A big lesson that I have learned on this trip is that I’ve got to let things go sometimes. Today I took a day trip from Prishtina to Prizren, which is a great idea by the way, but I accidentally got off at the wrong bus stop and was completely lost. Then I accidentally started walking in the wrong direction and got lost for about an hour. There may or may not have been a few tears, and the whole time the Frozen song “Let it Go” was playing in my head:
I eventually stumbled upon the main street. My sister had given me directions on a hostel to get help from once I was on the main boulevard, and I was able to get a map from them. Maps aren’t necessarily super helpful in the Balkans because the maps have street names on them, but there are NEVER any streets actually labeled. Nevertheless, they usually have pictures on them and you can kind of figure things out. With the help of friendly locals and a quick game of charades.
Prizren is a beautiful town for a day trip.
Behind one of the mosques in town there is an unmarked path. And you think to yourself, “this looks like it might lead up to the fortress.” So you take it. And it’s a completely uphill incline, so you pray that it is the path because you are sweating and realize maybe you should have worked out some before you came to the Balkans. One of the best things about the Balkans is that they initially never have signs telling you where to go or where you are. But, if you persevere and try, they eventually reward you with a really tiny sign that you don’t understand but you can tell it’s some sort of directional or tourist sign. You finally reach your destination, in this case the fortress, and feel incredibly victorious. (Side note: the hike is not that long and I do recommend it).
Not sure why I didn’t take any pictures of the actual fortress. Must have been dehydrated from the hike. After wandering around town for a bit more, I decided it was time to head back to Prishtina. It is a 2 hour bus ride from Prishtina to Prizren. The buses here are so interesting because they make stops all the time in the middle of nowhere where there are no houses or any signs of civilization. And I’m always thinking, who are you? Where the heck are you going?
The Adventures of LC 