It’s time to cross the border between Albania and Kosovo. On Day 8, we traversed the northern roads of Albania, taking pleasure in its mountainous landscape. In Kosovo, we checked out the historical and cultural city of Prizren – where mosques and monasteries sit side by side. Prizren has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, and in recent times, it’s the second most populous city in the newly independent territory in southeast Europe. We settled in the capital city, Pristina, for the night.

Here’s our entire route, c/o Google Maps:

After a refreshing night at Nord Hotel Boutique in Albania, which received a 10-star review from us, we continued the journey south-, and then, eastward. Here’s our review of the hotel: “Stylish hotel, good breakfast, central location. Parking around the area, with cctv cameras, according to the staff. Bathroom can be very slippery, and there was only one big towel. Overall, it was a good stay.” At this point, we have lower expectations on the accommodation part of the trip. For as long as we survived the night, we’re satisfied and happy.

Getting out of the city center in Shkoder was a bit chaotic. We left the hotel at around 8:45 am. The traffic seemed to have difficulty staying in a straight line. We also noticed that the locals enjoy hanging out from early morning, and there were many aged men on bicycles. And there were horse-drawn carriages. I enjoyed the laidback experience.

To get to Kosovo, we had to drive south towards Tirana, and then turn east before reaching the capital city. I enjoyed the views from the passenger seat, as we exit Shkoder:

At 10 am, we stopped over somewhere in Fushë Milot to have coffee (iced, this time). We also used a toilet with a pit latrine. I was also fascinated by a staircase on the backside of the restaurant. Also, yummy fruits for sale!

I sort of regret not getting some of those cute mushroom and lady bug figures! Our next stop was supposedly by the Zogu Bridge, a cultural monument. The five-arched bridge was designed by Swiss and German engineers, and completed in1927. Named after Albania’s first king, King Zog I, the bridge is 480 meters in length and crosses over the Mat river. At present, it is not in use due to its frailty. Sadly, we didn’t get to see the bridge. We missed the stop, and it was inconvenient to turn back. So, we just stopped for a quick stretch by another fruit market somewhere in Milot.

We didn’t make a stop until we reached the border to Kosovo. On the way, we saw mountains, tunnels, bridges and wild goats! And three cows walking on the highway. Lol. The roadworks were impressive. Little to no traffic in the main highways.

As we were about to approach the border control, we saw the views below. It’s the last view from Albania, before entering Kosovo. As mentioned in an earlier entry, Albania is one of the popular holiday destinations for Norwegians. We usually see beaches and the likes. It was a different story for us, as we chose to stay away from the beaches. We’d probably go back some day, and see the rest of the beautiful country!

Now, Kosovo. It has a very long history, but the more recent event was its independence from Serbia in 2008. According to sources, Serbia still wants to have Kosovo as its province, and thus, the political unrest in the northern part of Kosovo, near the border to Serbia. During our visit, we were advised to stay away from certain areas in the north.

Crossing the border, we were welcomed by women and children asking for money. This scenario was not new to me, as we have this in the Philippines as well. Usually, people from tribal groups go to cities like Manila, and they spend their stay knocking on car windows, asking for money. We also had to avail the insurance (I forgot how much it cost) at the border. We had the international insurance, but Kosovo was not included in the long list, apparently. As we stood by the counter, waiting for the receipt, we couldn’t help but notice the hoard of street dogs roaming the area, and what looked like forest fires from a distance.

Later on, we were on the roads. It felt different, driving in Kosovo. The roads and surroundings seemed to me like they were in sepia colors. Like, we were in an old movie. Vintage.

Kosovo, with a population of around 1.7 million (2022), is predominantly Muslim (93%, as of 2020). So, mosques with towering minarets are scattered all over. We decided to check out the city of Prizren, which was situated on the way to the capital city of Pristina. We arrived in Prizren at around 12:30 pm. It’s a very busy city. We parked the car in an area by a narrow street, being watched over by two men. I think we paid them 1, 2 or 5 euros. Can’t remember now. But I guess, it wasn’t unusual for locals to control small parking spaces.

We walked around the city, immersing ourselves in its charming presence. Given that the country is predominantly Muslim, I was worrying what to wear, thinking that I must wear something appropriate, modest. However, to my surprise, many women seemed liberal, wearing short shorts and miniskirts.

We entered a small shop, making hand-made jewely. Carl bought me a very nice bracelet – a remembrance from the whole trip. The three locals making the jewelry agreed to have their picture taken, seeming used to tourists asking for it. They also seemed to be enjoying their craft very much.

Prizren is located by the river Prizren and between the foothills of the Sharr mountains. Around 177,000 people live in the city. As mentioned, it is very multicultural. We saw mosques and churches lying close to one another. A popular sight was the Sinan Pasha mosque, built in 1615. It graced the old town, with a minaret 43.5 meters in height. It was actually my first time to hear the Muslim call for prayer. It was a cool experience, as the call resounded from the minaret and across the entire city.

Starving, we had some delicious food from a restaurant located right by the Sinan Pasha mosque. The river bank was lined with restaurants, most of which were crowded. We were listening to the prayer call while eating. Then, we continued exploring, hoping to find some postcards – didn’t find any. Exiting Prizren was also a bit challenging – the roads and streets too narrow. But the driver, a.k.a. my husband, was very skilled and got us out into the mainroad again in no time.

The roadtrip continued, and here are some views of Prizren as we drove away:

The drive to the capital city went smoothly. We arrived in Pristina at around 3:30pm. Pristina is the largest city in the country, and the whole municipality has a population of around 198,000 (2011).

We booked a hotel room in Hotel Gorenje. Gorenje is a manufacturer of home appliances, with headquarters in Slovenia. Getting in the building, we were a bit confused because of the appliances store. The hotel rooms were located in the upper floors, accessible via an elevator which required a staff ID to operate. Anyway, the room given to us was on another floor, reachable by a flight of stairs. It was spacious, and there was a balcony with amazing panoramic views of the city.

Later on, Carl pointed out to me that the staff’s quarter was right by our room, and had a door to the balcony as well, so we better be quiet!

Exhausted from the trip, we decided not to go out that much in the evening. We just drove to a nearby mall, enjoyed some dinner, and called it a day. Sunset views from the balcony was amazing!

So, this was Day 8. ALL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS ON THIS BLOG ARE MINE. Cheers! 🙂 #spreadloveandpositivevibes