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Home » Kosovo » Balkans Day 7: Refreshment In Kosovo
AlbaniaKosovoTrip Reports

Balkans Day 7: Refreshment In Kosovo

Matthew Klint Posted onMay 30, 2020November 14, 2023 4 Comments

My brother and I were in Berlin on February 17, 2008, the day that Kosovo declared independence. At the time we considered flying immediately to Pristhina to join the celebration. That proved difficult, but visiting Kosovo was always on our hearts. Four years later, we finally had the chance to visit.


Read more of my classic trip report through the Balkans

Introduction: Road Trip Through The Balkans
Review: US Airways A330-300 Business Class Philadelphia To Munich
Balkans Day 1: Sick In Belgrade
Balkans Day 2: Belgrade – Sarajevo
Balkans Day 3: Sarajevo – Dubrovnik
Balkans Day 4: Beauitful Dubrovnik
Balkans Day 5: Accused Of Espionage In Montenegro
Balkans Day 6: The Diverse Architecture Of Tirana, Albania


Pristhina is located 2,139 feet above sea level and as such, temperatures are much cooler than surrounding capital cities. The average high peaks around 80ºF in August. It was less than 70ºF during our stay.

That alone made me fall in love with Pristhina, as it was more than 30ºF warmer the day before in Tirana and I detest hot weather.

Our bus left at 6:00AM on Martyrs of the Nation Boulevard, right in the heart of Tirana near the communist-era sculptures of workers. Our 260km, four hour bus ride was only about $10 and totally uneventful. I wasn’t sure what to expect at the border, but Albania and Kosovo have good relations and we were quickly stamped out of Albania and soon stamped into Kosovo.

a sidewalk with trees and bushes on it

a street with trees on the side

a building with a flag and statues on the side

a group of people standing next to a bus

a sign on a windshield

a blue sign on a road

We stayed in a little apartment in Pristhina…I wish I had more pictures of it, but the living room gives you a sense of the feeling Kosavars have toward Americans. That’s a generalization of course, but we found people lit up when they found out we were Americans.

a living room with football balls and couches

View from our apartment (note the American flag):

a rooftop view of a city

a city with a hill in the background

Refreshment In Kosovo

Our first stop was for a shave…only $1 (and they use USD in Kosovo). I detest shaving but love to be clean-shaven and so love when I don’t have to do it. But shaving is part of the culture here a well…men sat around all day and talked in the barbershop and we were happy to talk about Bush and Obama, though the big hero in Kosovo seems to be Bill Clinton. By the way, my face got all cut up during the shave and then the guy put some aftershave oil on that stung horribly. Oh well, it was still worthwhile and my face would heal.

a bicycle parked outside of a hairdresser

Kosovo is a new country, but the Yugoslavian infrastructure dates back further. We spent the next couple hours walking around town, visiting the historic Newborn Monument.

a city with a hill and stairs

a gas station with a sign and a bus in the background

a building with a sign on the front

a group of people standing in front of a large sign

a large yellow letters with graffiti on it

a large wooden letters with graffiti on them

cars on a street in a city

a building with a clock tower

a blue flag with a star on it

a street with cars and buildings

In the heart of town is Bill Clinton Boulevard, which includes a 10-foot statue of the former U.S. president. The statue was erected as a thanks to Clinton for helping Albanians in Kosovo in their struggle against Yugoslavia. Clinton was present when the statue was unveiled in 2009.

a building with a statue on the side

a large billboard on a building

a statue of a man waving his hand

a statue of a man holding a book and a briefcase

a stone with writing on it

a statue of a man with a flag in front of a building

The sun soon set and we found a bustling street full of restaurants and bars. The night life was vibrant, food/drink prices cheap, and we had an incredible evening.

people sitting at a table outside at night

I’m sure the city has come a long way since our 2012 visit:

a building with a tall tower and a statue

CONCLUSION

Pristhina was another fun city to visit. The cooler weather was greatly appreciated and I loved how affordable and comfortable this city was.

Next time: the pain of discrimination in Skopje

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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4 Comments

  1. Shaun Reply
    May 30, 2020 at 5:25 pm

    To have a president like Bill Clinton/Barack Obama… Or even a Bush…..people who knew how to rule a country and not pander to the stupid.

  2. Bill Lewinski Reply
    May 30, 2020 at 9:04 pm

    On the Next street,they also have a Mural of Monica Lewinski with Her mouth Open!

  3. Aaron Reply
    May 31, 2020 at 3:17 am

    “At the time we considered flying immediately to Pristhina to join the celebration”

    I had no idea you were ethnic Kosovans/Albanians 😉

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      May 31, 2020 at 10:38 am

      More like historical observers. 😉

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