Day 15 (July 21, 2019): Bears!
Today is the last day of our vacation. We cannot believe it was two weeks ago today that we left Halifax. We decided to focus this last day on three main things: a famous monastery in Gračanica, the relatively new Bear Sanctuary Pristina in the tiny village of Mramor, and a few last sites in Pristina.
Given very limited bus options and the extreme heat today (it got to 32C), we negotiated with a taxi driver to take us to the monastery and bear sanctuary and to wait for us, which was a great move.
Once back in the city, Pam did some shopping, and we took in those last few sites mentioned above. We then had a drink on the rooftop terrace of our hotel before a great final vacation dinner in a Kosovan restaurant. One last early rise tomorrow, and if all goes well, we can sleep in our own bed tomorrow night back in Nova Scotia.
I have to make note of all the linkages, no matter how minor, with Canada that we have encountered in our visit to Kosovo. It seems like everyone we interacted with has some link!
1. The school principal who gave us directions to the Ethnocultural Museum told of the Canadian soliders he met here after the War, and how impressed he was with their behaviour and treatment of others.
2. The guide at the Ethnocultural Museum told us they had been offered passage to Canada and refugee status by the Canadian Government, but his family felt it was too far away.
3. Our waiter at dinner on our first night here told us his sister-in-law was a refugee to Canada after the War and has built a wonderful life in Toronto.
4. Our taxi driver to the Bear Sanctuary today told us he had an offer lined up to become a truck driver in Ontario, but couldn't obtain a visa from the Government of Kosovo - something we have heard from many people here.
5. While trying to access the National Library this afternoon, a man came up to us to tell us the building was closed on Saturdays for the summer. We had a great conversation, and he told us he was 10 when the War ended, and he fondly recalls Canadian soldiers giving him chocolate bars.
6. Our waiter at dinner tonight proudly told us his sister emigrated to Canada - he couldn't remember the "strange name of the city", but he showed me on Facebook that she lives in Mississauga!
Canada is truly revered here, and our country's contribution to getting Kosovo on its feet is deeply appreciated.
The church at Gračanica Monastery was completed in 1321 by Serbian King Milutin.
The frescoes and icons inside the church.
Another view of the church at the Monastery.
A small graveyard for the monks who have lived at the monastery.
Serbian hero Milos Obilic's monument, near the Serbian Monastery at Gracanica.
Mramor is a small village with a lake -- and you don't see a lot of lakes in Kosovo. Given its proximity to Pristina, it seemed like a place where a city-dweller would like to have a cottage for getaways.
The lakeshore had many vehicles which had been driven right to the waters' edge. People were sunning and picnicking.
The Bear Sanctuary has a number of brown bears that were rescued from cruel captivity. All the bears were once kept in tiny cages as mascots for restaurants, but when the keeping of bears was outlawed in Kosovo in 2010, a charity called "Four Paws" stepped in to care for the animals, some of whom still suffer from trauma. But the large scale of the compound on a wooded hillside and bears' excellent condition are heartening
A typical cage used to hold "restaurant bears" up to the point of the pactice becoming illegal in 2010.
A typical brown bear in captivity prior to 2010.
Of the 19 bears in the compound, we only viewed three. The others were likely asleep in the midday heat, under the cover of trees in the large compound.
A bear kiss, perhaps?!
Grrrrr, Pam!
And now for some "loose ends" in our visit to Pristina and area. First, the "Newborn" monument, located in front of the Palace of Youth and Sports. It was unveiled on February 17, 2008, the day that Kosovo formally declared its independence from Serbia.
The Palace of Youth and Sports is a multi-purpose hall, which includes two arenas.
Two American politicians are revered in Kosovo: the first is Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State for the USA at the time of the War in Kosovo. A bust of Albright is in the center of town.
The second American who is revered here is Bill Clinton. Madeleine Albright and Bill Clinton were in Kosovo in June to celebrate the 20th anniversary of independence. Albright commented that the U.S.'s actions during the Kosovo crisis, including bombing the area without sanction from the United Nations, was illegal according to international law but was still the right thing to do. President Bill Clinton ordered the bombing of Kosovo in 1999 in an attempt to stop "brutality" by Serbian forces against the Albanian Kosovars, an act that led to Serbian withdraw.
One last walk down Pristina's pedestrian street. Sigh... I'll miss those 50c ice cream cones in Rogova Square.
Given very limited bus options and the extreme heat today (it got to 32C), we negotiated with a taxi driver to take us to the monastery and bear sanctuary and to wait for us, which was a great move.
Once back in the city, Pam did some shopping, and we took in those last few sites mentioned above. We then had a drink on the rooftop terrace of our hotel before a great final vacation dinner in a Kosovan restaurant. One last early rise tomorrow, and if all goes well, we can sleep in our own bed tomorrow night back in Nova Scotia.
I have to make note of all the linkages, no matter how minor, with Canada that we have encountered in our visit to Kosovo. It seems like everyone we interacted with has some link!
1. The school principal who gave us directions to the Ethnocultural Museum told of the Canadian soliders he met here after the War, and how impressed he was with their behaviour and treatment of others.
2. The guide at the Ethnocultural Museum told us they had been offered passage to Canada and refugee status by the Canadian Government, but his family felt it was too far away.
3. Our waiter at dinner on our first night here told us his sister-in-law was a refugee to Canada after the War and has built a wonderful life in Toronto.
4. Our taxi driver to the Bear Sanctuary today told us he had an offer lined up to become a truck driver in Ontario, but couldn't obtain a visa from the Government of Kosovo - something we have heard from many people here.
5. While trying to access the National Library this afternoon, a man came up to us to tell us the building was closed on Saturdays for the summer. We had a great conversation, and he told us he was 10 when the War ended, and he fondly recalls Canadian soldiers giving him chocolate bars.
6. Our waiter at dinner tonight proudly told us his sister emigrated to Canada - he couldn't remember the "strange name of the city", but he showed me on Facebook that she lives in Mississauga!
Canada is truly revered here, and our country's contribution to getting Kosovo on its feet is deeply appreciated.
The church at Gračanica Monastery was completed in 1321 by Serbian King Milutin.
The frescoes and icons inside the church.
Another view of the church at the Monastery.
A small graveyard for the monks who have lived at the monastery.
Serbian hero Milos Obilic's monument, near the Serbian Monastery at Gracanica.
Mramor is a small village with a lake -- and you don't see a lot of lakes in Kosovo. Given its proximity to Pristina, it seemed like a place where a city-dweller would like to have a cottage for getaways.
The lakeshore had many vehicles which had been driven right to the waters' edge. People were sunning and picnicking.
The Bear Sanctuary has a number of brown bears that were rescued from cruel captivity. All the bears were once kept in tiny cages as mascots for restaurants, but when the keeping of bears was outlawed in Kosovo in 2010, a charity called "Four Paws" stepped in to care for the animals, some of whom still suffer from trauma. But the large scale of the compound on a wooded hillside and bears' excellent condition are heartening
A typical cage used to hold "restaurant bears" up to the point of the pactice becoming illegal in 2010.
A typical brown bear in captivity prior to 2010.
Of the 19 bears in the compound, we only viewed three. The others were likely asleep in the midday heat, under the cover of trees in the large compound.
A bear kiss, perhaps?!
Grrrrr, Pam!
And now for some "loose ends" in our visit to Pristina and area. First, the "Newborn" monument, located in front of the Palace of Youth and Sports. It was unveiled on February 17, 2008, the day that Kosovo formally declared its independence from Serbia.
The Palace of Youth and Sports is a multi-purpose hall, which includes two arenas.
Two American politicians are revered in Kosovo: the first is Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State for the USA at the time of the War in Kosovo. A bust of Albright is in the center of town.
The second American who is revered here is Bill Clinton. Madeleine Albright and Bill Clinton were in Kosovo in June to celebrate the 20th anniversary of independence. Albright commented that the U.S.'s actions during the Kosovo crisis, including bombing the area without sanction from the United Nations, was illegal according to international law but was still the right thing to do. President Bill Clinton ordered the bombing of Kosovo in 1999 in an attempt to stop "brutality" by Serbian forces against the Albanian Kosovars, an act that led to Serbian withdraw.
One last walk down Pristina's pedestrian street. Sigh... I'll miss those 50c ice cream cones in Rogova Square.
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