NSS: Next Adventure

[Butch]

On Friday, I leave for a 3+ week trip to the Balkans. I really haven't had much time to work out an itinerary, but I have a basic sketch for the first 10 days or so . . .

Saturday (6/2): Arrive in Dubrovnik, then will hop a bus immediately to Mostor in Bosnia

Sunday (6/3) to Tuesday (6/5): Sarajevo

Wednesday (6/6): Fly to Belgrade early in the morning

Here's where it gets a bit messier . . . From Belgrade, I want to get to Pristina, Kosovo - I'll spend a couple days in Belgrade, then head down to Kosovo for probably a day or two. During that time, I may head to Skopje, Macedonia (It's only a 2 hour train ride away).

Getting out of Kosovo might be a little tricky. The Serbs are a little pissy about people going to Kosovo, and I want to get back to Belgrade so I can take a train from Belgrade to Bar (On the coast of Montenegro). It's about a 10 hour ride, but it's supposed to be beautiful - winding through the Serbian countryside. However, because Serbia can be pissy, it might be easier for me to try to find a way to go directly to Montenegro from Kosovo instead of back via Serbia (should be easy enough since they border each other) . . . we'll see . . . I'd really like to take that train ride.

In any case, I'll try to be in Montenegro by June 11th or 12th. From there, I have no plans except to meander along the Montenegro Coast and the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia - perhaps hitting up Podgorica, Bar, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Split, an island along the way . . . and perhaps all the way up to Zadar. I just need to be back in Dubrovnik on June 24.

Can't wait . . . the only fly in the ointment is getting out of Kosovo/Serbia, but I'm sure there's a way to manage that.

[Jeffbx]

Dang, that sounds like a heckuva trip - take lots of pictures!

[Napoleon54]

Wow!

[ufcrusher]

Pack your flack jacket. :hihi: Have fun.

[Butch]

Well, back from my trip and now bored off my ass stuck in a hotel room in Geneva (work trip). I get back to Frankfurt tomorrow night.

Anywho, I couldn't even begin to to write about the whole thing, but it was a great trip - so, first a quick destination list and then a brief overview of the places . . .

Mostar, Bosnia
Sarajevo, Bosnia
Belgrade, Serbia
Skopje, Macedonia
Pristina, Kosovo
Budva, Montenegro
Kotor, Montenegro
Split, Croatia
Hvar, Croatia
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Rome, Italy
Florence, Italy

Mostar, Bosnia (1 night) - There for the first night of the trip (not counting the overnight stay at the airport in Zagreb) It's about half-way between Dubrovnik and Sarajevo. Nice small city that was among the hardest hit by the War. It's best known for an old stone bridge that spans a river that kind of separates the muslim side of town with the christian side. The main street was still pretty much destroyed and there were more wheelchairs per capita there than any other place I've ever been. In fact, I think the government had contracted with my hotel to serve as a residence for people who had been injured in the war - there were very few chairs in the lobby . . . so few people needed them (they had their own permanent ones) . . . not meant to be a joke - rather sad.

Sarajevo, Bosnia (3 nights) - Beautiful city. Along one street, you can feel like you're in Turkey and walk a few more feet and feel like you're in Vienna - representing the area where Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian cultures and influence kind of met. Checked out where Archduke Ferdinand was killed and a tunnel that was the only lifeline between Sarajevo and free-Bosnia while the town was under siege from the Bosnians (edit: Serbians, duh) - really interesting. Whenever you come across a Sarajevo Rose (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarajevo_Rose), they stop you in your tracks. Very powerful and poignant.

Belgrade, Serbia (2 night) - Surprisingly cool city. TONS of beautiful women ;) . . . and great bars/restaurants/clubs (very inexpensive, too) with a vibrant student population. Really didn't know what to expect of Belgrade, but I liked it a lot - wouldn't mind heading back. The city kind of reminded me of Prague about 10 years ago, except with 1/10th the culture/beauty and 10x the nationalism.

Skopje, Macedonia (1 night) - Cool little city. The town was pretty much flattened by an earthquake in 1963 at the height of Soviet influence and the town was re-built with a ridiculous Soviet feel. It's just plain concrete and ugly. Luckily, the people seem to have a good sense of humor about it - the people were so friendly and fun.

Pristina, Kosovo (1 night) - Still don't know what to make of Kosovo. It was really surreal and surprising - it felt really sterile due to the very conspicuous UN and KFOR presence in the region. Around the UNMIK (UN Mission in Kosovo) office, there was also so much commerce built around the ex-pats living there that the city felt like it was anywhere in Western Europe. There were also a lot of young locals who were going to these places trying to fit in with the ex-pats (though none were drinking booze, of course). It feels really hard to imagine that Kosovo could get anything but independence at this point - couldn't imagine who a place like that could revert to the Serb-dominated control, but then again, I didn't get to see anything outside Pristina and I didn't really get to talk to a bunch of folks.

Budva, Montenegro (2 nights) - Bleh. Really disappointed. Budva is the biggest resort area in Montenegro, but it felt like it was the Jersey Shore. Montenegro has so much more beauty to offer . . . such as . . .

Kotor, Montenegro (1 night) - Beautiful little walled town on a bay in a fjord with a really cool ancient fortress in the cliffs over the town. You could climb up and explore the whole thing - ran in to some mountain goats up there.

Split, Croatia (1 night) - Diocletian's Palace was pretty cool, but otherwise, not much to see. Split is really more of a transit point to the islands off the coast, which is what I used it for to go to . . .

Hvar, Croatia (2 nights) - Gorgeous island and beautiful little town. The place is definitely becoming a playground for the rich (there were more than a couple 100-foot yachts in the marina). It had a very exclusive and secluded feel despite tourists outnumbering locals by a large margin. I think it helps that there are so many other small islands to explore right near by with little rented boats that you can easily find your own little slice of heaven to spend time at.

Dubrovnik, Croatia (3 nights) - Gorgeous, as well. Loved it. Such a beautiful little place.

Rome, Italy (2 nights) - no comment needed, probably . . . hot as hell, packed with tourists, lots of history, pretty much crumbling.

Florence, Italy (2 nights) - no comment needed, either. Very nice, though packed with tourists, as well. Heard more than a few American tourists thank Italians by saying "gracias" - I hate encountering American tourists abroad.

Anywho, great trip, but glad to be back - it was long, but a good balance of hustle and culture in the first half with relaxation and still some culture in the second half.

I also took about 550 photos or so . . . haven't had a chance to run through them, yet.

[cruelpupet]

Heard more than a few American tourists thank Italians by saying "gracias" - I hate encountering American tourists abroad.



Glad you made it back okay and had a good trip, I dont think id have the balls to goto some of the countries on that list (too many problems with them)


The one thing I always notice and hate, is how loud americans are. Here you dont notice it as much, but anywhere in europe they stick out like a sore thumb.

They also refuse to blend in with the locals or take on local customs.

[Houdini]

Glad you made it back okay and had a good trip, I dont think id have the balls to goto some of the countries on that list (too many problems with them)


The one thing I always notice and hate, is how loud americans are. Here you dont notice it as much, but anywhere in europe they stick out like a sore thumb.

They also refuse to blend in with the locals or take on local customs.

It does sound like a wonderful trip. Glad you didn't have any serious visa problems or anything. And that you were safe. Some of those places are known for some pretty nasty crime.

Same here for Europe. Pretty easy to "spot the American." The nice thing is, if you fly under the radar, act humble, and speak a bunch of languages (or at least for the sake of humanity TRY to say bon joir) you won't have any problems at all. It is weird eating at a Euro restaurant or cafe, having a conversation with a friend or local, and then returning to the US, where even in an uber-nice-expensive restaurant you have to yell at the girl across from you to be heard, because the rest of the restaurant thinks they have to yell to be heard. I feel bad for Euros visiting here and having to eat, etc., b/c there's no way in hell they can hear their own conversations.

But it's pretty easy to NOT be an "ugly American" if you at least make an effort. Wear subdued colors, be friendly to everyone, especially in Paris, but don't be friendly (smile, say hi) to random people as you're walking down the street as you'd do, say, here in the South. Otherwise they think you're nuts. But if you enter a business and DON'T greet them, you're going to have a rough time. If you do at least smile and say "bon joir, buon giorno, whatever" depending on country, even if you don't know another word of the local lingo, you'll go a LONG way.