Everyone, both men and women, wears all black or sometimes a white T-shirt and denim jeans. All the young women have long hair parted in the middle. Their hair is pitch black, and the men have haircuts with nothing on the sides with longer black hair on top.
We are staying in the home of Lika and Betim. It is called Hotel Nais (pronounced Nice). They live here and have also converted part of it into a hotel.
Betim was born here. His grandfather was high up in the government and a one-time mayor of Dürres. He was shot and killed by communists. His home was taken over by the communists. The family escaped to Italy. Once communism fell, they returned and were able to get the house back.
They have made an incredible buffet of homemade breakfast items. Lika gave a detailed description of each food, many were traditional.
She took many pictures of us:
We commented on the post-Cubist artwork that was displayed throughout the dining area. Lika said that the art in their home is by a contemporary friend of Picasso named Ibrahim Kodra.
Does this mess with your brain?
They say yes by shaking their head and nodding their head for no so maybe these colors make sense?!?
We waited forever for a taxi. Time was getting short. Finally the electric taxi arrived. His GPS was in English which seemed odd. He took a scenic route and delivered us to A bus station. We were told to wait there for the bus.
After a while, Rob asked some men standing around about the bus to Prizren, and they pointed to a man in a black sedan. He put our bags in the trunk and another young lady (all dressed in black) jumped in the front seat and off we went. At times he drove very slowly, and they chatted together.
After about 20 minutes and unsure where we were going, “Do you speak English?” “Yes, a little,” was the answer but the reality was no.
The young lady turned around and indicated that she would like to smoke and asked for permission. I shook my head NO, wagged my finger and gave a hearty cough.
I guess that was not understood because she wrote it in Google Translate “Do you mind if I smoke? Again I said, “Yes, I do mind, and nodded my head” I don’t think that we are communicating!!!
… Everyone will be happy if you just get us to the bus!!! Our ticket WAS for 12:00pm. It is now 12:30, and we have been in this car for 30 minutes.
We keep asking “Bus?” and he says “Yes, bus.”
Our “bus driver” arrived near the Tirana Airport and indicated that we should get out. We don’t have a plane ticket?
It turns out that he WAS the “bus” and drove us to a gas station near the Tirana airport where we boarded a small van full of people.
Another two hours on the crowded, hot bus. Add in some traffic at the border.
We had a rest stop and an older man gave Rob and me a banana. How thoughtful! He didn’t speak any English and invited us to stay at his guest house. We weren’t going to that city, but he was very kind … or could it be another kidnapping?
Again, we were dropped off at the side of the road and another taxi took us to the bus station in the center of the Prizren. This was part of our bus ticket so there was no charge. He was not friendly and didn’t establish eye contact nor help with the luggage.
Then we got a taxi to our hostel. There was no shortage of taxis at the bus station. We told him the name of the hostel, but we could tell that he didn’t know where it was. Rob again helped with his GPS.
At last, we arrived. It wasn’t planes, trains, and automobiles, but it was grand adventure.
It is much colder here. There are more women … still dressed in black … that are wearing hijabs (Muslim head coverings). We see Turkish food and characteristic Turkish tea glasses.
Turkey has invested heavily in the development of Kosovo, especially in the infrastructure. Kosovo has been part of the Ottoman empire much longer than Albania.
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