(Guys, I promised to put your photo on my blog. I’m sorry it took so long !)
It took some time to leave Ferizaj, as I was stopped by locals wishing me well. One guy spoke great english and gave me his life story. He was so happy for a visitor to Kosovo and simply asked for respect for his country.it was a fairly busy road that led out of town, but again the drivers were great.
I stopped for a salad in Shtime because the next chance for food would be another thirty kms or so. I walked into a cafe and ordered some food. Immediately after, three women walked in with their children, sat down and started smoking. It still feels weird – firstly, please don’t force your kids to breathe your cigarette smoke and secondly, please smoke outside. The cafe changed from being pleasant to a smoke filled mess within five minutes. I left as soon as I could and hopped straight into the day’s climb – there’s at least one every day around here.
As usual, the countryside was beautiful and the traffic light and courteous. I was surrounded by green hills and fertile valleys but all along the way were military cemeteries that kept reminding me of the recent and tragic past. There was still some snow remaining on the higher peaks which added to the beautiful scenery.
In Suharekë, I had a coffee and hit the supermarket. I wasn’t particularly hungry, so I just got some snacks to gete to the end. I was about half way, but it was flat all the way to Gjakovë.
Just outside Krushë E Madhe, I stopped at a small market store and got a drink. While there I noticed what was a museum across the road. Translator told me that it was a museum of the massacre. I walked over for a closer look and saw the graveyard. It was for the local people all killed on the same day. The first six graves were from the same family. I can’t imagine the pain and grief that any survivors would carry with them, nor the horror of the massacre. These things can’t be justified by any means. Such a sad place.
Continuing on, I stopped to check directions and two boys on bicycles came up and spoke to me. (Sorry, but I forget your names. Thanks again for talking to me !) One spoke superb english and his mate understood but didn’t say as much. He said that they spoke to as many tourists as possible and had met many Australians. I’m not on a tourist trail here, so I was surprised. They suggested a better route into Gjakovë and I have to thank them for it, because it was superb – until the last 10 kms.
That stretch with 10kms to go was ugly + partly because it was knockoff time but it wasn’t fun at all. Luckily with 5kms to go, the road opened up and I had an easy ride into town, and found the hotel without issue.
Gjakovë looks interesting. It’s bigger than Ferizaj and quite modern in parts. I walked around for a while but I was tired from the day and my back was still sore, so I grabbed an easy dinner and had an early night.