July 23rd
(Day 'unknown' of 116)
Pristina, Kosovo.
Today is our last day in Kosovo, and as expected, there is not much to do around the town. Kosovo has been under UN control since 1999 and declared independence from Serbia in February 2008. Things are still up in the air regarding this area, but the new government is trying to make sure that an independent country is the only solution.
Ministries in Kosovo are prevalent around the two major streets. It seems like the government appropriated entire apartment complexes or businesses in order to create ministries around town, from agriculture, detention centers, to foreign affairs. Probably the coolest/most random choice is for the Supreme Court of Kosovo to take the place of a nice looking apartment complex just off an avenue. Maybe in the future that'll all change.
HOW many police are in Kosovo/Pristina???
Matt and I were sitting down at a restaurant adjacent to the United Nations Mission in Kosovo building and soon realized that this town had so many police officers. Probably 5 officers a minute walked by while we were eating. It was insane. Most were Kosovars, but every now and then there'd be a European or American police officer. We probably counted close to 100 officers while we were eating. We thought that was insane.
After we finished eating, we continued our walk along one of the main streets toward the Supreme Court, only to realize that next door to the restaurant was the 'Regional Police Station in Pristina', complete with an entire parking lot of police cars and officers going in and out for coffee at a cafe.
Apparently it wasn't really that crazy, but still it was a lot of cops.
We will be taking a night bus from Pristina to Budva, Montenegro today.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Up to Date?
It's July 22 - We are in Kosovo in the capital, Pristina.
I'll have something prepared in a few days when we arrive in Budva, Montenegro.
For being gone a month, I think I'm leaving out quite a bit - but bad keyboards and even slower internet connections really make it difficult trying to elaborate.
I'll have something prepared in a few days when we arrive in Budva, Montenegro.
For being gone a month, I think I'm leaving out quite a bit - but bad keyboards and even slower internet connections really make it difficult trying to elaborate.
Travel Tips in Macedonia
July 18th
(Day 'unknown' of 116)
Skopje and Ohrid, Macedonia
Travel tips:
1. Ohrid is a great town on a lake near the border (southwest of MKD) with Albania. Go there.
2. Avoid Skopje. I think I took like 3 pictures, and they were of the same thing.
Skopje is a town of only significance because of how screwed up Kosovo and Serbia are. International crowds who aren't comfortable living in Kosovo just stay here and commute (20km from the border of Kosovo).
Inflated prices, very tiny town with even less to offer.
Lesson: Stay in Ohrid.
(Day 'unknown' of 116)
Skopje and Ohrid, Macedonia
Travel tips:
1. Ohrid is a great town on a lake near the border (southwest of MKD) with Albania. Go there.
2. Avoid Skopje. I think I took like 3 pictures, and they were of the same thing.
Skopje is a town of only significance because of how screwed up Kosovo and Serbia are. International crowds who aren't comfortable living in Kosovo just stay here and commute (20km from the border of Kosovo).
Inflated prices, very tiny town with even less to offer.
Lesson: Stay in Ohrid.
Where the Balkan Conflict never happened: Serbia
July 14th
(Day 'unknown' of 116)
Belgrade, capital of Serbia
Another country that we weren't so sure about going to, this time because of the recent attacks against the American Embassy and the overall view of America in Serbia.
Well - we took a night bus from Sarajevo and arrived in Belgrade at 6am. Nobody was happy about that. Next day, we visited the famous fortress at the confluence of the two major rivers. Within that fortress was the Serbian Military Museum - probably the most interesting thing we did in Belgrade, and it cost only $1.
As I alluded to in the last post, the history of events in the Balkans might be interpreted a little differently from country to country, but only in Serbia was it absent.
The Military museum went from like 1000BC to 1999AD, and covered the archaeology finds of the past very well and thoroughly at that. That type of coverage was present until the early 1900s.
With a portrait of the assassin of Archduke Ferdinand framed(and information in Serbian) and eventually starting WWI, Serbian history would diverge from the West's, and possibly even reality. There was a collection of guns and a memorial to the French who died in Serbia. Then all of a sudden we're in 1999 where Serbia seems to view themselves as unfairly attacked during the NATO raids. No WWII, no Yugoslavia conflicts. Pieces of the NATO room were parts of a shot down US stealth fighter, some captured troops fatigues, and some Balkan guns and depleted uranium rounds.
Even in their brutally honest tourist guide for the city (about how depressing the majority of the buildings look etc.), a recent timeline of history is filled with how the NATO attacks weren't UN sanctioned and how many Serbian refugees came from the "Croatian War" etc.
Obviously some countries have different histories, but to have them be so irresponsible. How long did it take post wwII Germany to admit their actions?
(Day 'unknown' of 116)
Belgrade, capital of Serbia
Another country that we weren't so sure about going to, this time because of the recent attacks against the American Embassy and the overall view of America in Serbia.
Well - we took a night bus from Sarajevo and arrived in Belgrade at 6am. Nobody was happy about that. Next day, we visited the famous fortress at the confluence of the two major rivers. Within that fortress was the Serbian Military Museum - probably the most interesting thing we did in Belgrade, and it cost only $1.
As I alluded to in the last post, the history of events in the Balkans might be interpreted a little differently from country to country, but only in Serbia was it absent.
The Military museum went from like 1000BC to 1999AD, and covered the archaeology finds of the past very well and thoroughly at that. That type of coverage was present until the early 1900s.
With a portrait of the assassin of Archduke Ferdinand framed(and information in Serbian) and eventually starting WWI, Serbian history would diverge from the West's, and possibly even reality. There was a collection of guns and a memorial to the French who died in Serbia. Then all of a sudden we're in 1999 where Serbia seems to view themselves as unfairly attacked during the NATO raids. No WWII, no Yugoslavia conflicts. Pieces of the NATO room were parts of a shot down US stealth fighter, some captured troops fatigues, and some Balkan guns and depleted uranium rounds.
Even in their brutally honest tourist guide for the city (about how depressing the majority of the buildings look etc.), a recent timeline of history is filled with how the NATO attacks weren't UN sanctioned and how many Serbian refugees came from the "Croatian War" etc.
Obviously some countries have different histories, but to have them be so irresponsible. How long did it take post wwII Germany to admit their actions?
The 1984 Winter Olympics: The Best thing to Ever Happen To Sarajevo
July 9th
(Day 'unknown' of 116)
Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia & Hercegovina
We spent about 4 days in Sarajevo, probably my favorite city up to that point in the Western Balkans. A big city with a history that the population can't decide to live with it, move past it, or just forget it ever happened.
Obviously politically and world-news-events unaware during this conflict, I only had a vague recollection of what truly happened (other than Hillary Clinton definitely not getting sniped at coming off the plane). The Bosnians lived through it all and have the same city-battle wounds that the Mostar city did. The hostel that we stayed at was a house of a 21-year-old - which was mortar attacked or grenaded at least 7 times during the conflict.
Other than a long trip with Australian Luke and American Dave and Matt to a waterfall near the mountains that didn't exist, and a horse&carriage ride back from it that could not comfortably fit us all (physically and in being in public), the highlight was probably a tour by the hostel owner around the city and to the Olympic grounds of 1984.
No matter where you go in the city, people still talk and are very nostalgic about their city hosting the olympics. Numerous places still have the logo plastered around, souvenir shops sell olympic items. Australia Luke was looking for a shirt with the olympic mascot (Vuchko) on it. He said that name to the lady working there and she was very happy that we knew it-- it was just a funny experience. But still -- it seems the young people are happy to move past it all, the old people to remember how it was, and some of them still suffer because of it all.
When we went to Serbia, it was clear the official position was that 1. the siege of Sarajevo really never happened, and 2. the Serbian people suffered more than Muslims.
(Day 'unknown' of 116)
Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia & Hercegovina
We spent about 4 days in Sarajevo, probably my favorite city up to that point in the Western Balkans. A big city with a history that the population can't decide to live with it, move past it, or just forget it ever happened.
Obviously politically and world-news-events unaware during this conflict, I only had a vague recollection of what truly happened (other than Hillary Clinton definitely not getting sniped at coming off the plane). The Bosnians lived through it all and have the same city-battle wounds that the Mostar city did. The hostel that we stayed at was a house of a 21-year-old - which was mortar attacked or grenaded at least 7 times during the conflict.
Other than a long trip with Australian Luke and American Dave and Matt to a waterfall near the mountains that didn't exist, and a horse&carriage ride back from it that could not comfortably fit us all (physically and in being in public), the highlight was probably a tour by the hostel owner around the city and to the Olympic grounds of 1984.
No matter where you go in the city, people still talk and are very nostalgic about their city hosting the olympics. Numerous places still have the logo plastered around, souvenir shops sell olympic items. Australia Luke was looking for a shirt with the olympic mascot (Vuchko) on it. He said that name to the lady working there and she was very happy that we knew it-- it was just a funny experience. But still -- it seems the young people are happy to move past it all, the old people to remember how it was, and some of them still suffer because of it all.
When we went to Serbia, it was clear the official position was that 1. the siege of Sarajevo really never happened, and 2. the Serbian people suffered more than Muslims.
How not to Bridge Jump in Mostar, Bosnia & Hercegovina
July 8th, 2008
Mostar, Bosnia & Hercegovina
(Day 'unknown' of 116)
Ok I know this is getting a bit backlogged (even more now), but I'm really working on it.
At first I had some serious doubts and some worries about traveling through Bosnia. I really had no idea what to expect some almost 2 decades since Bosnia tried to leave Yugoslavia. What I didn't expect was that most things in Mostar would be relatively unchanged since the battle in Mostar during the mid 1990's. Entire buildings along the main street/tourist avenue still condemned, barring any person to walk through them or even park cars inside them. Buildings that have been repaired seem to have only patched the bullet holes in the street-facing wall, leaving a distinct "Bosnian" trace of it's history.
Mostar Bridge - probably the most famous bridge in the Western Balkans (and gracing the front of the guide book) was a very cool sight. Destroyed by the Croat forces in 1994, it was rebuilt mostly by European donations soon after. Without this bridge, I don't think any reconstruction (and certainly any tourists) would have arrived.
There is a famous bridge club comprised of locals who jump the 22-25m tall bridge into the river below. Probably doesn't look scary until you're on the other side of the railing. The club goes around asking for money before one of their members jumps, sometimes waiting 30 minutes, or sometimes giving up and walking back to their clubhouse with other people's money. - Matt and I were around the city and heard the signature 22m splash and then applause multiple times, but we did not ever see anyone jump.
On our last day though, we made sure we would see someone jump - we waited by the river and waited till someone would make the move. This time it seems like it was an oldtimer local who just thought he was some sort of bad-ass like the old Indiana jones or something.
Either this man was wrong or Indiana never jumped from a bridge that high.
The man jumped from the bridge, and following the applause, sort of failed to swim to the shore. The club members came down to the river and helped him to a lawnchair while they diagnosed what was wrong with him. From where we were, about 50m away, it looks like he definitely broke a leg... or definitely broke an arm. He definitely did one but he was still moving, which is probably the important thing.
Lesson learned. He is not a bad-ass.
Mostar, Bosnia & Hercegovina
(Day 'unknown' of 116)
Ok I know this is getting a bit backlogged (even more now), but I'm really working on it.
At first I had some serious doubts and some worries about traveling through Bosnia. I really had no idea what to expect some almost 2 decades since Bosnia tried to leave Yugoslavia. What I didn't expect was that most things in Mostar would be relatively unchanged since the battle in Mostar during the mid 1990's. Entire buildings along the main street/tourist avenue still condemned, barring any person to walk through them or even park cars inside them. Buildings that have been repaired seem to have only patched the bullet holes in the street-facing wall, leaving a distinct "Bosnian" trace of it's history.
Mostar Bridge - probably the most famous bridge in the Western Balkans (and gracing the front of the guide book) was a very cool sight. Destroyed by the Croat forces in 1994, it was rebuilt mostly by European donations soon after. Without this bridge, I don't think any reconstruction (and certainly any tourists) would have arrived.
There is a famous bridge club comprised of locals who jump the 22-25m tall bridge into the river below. Probably doesn't look scary until you're on the other side of the railing. The club goes around asking for money before one of their members jumps, sometimes waiting 30 minutes, or sometimes giving up and walking back to their clubhouse with other people's money. - Matt and I were around the city and heard the signature 22m splash and then applause multiple times, but we did not ever see anyone jump.
On our last day though, we made sure we would see someone jump - we waited by the river and waited till someone would make the move. This time it seems like it was an oldtimer local who just thought he was some sort of bad-ass like the old Indiana jones or something.
Either this man was wrong or Indiana never jumped from a bridge that high.
The man jumped from the bridge, and following the applause, sort of failed to swim to the shore. The club members came down to the river and helped him to a lawnchair while they diagnosed what was wrong with him. From where we were, about 50m away, it looks like he definitely broke a leg... or definitely broke an arm. He definitely did one but he was still moving, which is probably the important thing.
Lesson learned. He is not a bad-ass.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Ok done for now
Ok that'll do it for now. At the moment we left Mostar, but are in Sarajevo for 3 days. Will probably go to Belgrade after that. Haven't figured out yet.
- Mark
- Mark
Losinj Island and Boat Trip
This one is kind of a story that all the good parts need to be left out to protect the innocent. Haha.
July 3rd (Day 10 of 116)
Veli Losinj, Losinj Island, Croatia
So we're on this island that not many people know about off the coast of Croatia. It's probably one of the more northern islands on the Croatian coast. Anyway. We went to this island because a number of Norwegians and Canadians recommended the island and a boat trip to us. It sounded pretty perfect. I think Matt was more excited about it than I was. Anyway. We heard from the people at the hostel that it's a very crazy boat ride, and they were making sure that we were ready for what was coming. It's like one of those things where you go bungee jumping (haven't) and they make you sign your life away kind of. So after that we were determined to have the time of our lives in Croatia.
Yeah...... about that.
We get there early to the boat, which could seat around 50. It was a boat that stood out amongst all the others in the harbor... we met the captain and we were 100% sure that this was the trip (We were told he would be as drunk or drunker than the majority of the passengers.. he fit the bill... and we met him at like 9:30AM). So right - we get on the boat and find a place in the shade. Then some old people come on.. then a family with 3 whining kids. Then another family, then some middle aged people. Probably about 9:50, about 10 minutes before we are set to leave we finally see some people our age... I think they were working on the boat. Great. There are probably just a ton of alcoholic captains with crazy boats in Croatia, and we totally got on the wrong boat. There goes our $40/person.
But about 2 hours into the boat ride, I started asking some of the younger crew members if they remember the Norwegian/Canadian people who were on the trip less than a week ago. He just started laughing... "They were SOOOOOOO drunk. They just sat in the back of the boat and drank red wine, white wine, and all the rakije."
Good. this is the right boat. Now to get our money's worth.
They offered us the rakije (home made grape brandy of sorts) and wine and we partook (word?). We stopped at a few nice islands with some sandy beaches and warm Adriatic water. Then they went to a different island where we could jump off the huge ladder/jump off the boat. We did that about 10 times each. Then took the 2 hour ride home talking to a 'native' person from Losinj who worked at a bar. But by the end of that boat trip, neither Matt nor I was in any shape to freshen up and head down town. Now all the good parts of the story will be left out. Sorry.
We got up pretty late the next day and the people who worked at the hostel had a good time explaining/asking questions about the trip the next day.
All in all, fun trip, but probably will avoid that in the future.
I'm just glad it was just Matt and me without a crazy group of Norwegians to peer pressure either of us.
Picture is me jumping off the boat.
Lake Bled and Ljubljana at hostel
This one I wrote a few days ago too.
June 28th (Day 5 of 116)
Bled, Slovenia
Matt and I went to Lake Bled for a day trip. Nice weather amazingly clear lake with a church island and castle overlooking all of it. Enjoyed by some of the more unattractive Eastern Europeans we've seen so far. Kind of like pairing a nice fillet with Pabst Blue Ribbon or something? (haven't eaten as I write this). But you know in America there's always that one fatter kid who finally agrees to go to the beach or pool parties, but when he gets there he refuses to take his shirt off? I don't think that happens in Slovenia. Maybe it should.
Got back from Bled - Tried 3 types of Slovenian wine.. None of which were than 3Euro a bottle. they were just about that good.
We met up with a couple of guys from Australia and Canada, at some pretzel sticks and had a beer or two and went down town. Scott (the Aussie) had a weird hobby of doing people's portraits at hostels he goes too. I volunteered Matt. Apparently Scott thought Matt would look good as a black person. I have to admit, he did look pretty impressive. But it'll probably be a lot easier to cross Eastern European borders if Matt stays a white person.
Ljubljana and Surrounds (or just the airport)
Ok I guess I'm super behind on this thing already. This will be painful to catch up to speed... As long as no one else enters the hostel and wants to use it, I think I'll get a few experiences uploaded.
Ok this one I wrote during a bus ride, probably from Ljubljana to Zagreb to get to Zadar in Croatia. I think I might have been a little annoyed by something at the time.
June 26th (Day 3 of 116)
Off to Ljubljana
Plane flight. Nothing to report. It took off, landed, and we arrived. Getting to the airport was pretty ridiculous. It was approximately 85 degrees in Slovenia and very humid. We were escorted to the enclosed glass ramp to customs, basically a long baking greenhouse structure. Then down 4 flights of stairs to a bus that would take us to the international arrival area. Imagine for a second the hot and humid greenhouse of an airplane ramp, but now on a scorching-hot tarmac. Packed with sweating Europeans who obviously live without deodorant clutching for the highest possible hand rails, subconsciously proving their superiority over Gillette or Degree for Men. And then stand there stewing in European BO for about 10 minutes. But at last we started moving! The A/C was fully operational for the entire bus ride, which lasted (to our amazement/intense disgust) about 20 seconds. We were all pretty furious..... You know the movie "Falling Down".. kinda, when it's a super hot day, you're stuck in gridlock with no end in sight, and every fly, every itching trickle of sweat going down your neck, every little girl in the car ahead of you with a missing front tooth licking her ice cream just staring at you, because she has nothing better to do, every old fat woman slowly putting on her lipstick with her tongue sticking out and following every movement of her hand, and you wish that maybe, just maybe, fire will rain down from the sky and burn them alive, resulting in a slow but deservingly slow death that they naturally deserve? Well it wasn't really like that at all, but at the same time I still think that all those smug little girls with their ice cream should get what's coming to them.
Ok this one I wrote during a bus ride, probably from Ljubljana to Zagreb to get to Zadar in Croatia. I think I might have been a little annoyed by something at the time.
June 26th (Day 3 of 116)
Off to Ljubljana
Plane flight. Nothing to report. It took off, landed, and we arrived. Getting to the airport was pretty ridiculous. It was approximately 85 degrees in Slovenia and very humid. We were escorted to the enclosed glass ramp to customs, basically a long baking greenhouse structure. Then down 4 flights of stairs to a bus that would take us to the international arrival area. Imagine for a second the hot and humid greenhouse of an airplane ramp, but now on a scorching-hot tarmac. Packed with sweating Europeans who obviously live without deodorant clutching for the highest possible hand rails, subconsciously proving their superiority over Gillette or Degree for Men. And then stand there stewing in European BO for about 10 minutes. But at last we started moving! The A/C was fully operational for the entire bus ride, which lasted (to our amazement/intense disgust) about 20 seconds. We were all pretty furious..... You know the movie "Falling Down".. kinda, when it's a super hot day, you're stuck in gridlock with no end in sight, and every fly, every itching trickle of sweat going down your neck, every little girl in the car ahead of you with a missing front tooth licking her ice cream just staring at you, because she has nothing better to do, every old fat woman slowly putting on her lipstick with her tongue sticking out and following every movement of her hand, and you wish that maybe, just maybe, fire will rain down from the sky and burn them alive, resulting in a slow but deservingly slow death that they naturally deserve? Well it wasn't really like that at all, but at the same time I still think that all those smug little girls with their ice cream should get what's coming to them.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
working on it...
I have a lot more days written down, but these keyboards here make it very difficult to type. Ill try to make more updates later.
At the moment we are in Zadar, Croatia. We might take a ferry north to an island off the coast or just head down to Split. Not sure yet.
At the moment we are in Zadar, Croatia. We might take a ferry north to an island off the coast or just head down to Split. Not sure yet.
London, England
June 25th, (Day 2)
As students, Matt and I both agreed to see London in the cheapest way possible in the short time that we had (arrived 3pm and left by 10am). That being said, we did see a lot of the major highlights in London. From Big Ben and Parliament, we went a far distance down the Thames to London Bridge and London tower. Actually going into these sites is another story. That kind of thing can get pretty expensive.
As students, Matt and I both agreed to see London in the cheapest way possible in the short time that we had (arrived 3pm and left by 10am). That being said, we did see a lot of the major highlights in London. From Big Ben and Parliament, we went a far distance down the Thames to London Bridge and London tower. Actually going into these sites is another story. That kind of thing can get pretty expensive.
Off to England
June 24th. (Day 1)
For the previous week that Ive been home ive tried hard to avoid packing or even planning to pack for the four month long ordeal. How does one prepare to backpack through the Balkans, do two weeks of cruises, some time in Egypt and then India for a number of weeks? Difficult. As long as you avoid it, you dont have to think about it. That plan worked well until today. With about five hours left before departure time to the airport, Matt and I had to go shopping for a new working camera for him and then I would start.
For the previous week that Ive been home ive tried hard to avoid packing or even planning to pack for the four month long ordeal. How does one prepare to backpack through the Balkans, do two weeks of cruises, some time in Egypt and then India for a number of weeks? Difficult. As long as you avoid it, you dont have to think about it. That plan worked well until today. With about five hours left before departure time to the airport, Matt and I had to go shopping for a new working camera for him and then I would start.
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