Our travels in the former Yugoslavia back in 1990 were brief but did take us up through the bigger cities in Serbia so on our route back to northern Europe we sought to drive around it this time. From Romania, that meant swinging southwest down to Bulgaria then heading more or less less directly north through Macedonia and Kosovo before going west to Montenegro and then Bosnia. Perhaps we were given misleading advice but it was also strongly suggested to us that visiting Kosovo might cause problems entering Serbia ( Serbia being one of just a handful of nations that still do not recognize Kosovo as an independent state ). One thing you learn quickly in these parts is to get your politics ( and historical figures ) straight – don’t mention just “Macedonia” to the Greeks ( it’s got to be North Macedonia ! ) and never forget where Alexander the Great came from ( claimed by several countries in the region !).
Leaving Romania one drives through pretty countryside to the southwest before crossing the Danube ( by ferry in our case – though I did ask Lois if it might count as that Danube “cruise” she has always wanted. Yes, you know the answer 😊 ). Both Romania and Bulgaria are now in the EU and as such part of the Schengen border control which means there should’ve been no border at all between them. While it was rather perfunctory ( and super friendly ), there was a control in place but we we were only stopped briefly. In northern Europe, no stops at all.
Sofia was to be our only Bulgarian stop and then really only because it fell right in our path, but it was certainly worthwhile for the day we spent there exploring its sights. Like Bucharest, another city with some interesting history, beautiful buildings, upscale neighbourhoods and wide boulevards, but unfortunately also blighted by much litter, horrendous graffiti, and gardens that were simply unattended. It’s not to suggest that you don’t see graffiti in other areas of Europe, you do, but not to the extent you see it here. It was very sad to see such disrespect for historical property.
From Sofia it’s only a few hours west to Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, a country which, along with Kosovo, Bosnia, Montenegro, Croatia and Slovenia peeled off from the former Yugoslavia after the conflicts in the 1990’s. The politics, as a result, can be a little tortuous and while tensions still simmer in places there is not ( as far as we know ) any remaining military conflict. Our passage through both Macedonia and Kosovo was brief, we enjoyed what we saw and the people we met were again, unfailingly helpful band curious ( more than once we were asked what on earth we were doing there !!!! ). I mention friendly again – here is what I mean; leaving Pristina we stopped at a fuel station to get some diesel before crossing to Montenegro. All three employees, on seeing our van and the unusual plates, came out to meet us. One spoke fluent English, so asked about our trip and translated for the other two who seemed absolutely enthralled by what we had done and where we had been. It was actually difficult to leave! One insisted on wiping down our dirty windshield while the other filled the van with diesel and the other talked to us the whole time. Before we could leave, he dragged me to the drink machine and insisted I take two drinks with us courtesy of them – one for Lois and one for myself. Of course I politely refused, thanked him anyway, but that went absolutely nowhere. No way were we leaving before we took a couple of drinks “on the house”, and their best wishes for a safe onward journey. It’s not quite always to that extent but It’s the kind of experience we’ve had from people in this area over and over again, which truly makes for a warm welcome. They have been through such difficult times and now seem happy and content with their independence.
Insurance at the Macedonian border ( expensive here ). As it’s outside the EU our green card is not valid, but it was fast and easy. We had to do this in Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia as well.
Macedonian special forces soldier – we felt safe even if it was not the most glamorous of our stays !!
Skopje
In truth, save for a few sights ( see pics above and below ) there’s not much to bring you to Macedonia or Kosovo and had they not been the only way to get us to Montenegro and Bosnia it’s not likely we would have even visited. It was quite funny, in Pristina, when I asked what the major attraction was – “Biill Clin-ton” came the unexpected answer. Bill Clinton ?Apparently the former president pushed through a vote at some important stage in a UN meeting that helped the Kosovo people in their push for independence. In any case, the guy is absolutely revered in Kosovo with a wide boulevard (named ) and a large statue (built ) in his honour. While Pristina was short on top tier sights, it did offer us a wonderful camp spot, shared with a delightful Dutch couple also travelling in the Balkans – the grounds of the Hotel Gracanica were truly a refuge for us in what was otherwise a rather chaotic city.
The one country here we were really excited to visit ( to the extent we probably rushed the former two in order to spend more time there ) was Montenegro. Far more like northern Europe than its neighbours, seemingly wealthier and more developed, it is also stunningly beautiful. Its coastline includes the world famous Bay of Kotor ( a cruise ship magnet ) and the hip coastal towns of Budva annd Sveti Stefan. What was especially interesting ( and very scenic ) though was our entry into the country from Kosovo. A steep climb up, over and then down the border range during which time we connected with a group of foreign, ( mostly Canadian ) cyclists. We were all getting stamped in at the border together and the Canadians in the group ( on a 2 week cycling trip through to Albania ) could not resist checking out the van with BC ( Canadian ) plates. Anyway, a fun chat ensued, and some photo ops along with the usual travellers tips. One of the cyclists was actually from Vernon, Lois’s home town ( small world ! ). Even though we plan to return to Montenegro later this summer we still could not resist exploring a bit more now, such was its appeal. The Bay of Kotor, crowded as it was ( a large cruise ship was in ) and postcard-like Sveti Stefan were particular highlights. We both agreed that this is one country we really look forward to revisiting !
Till next week…
