[cont.]
If you Google "Things to do / eat in Pristina", you are likely to be told to try rakia, a fruit spirit / brandy popular in the Balkans. "The alcohol content of rakia is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger (typically 50–80%)."
We tried some this past weekend. Not entirely to my taste, but if you want your sinuses cleared and a thin layer a membrane stripped from your mouth and tongue, then hey, go for it...
--
It is hard to ascertain exactly which parts of Kosovo's railway network are still functional. Most lines have fallen into disrepair and some into disuse; some are undergoing extensive upgrades with a loan from the European Investment Bank.
Today we took the 07:50 train west to Kosovo's third largest city Peć (Serbian), also known as Peja or Pejë (Albanian). The municipality has a population of around 100,000. The city lies beneath the "Accursed Mountains, also known as the Albanian Alps". We returned to Pristina by bus after visiting the Patriarchate of Peć Monastery.
The train is slow and less than new, the stations a tad worn, but train travel is almost always a pleasure.
--
Peja beer (
birre) is, not surprisingly, headquartered in Peja...
Patriarchate of Peć Monastery
What a pleasure this place was to visit. Sited behind a wall of stone below the Albanian Alps at the entrance to the Rugova Canyon*, this deep red church is simply beautiful. The building comprises four adjacent churches, three of which are linked by a large narthex (vestibule). The interior walls and ceilings are covered in frescoes, faded but still impressive. The monastery was built between 1230 and 1330 and was also used as a mausoleum of Serbian archbishops and patriarchs. "Since 2006, it is part of the "Medieval Monuments in Kosovo", a combined World Heritage Site along with three other monuments of the Serbian Orthodox Church."
*Getting off the train we met a young couple from Germany. They were beginning a hike through the canyon and Alps. Apparently there is a ten-day route, of which they were doing seven. The route crosses into Montenegro and Albania. Guess they don't require visas! In this part of the world, hikers must stick to marked paths as many landmines have not been cleared.
[cont.]
Pristina railway
Pristina railway
Pristina railway
Pristina railway
Pristina railway
Pristina railway
Patriarchate of Peć Monastery
Patriarchate of Peć Monastery
Patriarchate of Peć Monastery
Patriarchate of Peć Monastery
Patriarchate of Peć Monastery
Peć or Peja
Peć or Peja
Peć or Peja