Visit to Kosovo Bashny.Net

The author writes, sevka1:
You understand that the decision to travel there was heavy, I still have a child), but after consulting with his wife and read the forums, it was decided to still go. Thanks to the contacts we have from Belgrade hotels in Kosovska Mitrovica (20 euros for the room + breakfast (!)) And agreed with Jovan (taxi driver) on a trip to Kosovo.

You can get to Mitrovica simple - you sit down on a bus in Belgrade and 7 hours to arrive there, buses run every hour and a half. The road goes through Kraljevo, then along the Ibar in places of extraordinary beauty) of the bus is seen Maglic Fortress, a monument to Serbian soldiers who fell in the First World War, and the valley itself is very beautiful. Slowly drive up to the border with Kosovo. Border runs easily - no prverok just spoke with the driver on both sides of the border guards and drove on. Potlora hours later after the border reached Mitrovica, on the road there are villages with Serbian Orthodox churches. This is Serbian land, there are signs of the road to the mountain monasteries. I understand that life in the Serbian Kosovo is not regulated by any authority - neither Serbian nor Albanian. On the road a lot of cars without license plates, and as I understand it, too drunk to drive not shy. The road itself is good, potholes in the Russian style no.

Serbian house in Kosovo





In Mitrovica can not even say that you are in the frontline town - the streets at night walking young girls (14-15 years), children. Many restaurants. There is even a jewelry store))) from the attractions - fortresses, temples, rebuilt instead of burned Albanian temple on the other side of the Ibar.
There is a monument to the partisans and the monument to the Russian Consul Gregory Shcherbina, who was killed by Albanians in 1903.
Well, we checked into the hotel (called Bebe, located on the street Lola Ribar, opposite-mail). The hotel is quite decent, but with cockroaches)))) and a little walk around the city. The situation is calm, glad to Russian (Russian welcome in Serbia as a whole, as we saw, but especially in Kosovo are pleased).

The next day, in the morning we were visited by a taxi driver Jovan and we went to Kosovo. Jovan himself a Serb, but lives in the Albanian quarter (although on "our" side of the Ibar) and he has a car Kosovo numbers, so the side of Pristina, he can go without problems. Jovan immediately said that moving across the bridge to the post KFOR we did not speak a word of Russian. Cross the bridge without problems, our guide said that the Albanians, and we drove on.

On the other side of the Ibar starts as soon as another world. In the Albanian part of a lot of destroyed and burned Orthodox churches, the broken graves on Serbian cemeteries, abandoned, destroyed and dismantled the Serb houses. Next to them are newly built palaces Albanian style suburbs 90s.

Another Serbian house



Even in the Albanian part of Kosovo's an incredible amount of garbage heaps lying along the roads (even in Pristina, not to mention the rural areas).
Everywhere is widespread sluggish building, a lot of unfinished houses, the wind carries with garbage on the streets of the cloud of cement dust.
And above all this hover Albanian and American flags.

Kosovo landscape



Periodically scurry convoys of KFOR. We saw Americans, Italians, Greeks, Germans and Czechs.
We passed Obilic, Kosovo Field (a village).
In the field of Kosovo went to the temple built in 1939, as usual singed Albanians. Have you seen the frescoes with saints who were shot with machine guns.
Anger, in short, were typed.

Kosovo landscape



Then he went to Gracanica (through Serb enclaves).
There's a beautiful monastery, around only Serbs. Sighed quietly))
There's also a snack and went back to Mitrovica through Pristina.

Gracanica



In Pristina saw pamyanik Bill Clinton and a small statue of Liberty on the roof of the hotel «Victoria».
Yes, Kosovars did not follow the rules.
To go on overtaking on the oncoming lane through a continuous range or go for a third straight exit - in the order of things)) Back in sersbkoe Kosovo, we have to travel on it, we went to Leposavic and Banjska, looking at the mountain monastery and temple, respectively.

Victoria Hotel, Pristina



Mitrovica has returned after dark.
For information - such trip (between 10 am and 17-30) came to us 150 euros, I think the price reasonable. Jovan talked a lot, and the show was like a guide))) Yes, we did not Gazimestanu poezzhat, Jovan said that it will cause a lot of unnecessary questions from protecting its KFORovtsev and Albanian police.

The same evening, we got to visit the Serb Lyubasha and his wife Natasha from the Crimea)))) Ljubasha as recognized in our Russian one zucchini Mitrovica - immediately began to invite us to his house and did not rest until he went))) I went driving it, and, as usual in the Serbian Kosovo drunk.

The next day, in the morning we again met with Jovan to go to Nis. The fact that the bus from Mitrovica to Nis is a detour through the mountains, through the Kopaonik and goes long. Jovan also offered us to take us to Merdare, and then to Nis and closer, and the mountains there. We agreed.
They arrived at the Merdare quickly abroad had to go on foot. Jovan was waiting for us at the border until we finally crossed it. Albanians have released us without any problem, want to put your stamp, but we were able to get out. The Serbs also saw us, immediately inspired and made a full shakedown on things, asked many questions: how we got into Kosovo, how to get to Merdare, what they were doing what they do.
At the end I asked, "if I spoke Russian?", To which I answered the question "Do you speak in Serbian?")))) Well, we still missed without any difficulties. All the questions I answered clearly, distinctly, and all sorts of pro-Serbian T-shirts and postcards with views kosovkih churches spoke in our favor.
When he reached the foot of the village nearest announcement we Stopped truckers there, it surpassed the bus, riding in Nis, were transferred to it - and we are in the third city of Serbia! Hooray!

Ol 'Bill

via



Source: