Day 29 14/8/12 Rožaje to Deçan 72km We stopped in Rožaje for a coffee. It had a really nice center square, although there were lots of beggars. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. We had a steep hill out of town and then plugged away at the climb up to the pass at 1800m. There were lovely pine forests and wildflowers the whole way, also lots of cows on the road. The border crossings were very quick, and the Kosovar authorities were very interested in our means of transport. At least we didn’t have to pay 50 euros for car insurance at the border like everyone else!
It was a bit of a day for mechanical trouble - both my cleats came loose at different stages (easy fix) and my front wheel developed a definite wobble (not so fixable). So far I’m just managing with it - as long as my wheel isn’t going to fall off coming down a mountain I don’t mind!
Once in Kosovo we could see the whole country stretching before us. There is a big plain surrounded by mountains - it was pretty cool to look out in different directions and know that Albania, Macedonia and Serbia lay just beyond the mountains.
Pejë was the first city we encountered after descending onto the plain from the Montenegran border. Kosovo seems completely foreign - dusty, chaotic roads and temporary market stalls set up in every available place instead of shops in proper buildings. It is considerably poorer than the other countries we have visted in Europe. The people are extremely friendly and welcoming and very curious - cars pull up alongside us and ask us where we are from and where we are going. As soon as we stop people ask us if we need help.
Pejë
We continued along the main road from Pejë to Deçan. After a bit of searching we found a hotel (no camping at all in Kosovo). We ate a pizza in town for dinner (the only vegetarian fare on offer).
Typical shop in Deçan
We’ve been seeing lots of cars with French, German and Luxembourg plates in Montenegro and Kosovo. It seems that lots of Kosovars go to work in these countries, buy luxury cars and drive them home. Registration laws must be quite relaxed here and they keep their plates indefinitely. It was causing us a little confusion for a while - seemed strange that so many Luxembourghers would vacation in Kosovo!
Day 30 15/8/12 Deçan to Prizren 93km We got an early start and visited the nearby Deçani monastery. It is UNESCO protected and guarded by Italian soldiers who took our passports while we had a look around. Beautiful stone buildings surrounded well-kept lawns and gardens and a marble church with an interior covered in frescoes. We entered the church just in time to hear the monks singing and chanting the morning service - a wonderful experience.
Deçani monastery
After this we left the busy main road and took quite country roads through the villages to Gjakova. At one town we stopped for coffee - all the cafes here seem to be patronised by men only.
Gjakova was interesting - we entered it and it was dirty and chaotic and quite awful, then it turned out that the other side was completely different and quite attractive with a park and some nice restaurants.
Interesting bridge in Gjakova
From here we tried to avoid the main road again but had to turn around and backtrack (the map’s fault). So were stuck with the busy and dusty road all the way to Prizren.
Prizren is really nice, with a cobbled centre full of mosques, churches, a castle and lots of cafes and restaurants along a riverfront with several stone bridges. We have heard the call to prayer sound out from the speakers on the minaret quite a few times while we have been in Kosovo. The main mosque in Prizren even has a digitised display on the front that shows the various times of prayer for that day. It’s a novelty at first, but not so much when it wakes you at 3am!
After six days of hilly riding we are taking a much needed rest and tasting the multitude of yummy cakes that seem to be regional specialties.