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Published: August 19th 2011
The driver was considerate enough to voluntarily slow down as we drove along the streets and perve at some good looking Kosovan women. Taxi driver perving it’s a fine art of sleaze and in the capital of Pristina the driver took it to a fine art.
What the taxi driver also gave me was a quick chance to not only perve myself but sit back and take in the scale of this city which was a lot more modern than I expected. Green hills surround the city with tall buildings and big homes on the outskirts. My bus from Skopje Macedonia was A/C and comfortable and the taxi was a modern Mercedes with A/C as well. This was not the Kosovo I envisaged.
I came here ready for carnage. Bombed out buildings, poor people roaming around, UN forces but whilst some of that is still here, it’s not much. This place is actually pretty new. Café’s are the big thing here, which was similar in set up to how Serbia does it. Macchiato a type of coffee is the one to drink. I hate coffee but did manage to get it down.
For a predominately Muslim country/region the
females wear very western clothes, which indicates its strong Albanian influence with attire for Muslims. There is also a definite Serbian blood here because the women oooooooozzzzzeee sex appeal. Like that women in the red dress dancing salsa at the Cuban club…
MTV Kosovo is around and when I met up with 3 Americans I met in Skopje a few days earlier we saw some Albanian rock. I couldn’t say it was the best, I was expecting to hear original songs but instead we got a cover band after two songs. The worst Beautiful Day rendition I’ve heard.
That night we met up with a local who helped the Americans settle in who were working there for a few months. Her and her friend at a bar stood up for the beggars that roam the cafes. I was so shocked I had to bite my tongue so much so I could wake myself up to say something. They were saying it was good to support them… What? Their theory was that it keeps them from getting into serious crime.
A few nights later I meet up with the 3 Americans again. They were a classic bunch of
3 completely different characters. Since Kosovo is a majority Muslim region now. The nightlife was confusing because they dress like there might be a chance yet these American guys were saying they were getting nothing. I told one guy “Don’t give up (it had been 2 months) you never know there might be another American girl doing the same thing as you and thinking the same thing. Who knows what’s around the corner.” What happened that night… That’s right!
But another guy was gay and he found the straight guys dilemma hilarious. In Skopje he left our group about 3 times one night to hit the gay bar. He came back “You know I could have got anything in there. This one guy was begging to give me head but I was like ‘Nah, you know what? You’re not that cute” This guy gets to pick and choose whilst the others were at a point where they’ll take scraps.
The gay community in its discreetness almost have it made. This guy goes on the web and in Kosovo since he is a foreigner he can call nearly anyone at anytime. So since I wasn’t going to get anything
and I was staying at the Americans place I ended up walking home with the gay guy to give the new couple a chance to bond.
The other of our group left earlier; I don’t know why the band we saw were excellent. Female singer with some special guest male singer who must be famous here. We complimented the both and they acted like they were superstars getting international recognition. Art, sport and all that is really restricted in the region of Kosovo.
Anyway back to me and the gay guy - We grabbed a bite to eat and he was a pretty good guy. We walked through the park area of the library. It’s dark and he informs me. “Drew you do know that this area is a hot spot for gay guys to hook up at night.” A guy walks past us a few steps later and looks at my mate and he goes “Ah Derew! You just cock blocked me!” Pretty funny - unexpected to come to Kosovo and get the info on how gay guys cope.
The library was also a scene on my first day for a protest against the corrupt government
and a desire to be part of Albania - Albanian flags were everywhere. Flags have been a controversial issue for a while with rules changing over the past few decades. Albanian and Serb flags have been allowed to fly but there is a new national flag, which generally isn’t liked.
One of only 2 flags in the world to have its own map on it (Cyprus the other.) It has 6 stars representing the different cultures of the region. They had a competition where 993 entries came in. The regulations were they would not have any double-headed eagles or the sole colours of either Albania or Serbia. The original design had one larger star to represent the larger Albanian community. That was changed to equal size.
The Kosovo problem really isn’t well known and you just immediately put Serbia as the bad guys. That could be the case but travelling to sites around Pristina (the capital) and you can sense why this region is so important to the government in Belgrade.
Grancanica Monastery just outside the capital is one of Kosovo’s great religious sites. In recent times things have improved but there was a time when Serbian
religious sites were targeted by Albanian groups. Up until recently you were required to show your passport to guards protecting the church but when I was there I was free to go in.
I was told to leave the monastery by a nun when she saw I was wearing shorts. It’s an orthodox monastery so I did the cross but it was not good enough. She probably didn’t see and didn’t see me walk around the 1321 built building before that. Inside you can’t take photos so I wasn’t able to capture some incredible artwork including the top of the roof. Some of the artwork depicted violent scenes mainly spears projecting from someone’s body or some big shot with a sword in his hand. Why is religion so violent?
There are many ethnic tensions that have dragged on over the years that have been based on centuries of historic hatred. But both sides need to realise that their region is a multicultural region and a Serbian church from 1321 is a big part of that culture.
10 kms from Pristina is Gazimestan where two sites stand just off the highway. Take away the churches and the Serbian
people living here, there still is a real attachment for this area for Serbia. And this is a realisation as to why there is a desperation to hold onto this region.
The battle of Kosovo was held here in the summer of 1389 between the Ottoman Empire and the Serbian medieval kingdom. Despite a few contentious issues like the date, some say June 15 but Serbs say June 28 St Vitus Day.
The battle is still seen by Serbia as a defining moment of national identity, as a statement against the orient and Islam. Despite them claiming they lost in its last effort to fight off what would become around 400 years of Ottoman (Turks) control. Other reports see it as a draw. At the time Europe celebrated as Christianities victory but the Serbs couldn’t recover. Both reasons for the draw would be put down to both big men for each side dying with thousands of others. Serbian Prince Lazar and Sultan Murat, leader of the Ottomans.
On the site there is a 25m stone monument surrounded by 4 sliced on an angle cylinders, which make no sense. You can climb to the top of the
monument to get 360 deree views of Pristina and the battlefield on the mostly open green pastures. You also have the toxic waste being spewed out of the power plant to the left and on the other side Pristina the capital, which is sizable. And in the foreground the other site the blue tomb of Sultan Murat Turbe (vacant now).
At the entrance of the monument there are the words of Lazar about the Kosovo curse, which could be true after Milosevic’s words 600 years later. The original curse was a call to arms and any Serb who doesn’t try and defend against the Ottomans would be cursed in the heart and his future generations farming aspirations. Mainly red wine and white wheat.
To celebrate the 600 year milestone Slobodan provided a speech that is said to have been the demise of Yugoslavia. Since the 1980’s there had been ethnic tensions building in Yugoslavia. Towards the end of the 1980’s Kosovan Serbs complained about mistreatments from the predominately Albanian police force and government. Around 100 000 Serbs left over a 26 year period.
By early 1989 Milosevic passed through a constitutional change that reduced
Kosovo’s autonomous rule. A protest in March the same year saw Albanian Kosovans die at the hands of Serbian force. So by the time June 28 came round things were simmering.
Around a million people (generally pro Serb) arrived to hear the speech for a day that had been built up over time. In November 1988 he said in a rally in Belgrade. “Kosovo is the pure centre of its (Serbian) history, culture and memory. Every nation has one love that warms its heart. For Serbia it is Kosovo.”
7 months later on Serbia’s most important day his words would bring much debate (and still) of its meaning. Slobodan would even have to answer the question of its meaning in the War Crimes Tribunal years later.
He says he was mis-interpreted and when you read the whole speech if it wasn’t suppose to be threatening than it was a pretty dopy thing to say. The keywords that felt threatening were the term, “armed battles.” This was meant to mean battling the implementation of “economic, political, cultural, and general social prosperity."
A little snippet - "Six centuries later, now, we are being again engaged in battles
and are facing battles. They are not armed battles, although such things cannot be excluded yet…” How stupid! That can be taken so many different ways.
The other thing that got people off course was the patriotic tone of the speech. Tito his predecessor was against such actions and now Milosevic was expressing Serbian pride. Together with other choice words it was seen as a deliberate ploy to intimidate other leaders in the Yugoslav region. Whilst also showing an intent to redraw Serbian borders and Yugoslavia to make a greater Serbia. The pro Serb crowd yelled out at the end of it – allegedly – "Kosovo is Serb" and "We love you, Slobodan, because you hate the Muslims."
To counter act that speech Kosovo announced its independence to the world on July 2 1990. They even had an elected president since 1992 under the banner of the Republic of Kosovo. It lasted until 2000 but was only recognised by Albania.
During that time there was the Kosovo War, which took place on the sly compared to the Bosnian and other Balkan editions. But in time the spotlight shone bright. In 1998 when thousands of Albanians were displaced
interest was created. But the Racak massacre of January 1999 created action and by March a draft was made up to restore Kosovo’s autonomy.
From March 24 to June 10 1999 NATO began bombing Serbian territories to force a withdraw which eventually happened in June. Milosevic agreed to have foreign presence and withdrew his troops. 9 were prosecuted for crimes during this war including Milosevic but no final judgment has been made. Milosevic died whilst in custody in 2006.
From their doings 800 000 Albanians were expelled and were charged for the murder of Kosovo Albanian civilians aged from 1-93 male and female. 6 others from the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) were done for torture, murder and rape of the local Serbs, Albanians and other civilians classed as not loyal.
When the Serb forces left some 200 000 - 280 000 residential Serbs went with them which was majority of the Kosovo-Serb population. They left on the back of looting and are afraid to go back to their homes as some received violent acts from the Albanian Kosovans. 120 000 – 150 000 Serbs remain but a small minority are still being treated with content.
In
February 17 2008 Kosovo proclaimed independence again with 76 UN states recognising their independence. I heard that places like Spain and Russia are against it. All neighbours recognise accept Serbia.
It’s important to see these 2 sites whilst in Kosovo to get a grand scale of things here. It doesn’t matter who started it both sides had been doing bad things. Serb culture is being overtaken with a lot of churches including vandalised ones forced to have signs informing that anyone who damages the Serb sites will have to answer to the government. Those two sites were important for me to see. It gave me a chance to understand why apart from the Serb people living there it is so important to Belgrade.
Whilst the capital has a modern western feel to it at times. The south of the country has a more Ottoman feel. That place was Prizrin – many mosques around, and a café scene more like an Arab market and there are some churches. The best view I had in this Balkans trip was from the Fortress.
High up a mountain wild flowers choke the site with bright reds, yellows and purple covering predominantly
the rubble walls and ground. Below and to the distance is a picturesque display of red rooves with the occasional minaret shining high. A small river drives through the middle of town with bright green trees on either side. As a backdrop a tall green mountain with bright blue sky.
Back in town I headed to the baths or hammam but like in Pristina they are not running. Inside they had a campaign on the mountain region of southern Kosovo’s Sharr mountains - it made me realise there is some real adventure to be had here.
It informed how it is on the verge of setting up a promotional campaign to get people to recognise the skiing potential in the mountains. There is a whole bunch of other small towns to see too but public transport seizes after around 7pm, last departure.
I did only schedule a short stay here mainly because I wasn’t expecting much but its worth more than just a stamp in the passport. Back in Pristina there are no street signs on the streets so the great names of Politicians on street names are here but you can’t find which one you’re on.
The main one is Bill Clinton Boulevard where on one corner there is a 3m high Bill Clinton statue, which was erected in 2009. He is holding the 1999 agreement that gave permission for US troops to enter Kosovo. Bill is said to be slightly embarrassed. His other free arm is raised and provides a great chance to ‘high 5’ him if you position the camera on the right angle. Behind on the apartment block is a poster of Bill and graffiti words of Jo Negociata Vetevendosje (No negotiations, self determination.)
Accommodation is pretty ordinary here and apart from one place in the north near the poorly kept National Martyr’s monument it’s pretty expensive. Guesthouse Velanla the only cheap place, you have to be careful of the professor (apparently the owner is one) there as he tries to get you to pay the 10% reservation fee twice. It’s only a euro (the official currency) but it’s the principle that this guy has been doing it for how long now?
Kosovo did seem to be a chewing gum friendly place too. I got this impression because I could see and feel the chewing gum on the ground. It
was the most my feet have stuck to the ground since being in my local back home before it got upgraded or before the school teachers in primary school clamped down on chewing gum use.
Kosovo is the easiest of the hard arsed countries I have been to. I am in fact ashamed that people when looking at my passport will be impressed that I ballsed it and came here. It is ridiculously safe and entertaining! Had I not scheduled it close to my birthday and was agreeing to meet up with my dad in a few days. I could have easily have stayed longer. Outrageous travel destinations are still in Europe and it’s of the safe variety.
**** This was obviously travelled and typed 5 weeks earlier than the border dispute.****
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David
non-member comment
So sad...
So, you are telling us here Serbs were not a bad guys, although they murdered around 15.000 Albanians, raped, masacred,expelled 1 million Albanians from their home etc etc. You believe what a Serb nun told you. She understood waht Milosevic said in his speech but 2 million Albanians and the world didn\'t, right? And you believe that Serb nun knows better. The battle has to do with economical prosperity although his speech was followed with a REAL war and crimes against Albanians. Sad to see that a nun of the Serbian church, that played a very chauvinist role during the wars in ex-Yugoslavia: Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo, managed to convince you that Milosevic, known by the world as the butcher of Balkans was \"good guy\". Feel sorry for you, man! You went there, stayed few days , met a Serbian nun and you \"know who the good guys were\".