Getting down to Skopje

I decide to check out a bit of tiny Kosovo today. basically there is a sort of circling road going around the main interesting cities. From Skopje west to Peja, then south to Prizren then back east a little to get back on the north to south road leading to Skopje (and Mitrovica in the north). Mmm not very clear all this. Anyhow, instead of going ridiculous 100kms directly to Skopje, i decide to go visit some big monasteries next to Peja and then the nicest town of Kosovo, Prizren. Making it almost 300 kms around the city.
But soon, the rain and unsuccessful hitchhiking makes it happen otherwise, i return to Skopje and decide to make it straight south, wherever the rides will take me. The first one takes me to Garanicica, the Serbian town composed of “refuges” from Pristine, they left under pressure of living conditions amongst Albanians remembering times of occupation and still hating the Serbs they come across. The driver works for an NGO taking care of kids and helping them with homework. He was in Skopje to get paper for his new driving license. He had one for 3 years but since Kosovo police don't always recognize Serbian papers... he had to do it again, all over, from the beginning. An other concrete example of human stupidity. Funny town, as is spend my last euro on Burek and yogurt, i realize that here, people pay with dinners, the Serbian currency. Also everyone speaks Serb and Albanian is not recommended, so said my driver. I visit rapidly the monastery with is under KFOR protection... As i walk pass the Swedish guards, i discover the monastery and what seems to be an older hospital
This stop was short but i realize that as i though, UN is very probably not going to move out of here at the end of 2008 as they plan.

I then get a short ride with Serbs who work for the UN and will bring back to the main road. One of them tells me how he spent 1000 euro on fake papers to apply for a visa to Sweden (or Norway maybe...). And got refused... They are happy sad people. You who reads this in your comfy office chair, please realize once again how lucky you are to be born on the right side and allowed travel the world freely. Why would someone need to be allowed to do so??! jut because he lives in a country on a given list.

The next ride is with an Albanian who lived in Canada for 8 years now and tells me about his business there. First the official one, air conditioning and heating, then the other one. He brings up the subject asking about weed prices in France and Switzerland. He used to sell 50 kilos every 8 weeks in the US for about 5000 dollars... no wonder he is renting a big car and taking 2 month of... He is however very nice and funny. Tells about how Macedonians hate Albanians (very true from my little experience, i was also told Serbian police is nicer than the Macedonian)
As we get into Skopje, the behavior of the copilot who did not say anything until now changes. He yells out the window, makes weird sounds. Actually i realize he is saying hey my man... but in a fast and strange intonation. He also talks to he chicks, the drivers stops looking at the roads to star at asses etc... pretty normal Balkan thing actually. I don't get to leave them without taking with me a liter and a half of a home made raki... And head of the Aurelie’s place with that extra kilo and a half on my back.
Aurelie is a friend of Timis from Pristina. Very nice French girl on a voluntary mission with an NGO. An other Frenchman on the same program is still around but about to leave. We go for coffee and internet. At about 9 pm we are done with our respective stuff and treat ourselves a fresh beer. The discussion kicks of on reporting, my new dream :) she is writing for a small local paper and i ask for advice, it is however her first attempt. As i mention what i would like to write about, more positive things, we get onto the Balkan subject. And since she has written her memoir on this subject, we have quite some material to discuss. We then talk about me. :) I realized, a couple days ago already, that my lonely travel often bring me to some extra need for attention and to be at the center of something. Basically we analyze me :) very interesting, well i guess since time flys and it is suddenly midnight as we go for a bit of pasta (damn i didn't eat anything since my morning Burek...). And off to sleep after more and more incoherent chatting.