• Latest
  • Trending
A Journey to Kosovo

A Journey to Kosovo

November 24, 2019
Albanian Opposition Supports Government Earthquake Relief Efforts

Albanian Opposition Supports Government Earthquake Relief Efforts

December 3, 2019
IDF sends aid mission to earthquake-stricken Albania

IDF sends aid mission to earthquake-stricken Albania

December 3, 2019
Albania: Future uncertain for thousands of earthquake homeless

Albania: Future uncertain for thousands of earthquake homeless

December 3, 2019
YMCA Kosovo support Albanian families after deadly earthquake

YMCA Kosovo support Albanian families after deadly earthquake

December 1, 2019
Number of human trafficking cases dramatically increase in Belgium

Number of human trafficking cases dramatically increase in Belgium

December 1, 2019
EU mobilises emergency support to Albania after deadly earthquake

EU mobilises emergency support to Albania after deadly earthquake

December 1, 2019
Albania earthquake: Rescue efforts wind down

Albania earthquake: Rescue efforts wind down

November 30, 2019
Mayor Veliaj Uses Earthquake as Propaganda Opportunity

Mayor Veliaj Uses Earthquake as Propaganda Opportunity

November 30, 2019
Four Thousand Albanians Made Homeless after Devastating Earthquake

Four Thousand Albanians Made Homeless after Devastating Earthquake

November 29, 2019
Rama Announces Dubious Anti-corruption Legislation

Rama Announces Dubious Anti-corruption Legislation

November 29, 2019
Reports of Aid Being Refused in Camps, Arrests For Misapropriation

Reports of Aid Being Refused in Camps, Arrests For Misapropriation

November 29, 2019
Fear, evacuations and introspection in Albania after deadly quake

Fear, evacuations and introspection in Albania after deadly quake

November 29, 2019
Monday, March 1, 2021
Tirana Chronicle
No Result
View All Result
  • Albanian News
  • World News
    • Africa
    • Asia
      • China
      • North Korea
    • Canada
    • Europe
    • Latin America
      • Mexico
    • Middle East
    • Russian Federation
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
  • National Security
    • Military
    • Politics
    • Terrorism
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Science
  • Sports
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Books & Literature
    • Education
    • Family
    • Food & Drink
    • Health
    • History
  • Environment
    • Agriculture
    • Climate Change
    • Forests
  • Albanian News
  • World News
    • Africa
    • Asia
      • China
      • North Korea
    • Canada
    • Europe
    • Latin America
      • Mexico
    • Middle East
    • Russian Federation
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
  • National Security
    • Military
    • Politics
    • Terrorism
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Science
  • Sports
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Books & Literature
    • Education
    • Family
    • Food & Drink
    • Health
    • History
  • Environment
    • Agriculture
    • Climate Change
    • Forests
No Result
View All Result
Tirana Chronicle
No Result
View All Result

A Journey to Kosovo

November 24, 2019
in Albanian News, Destination, Entertainment, Featured, Travel
0
Home Albanian News
Post Views: 13

 

A trip to Kosovo has long been on my agenda, after all one cannot call oneself the Balkanista and only have visited Albania and Macedonia so far.

Autumn is perhaps my favourite season in this part of the world due to the abundance of rich colours that punctuate the landscape, combined with a faint smell of woodsmoke, and burgundy pomegranates bursting with sweet juice.

With that in mind, we loaded up Dea’s considerable luggage and two small bags for us, and headed off towards the border. We have driven a million times through the flatlands of the Tirana plain, framed by the mountains to the right. Passing farmers selling fruit and large colourful gourds by the side of the road, I admired the vibrant yellow, ochre, and rust coloured leaves on the branches of the trees. At this time of year, it looks like nature has some kind of pre-planned colour scheme that every plant and bit of foliage adheres to- orange, red, burgundy, brown, umber, and splashes of dark green here and there.

RelatedPosts

Albanian Opposition Supports Government Earthquake Relief Efforts

Albania earthquake: Rescue efforts wind down

Mayor Veliaj Uses Earthquake as Propaganda Opportunity

Four Thousand Albanians Made Homeless after Devastating Earthquake

Reports of Aid Being Refused in Camps, Arrests For Misapropriation

After an hour or so, we turned off onto the Rruga e Kombit that winds and turns all the way to the Kosovo border. This new road replaces a perilous almost single lane road that runs within eyesight of our path and it makes me anxious just to look out of it. A snakelike dirt path cut out of the side of the mountain that almost seems to disappear completely at some points. I cannot imagine the terror of those who had to take that road as until recently it was the only road to Kukes, and the border crossing nearby.

This part of Albania is very different from every other part- it is wild, unreachable, desolate, remote, and we pass villages and clusters of red roofed houses that look like they are stuck in another age- in a good way. Some houses are perched on small ledges in the vast, craggy mountains and with no visible road leading there, I wonder how those people live and whether they get a sense of peace from being so cut off from the rest of everyday life.

As we continue on our way, I start to notice an increasing number of abandoned houses and industrial units- half built, falling down, inhabited but crumbling- it seems that industry that once thrived here, does not so much any more. There are large piles of different kinds of sand and rocks, corrugated factories and rusting trucks and lorries behind barbed wire fences, exposed to the elements and left to rot.

Accompanying us on our drive is a large silty river that is half full with brilliant turquoise water. This area is often full of snow in the winter months and when it melts, the river becomes a raging body of ice water, flowing towards the ocean. We continue on our way and the mountains get more spectacular as we go, we appear to be heading into the clouds as some of the peaks are obscured and in some places, forgotten wisps cling to the side of the hills.

We are now in Mirdita region of the country- the highlands of Albania full of history, tribal tradition, customs, and a very different way of living to those who inhabit the larger cities. It is breathtakingly beautiful here and I love the isolated peace of the villages, towns, and smallholdings that we passed.

View this post on Instagram

Ethereal, wild, beautiful Albania. #albania #balkantravel #traveller #nomadsoul #expatlife #travelblog #travelblogger #travelphotography #landscapephotography #kukes #kuksi #beautifulbalkans #balkans #balkancollective #albanianlifestyle #wanderlust #travelinspo #travellingmom #journalist #writer #travel #photooftheday #nature #autumn #inspiration #beautiful #shqiperia #albaniaisbeautiful #albania🇦🇱 #tourism

A post shared by Alice Taylor (@mamabalkanista) on Nov 8, 2019 at 3:20am PST

Eventually, we end up at Kukes at the Fierza lake. I get angry as we pass local men catching wild birds, but as we turn a corner I am presented with the most spectacular view. The lake, surrounded by hills and mountains, gives off a fine mist that rises upwards, contrasting with the orange and yellow trees that frame it like a border. I stop to take a photo and we continue to the border, passing into The Republic of Kosovo.

View this post on Instagram

#prizren #visitprizren #prizrencity #prizreni #prizren❤️ #kosovo #kosove #kosova #kosovo🇽🇰 #visitprizren #visitkosovo

A post shared by Alice Taylor (@mamabalkanista) on Nov 8, 2019 at 7:49am PST

It’s funny- whilst some say that Kosovo is Albanian land and that the borders have changed a lot over the years, I still see a difference in the land, the light, the atmosphere, and the architecture as soon as we move from one to the other. As soon as we took the road in Kosovo, our surroundings became bathed in a golden light- the sun that had started ever so slightly descending in the sky, cast a warm glow all around us.

The houses, the roads- everything seemed different, and I made a note of many of the road signs being in Albanian and Serbian, but many had the Serbian names scratched out or taped over in an act of protest.

were in for a treat. The floor manager for the evening, a lovely woman from Peja, showed us to our seats and cooed over Dea (it’s impossible not too). As Dea proceeded to grin at everyone in the restaurant, and the delightful staff kept filling my glass up to the point I was soon a little beyond the definition of a ‘responsible mother’.

We ate quinoa with pomegranate, avocado and shrimps, sea bass with orange sauce, and a selection of creamy, chocolate desserts. The food was excellent, on par with that of Tirana and the service was some of the best I have had in the Balkans.

The floor manager and I sat outside to smoke a quick cigarette and she told me how after the war, she left for New York but had to return after 12 years. She told me how hard she finds it to adjust to live back in Kosovo.

“Time has passed but there are still many gaps in society” she tells me. “Building new tower blocks and apartments doesn’t change the past or fill these gaps, only time will.”

With Frank Sinatra playing in the background, we decided to wobble upstairs to bed feeling fat, happy, and very, very tired.

Source: Explaining Albania
Tags: AlbaniaBalkansjourneyKosovoThe Balkanistatourismtrip
ShareTweetShare

Related Posts

Albanian Opposition Supports Government Earthquake Relief Efforts
Albanian News

Albanian Opposition Supports Government Earthquake Relief Efforts

December 3, 2019
IDF sends aid mission to earthquake-stricken Albania
Albanian News

IDF sends aid mission to earthquake-stricken Albania

December 3, 2019
Albania: Future uncertain for thousands of earthquake homeless
Albanian News

Albania: Future uncertain for thousands of earthquake homeless

December 3, 2019
YMCA Kosovo support Albanian families after deadly earthquake
Albanian News

YMCA Kosovo support Albanian families after deadly earthquake

December 1, 2019
Number of human trafficking cases dramatically increase in Belgium
Albanian News

Number of human trafficking cases dramatically increase in Belgium

December 1, 2019
Next Post
Rama Defends Oligarchs: They Are Biggest Taxpayers, PPPs Help Citizens

Rama Defends Oligarchs: They Are Biggest Taxpayers, PPPs Help Citizens

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

1 × one =

Translate

Popular Post

Albanian Opposition Supports Government Earthquake Relief Efforts
Albanian News

Albanian Opposition Supports Government Earthquake Relief Efforts

December 3, 2019
0

  Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha stated the opposition supports the government in its efforts to help citizens affected by...

Read more
Albania government denies links to organised crime

Albania government denies links to organised crime

May 30, 2019
The Brief: Western Balkans – a test for the EU’s expansion appetite

The Brief: Western Balkans – a test for the EU’s expansion appetite

May 31, 2019
Armaldo Kllogjeri to hold recital at Tirana’s Amphitheatre

Armaldo Kllogjeri to hold recital at Tirana’s Amphitheatre

May 31, 2019
Abu Sayyaf’s Dutch hostage killed in firefight in Sulu

Abu Sayyaf’s Dutch hostage killed in firefight in Sulu

June 1, 2019
  • About Us
  • Creative Commons
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact Us

Topics

Follow Us

About Us

Tiranachronicle.com is part of Tirana Chronicle Media Group LLC, which delivers daily news around the globe.

© 2011 Tirana Chronicle

No Result
View All Result
  • Albanian News
  • World News
    • Africa
    • Asia
      • China
      • North Korea
    • Canada
    • Europe
    • Latin America
      • Mexico
    • Middle East
    • Russian Federation
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
  • National Security
    • Military
    • Politics
    • Terrorism
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Science
  • Sports
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Books & Literature
    • Education
    • Family
    • Food & Drink
    • Health
    • History
  • Environment
    • Agriculture
    • Climate Change
    • Forests

© 2011 Tirana Chronicle