 Lakh), was teeming with people. Prizren is considered as the Historical and Cultural Capital of Kosovo. From trimming my hair short once a week, I had gone 4 weeks without one. So had a haircut in Prizren 😁From trimming my hair short once a week, I had gone 4 weeks without one. So had a haircut in Prizren 🙂 Prizren, Kosovo.A vendor selling Cabbages … On the way to Prizren, Kosovo.The bus I took from Pristina to Prizren. Platform-6 is meant for buses to Prizren. You buy the ticket (5 Euros) from the conductor, once the bus starts. Pristina, Kosovo.Prizren Fortress in the background. It was a partially-cloudy day in Prizren. Prizren, Kosovo.Sinan Pasha Mosque. From 1615, Ottoman Era. A very prominent landmark of the town. Prizren, Kosovo.Though locals seem quite pious, looking at the rush in Mosques Etc., their music channels seem quite, ahem, liberal … 😁 Prizren, Kosovo.Took a break to have some Gelato Ice Cream. Unlike the one in Skopje, this was fantastic! Pistachio. Also, tried a Coconut pastry, a bit too sweet for me 🙂 Prizren, Kosovo.Stone Bridge … Prizren, Kosovo.Our Lady of Ljevis Serbian Orthodox Church from 14th Century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Prizren, Kosovo.Gazi Mehmet Pasha’s Mosque. From 1573, Ottoman Era. Prizren, Kosovo.“American Corner” 🙂 Prizren, Kosovo.Albanian Leage of Prizren. The League of Prizren was created in 1878 by a group of Albanian intellectuals representing various places and regions in Balkans, to avoid divisions among neighbouring states and to assert an Albanian national consciousness by uniting Albanians into a singular linguistic and cultural nation. Prizren, Kosovo.Nice houses along the stream … Prizren, Kosovo.Beer of the day! Pristina, Kosovo.Got tempted by these plums as I was walking by … Bought some. Pristina, Kosovo.Bill Clinton’s statue. I was not kidding when I mentioned that Kosovo loves USA 🙂 Pristina, Kosovo.Waiting in the bus to go back to Pristina. Clearly, even a blind person would say I am 100% the odd one out in the full bus … Yet, a dude seeks me out in the bus and asks me something in Albanian (I assume, as 90% speak that language here), before I could answer, the fellow passenger(s) smilingly (For they saw my predicament 😂) answered him … Think he was asking about some intermediate stop … Or do I indeed look Albanian 🤭🤔😎Breakfast 🙂 Being a rainy and wet day, it did hit a spot. Pristina, Kosovo.It is a lousy rainy day ⛈️ in Pristina, Kosovo. In better weather, I would have just walked over to the nearby Bus Station. Uber, Bolt Etc. do not work here and I had to download some local Taxi App. Luckily it worked fine and I get the Albanian driver Roma … 😁 He spoke decent English. Turns out he is a huge Chess fan and is well-versed with the latest Indian Chess talents. He claims to have lost to an Indian guy in a recent tournament 🤭 He claimed Kosovo economy is bad, but that Kosovans “work hard” and survive. He said politicians are not helping the situation much. I did not get much time to regale him with stories about the “gem politicians” 😏 we have in India.Statues of soldiers were prominent. From the dates, looks like they were killed during the 1998-99 Kosovo War. Prizren, Kosovo.Kosovo countryside … From the bus 😁 Rides from Skopje (North Macedonia) to Pristina (Kosovo) and from Pristina (Kosovo) to Prizren (Kosovo) and back.Kosovo countryside … From the bus 😁 Rides from Skopje (North Macedonia) to Pristina (Kosovo) and from Pristina (Kosovo) to Prizren (Kosovo) and back.
