I feel there is not much to write about the Kosovo. It was a detour from the EuroVelo 11 because I wanted to add that country to my list (61st) and found it a shame that the EuroVelo doesn’t pass through.
Well, not everybody recognizes this country. Only about 120 do and not even all from the EU. Of course, Serbia doesn’t. It considers it a province it has no control over (for the moment). Politics are funny, kind of. It’s OK to annex a part of another country because the inhabitants of this particular stretch are mostly XYZ (fill in the gap…Russians etc.). But when it is about letting go of a part of oneself…hell no (Chechnya, Georgia, Catalonia etc.).
I crossed the border into Serbia on the 28th of August and left on the 31st.
An overview of the route, pictures and text can be found on Polarsteps.
An advantage is that the official currency is EUR even though Kosovo is not part of the EUR-zone (or EU). Surprisingly, I saw many big mansions in the middle of nowhere. I mean, how do you make that kind of money there?
Might be that still some of them live in countries like Germany, Switzerland, France etc. Talked with 2 people and they kind of told me the same story. I was most impressed by the 2nd one:
He left as a 21 year old youth during the war and fled to Germany. Built himself a life with work, home and girlfriend in Düsseldorf. Only to have to leave 9 years later because Germany declared the Kosovo region safe. I am (or was?) pro this rule but I have to wonder if this is humane. He was clearly missing his real home and the life he had. It’s strange to pull someone out of the life he built over 9 years and expecting him to come “home” and start allover. I think we should encourage it but also offer alternatives.
It also reminded me of my own experience living in the US. It was no homecoming to Germany. And that was only after 3 years! I remember how strange everything looked and that I really didn’t want to be here and why was I not able to continue living in the US.
It’s appalling that it’s possible to get worse. Even more trash lying around and some places looked like a dump yard. It’s terrible. I wouldn’t want to live here. How can one be proud of his country and at the same time pollute it? How can one grow food in a field while plastics litter it?
It’s also appalling that when live squeezes me the only thing that comes out is anger. I have to assume that the only thing that is inside me is exactly that. Makes me sad and not wanting to go on. Living seemed to be easier…
Love,
Matthias