We enjoyed our breakfast outdoors on a roof of our hotel, then headed down the road to Kosovo. We have a new guide and driver who drove up from Macedonia during the night. Our original route had to be changed because the border there was closed due to some resent unrest. We had to pass through a NATO checkpoint where the French soldiers were quick to let us pass. Then the Serbian border guards, followed by the Kosovo border guards, then an army escort to safely cross into Kosovo.
Our first stops in Kosovo were at a shrine to the Turkish leader who was killed at a battle in 1389 between the Turks and the Serbs, which the Turks won. We then went down the road to Serb memorial commemorating the same battle. Our driver missed the turnoff to that memorial. He said he usually drives Turkish tourist who are never interested in visiting that one.
We stopped in the capital of Kosovo, Pristina, for lunch, and afterwards took a stroll through the city. We saw several mosques, nearly one on every corner (sort of like Lutheran churches in Minnesota). There are statues of Mother Theresa, though a Catholic, very admired by the ethnic Albanians of Kosovo who are Muslim. There's also a statue of Bill Clinton, who ordered the bombing of Serbia. (In Serbia they have named animals at the zoo after Monica Lewinsky and Madeline Albright- the Clinton administration and the US in general aren't so popular there). There is a long "fence of the missing" in Kosovo containing pictures of people who disappeared during the "ethnic cleansing" (a term avoided by our guides). These people are presumed dead, but there is no proof of what happened to them.
Our last stop in Kosovo was the Orthodox Monastery of Gracanica, another UNESCO site, where we saw great 14th century frescoes and beautiful architecture.
We didn't feel too bad leaving Kosovo behind us. Our visit was an interesting experience, but the country is still suffering the effects of war, it's dirty and power plants are spewing smoke into the air leaving a brown haze everywhere.
We are spending tonight in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. The city is a dramatic change from
Pristina. The city has been working on some urban renewal projects (to the chagrin of many of the country's inhabitants who think the money would be more appropriately used elsewhere) and the pedestrian street is beautiful with fountains, and jumbotrons. There's a big basketball game on tonight between Macedonia and Lithuania and the streets are full of people watching the game. The atmosphere is very festive.
Sultan Murad's heart and vital organs were buried here where he died on the battlefield in 1389 (The rest of his body was sent back to e buried in the Ottoman capital). Both the Sultan and the King of the Serb's died during the fighting - the Turks won and Serbia ceased to exist as a nation.
Our driver almost went by this monument to the Serbs who died in the battle (he is often driving Turks who do not want to stop here). There were about 20,000 Serbs trying to hold off 60,000 Turks - it was close but they lost.
Kosovo is terribly polluted. From the top of the monument you could see that this power plant is making the air in the entire valley black with soot.
Bill Clinton is not very popular with the Serbs, but the ethnic Albanians love him!
They do not let you take photos of the check points - so I snuck this one of the UN KFOR checkpoint.
We wound up the night in Macedonia. Here is the new statue of Alexander the Great located in the square. The square was full of folks watching the basketball game on the large screens. Sandy wanted to stay and watch - but I was tired.
Our first stops in Kosovo were at a shrine to the Turkish leader who was killed at a battle in 1389 between the Turks and the Serbs, which the Turks won. We then went down the road to Serb memorial commemorating the same battle. Our driver missed the turnoff to that memorial. He said he usually drives Turkish tourist who are never interested in visiting that one.
We stopped in the capital of Kosovo, Pristina, for lunch, and afterwards took a stroll through the city. We saw several mosques, nearly one on every corner (sort of like Lutheran churches in Minnesota). There are statues of Mother Theresa, though a Catholic, very admired by the ethnic Albanians of Kosovo who are Muslim. There's also a statue of Bill Clinton, who ordered the bombing of Serbia. (In Serbia they have named animals at the zoo after Monica Lewinsky and Madeline Albright- the Clinton administration and the US in general aren't so popular there). There is a long "fence of the missing" in Kosovo containing pictures of people who disappeared during the "ethnic cleansing" (a term avoided by our guides). These people are presumed dead, but there is no proof of what happened to them.
Our last stop in Kosovo was the Orthodox Monastery of Gracanica, another UNESCO site, where we saw great 14th century frescoes and beautiful architecture.
We didn't feel too bad leaving Kosovo behind us. Our visit was an interesting experience, but the country is still suffering the effects of war, it's dirty and power plants are spewing smoke into the air leaving a brown haze everywhere.
We are spending tonight in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. The city is a dramatic change from
Pristina. The city has been working on some urban renewal projects (to the chagrin of many of the country's inhabitants who think the money would be more appropriately used elsewhere) and the pedestrian street is beautiful with fountains, and jumbotrons. There's a big basketball game on tonight between Macedonia and Lithuania and the streets are full of people watching the game. The atmosphere is very festive.
We started the day with breakfast on the roof - reminds us of Constantinople!
The Muslims who lived here never returned after the fighting. There is still a lot of bombed out buildings here in Kosovo.
Kosovo wants you to know that it is the "NEWBORN" nation in the area! (The Serbs do not agree)
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