700 miles & 7 border crossings: a typical Balkan ride [Kosovo - Serbia - Montenegro - Albania]

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Day 1: Thessaloniki [GR] to Kopaonik [SRB] (November 1, 2013)

Around 07.30’ I met with Elias. For some unambiguous reason, it was as always on Gianitson str. and specifically to a bakery opposite the «City Gate Shopping Center». Exactly 08.08’, after a hot coffee, we headed for the borders via the Thessaloniki - Evzonoi National Road. We arrived relatively soon, since we did not find any traffic and after a formal border control, we filled up fuel at Gevgelija. We headed to Skopje and reached the exit for Kosovo at 10.30'.

We crossed the borders from Elez Han point, using our passports and we were asked to issue the «local» green card, as the green cards that we were provided by our insurance companies were not accepted. If I remember well, the cost was around 15€ per vehicle and what we finally received looked more like a local insurance policies document.

We had been advised regarding the traffic on the streets of Kosovo, and in particular to adhere strictly to the speed limits and watch out for speed radars near Ferizaj (Uroshevac). I noticed a huge uck stone monument and Albanian flags all over the way to Pristina, countless military vehicles (mainly Polish), NATO jeeps and many conventional police vehicles. After we overtook all kinds of vehicles, we arrived in Pristina at 11.30', about two hours after the border crossing.

The time difference with Greece is 60 minutes. I was impressed by the incredible traffic jam and the Pristina University.

We sat for lunch to a Pizza Hutt (double t?), where an enormous pizza, a salad, a cheeseburger, French fries, two cokes and two coffees touched the unreal amount of 12.6€. That would have been the price only for the huge pizza back to Greece.

We searched the town for the Bill Clinton monument, but with a negative result. We left the capital of Kosovo after a two-hour break.

For some reason, the traffic was still going on and we were blocked at a junction, where traffic police cut us off. Next to us stopped a guy with a custom bike. He admired Elias’ Honda Varadero, maybe for the Japanese technology, completely ignoring my ride. In a related question, he replied that he knew BMW models very well, while he focused on Elias’ Varadero, as he had never seen a Honda so far away from a company's dealership. After this pleasant conversation, the road was opened to pass some Serbian officials and their accompanying vehicles.

We started to drive rather quickly and since we were almost overtaking them, Police cars had to block us, so to avoid getting any closer to the officials. To the picture below, you can see the second motorbike we found in Kosovo. A small on-off having a quick nap on the tarmac.

At 16.00’ we were in Serbian territory, at the foot of Kopaonik mountain. But not that easy.. Inside Kosovo, there is also the Serb-influenced territory, from Mitrovica city and north. It was bounded by an armored vehicle in the middle of the street, a small barracks that people with Serbian uniforms were holding and some logs and other obstacles in the middle of the road.

We discussed about visiting Mitrovica, but something pushed us off and we postponed it for the future.

It made me tremendous impression that at the entrance of all villages in this area, were Serbian flags and that these villages looked very poor and almost abandoned.

Before the borders there was a nice part of the road with lots of turns and a monument in the shape of a cross, crafted by mechanical parts of a truck. I named it the "Last Varadero Monument".

By arriving at the border checkpoint, a group of police officers explained to us the situation in the two countries' relations and, in particular, that with the Kosovo stamp on our passport, it was normally not allowed to cross that point, unless we use a Greek identity card. Otherwise, we must exit Kosovo from our entrance point. There, we used some magic tricks, repeating simultaneously «Abracadabra» and «Kolega» and we passed the borders without any other problems. Kopaonik. I admired the sunset as I climbed the mountain bends, while the landscape looked almost alpine and altitude was around 1.500 meters.

Overnight at the Jollykop Hotel, some 8 and a half hours and about 420 km away from Thessaloniki. Our hotelier arranged for us a studio for five people, priced at 20€. It was of course the beginning of November and this price was justified, as it was out of season. The same was for the choices, we had for night out. Although only 500 meters away, with our tongues hanging out from walking uphill, we found the hotel unit Klaljevi Cardaci. In the restaurant we order everything on the catalog, because it was time to feed the crocodiles. After we ate like there was no tomorrow, we decided to go to the ski resort, which was 6 kilometers away. I decided to go as a passenger on Elias’ motorbike, which I will re-think next time, as on this unique occasion, he insisted to prove me that also Honda bikes can bend to steep -s- road curves.

Somewhere in the ski resort there was the statue of a polar bear. An old legend mentioned that whoever manages to move it from its base, will become the next king of Serbia. I have not been able to confirm this popular belief, nor of course to pick up the bear, despite my countless efforts. Later I found out that Elias invented the whole story in the tavern, while consuming Jelena beers, just to make even for the all-day mockery for his motorcycle, that culminated when we saw the monument of «the Last Heroic Varadero».

Day 2: Kopaonik [SRB] to Zabljak [MNE] (November 2, 2013)

We woke up early, around 07.30', totally fresh after many hours of sleep, but also still full from the last nights’ dinner. Magic views from the room, as the fog and clouds hid the base of the mountains around us, giving a sense of swing.

We decided to have a better look at the ski resort and if we find shops open, to get breakfast there. But somehow we lost the sense of time, by drinking coffee near 3 hours, just like we used to do in our hometown.

«Muskarci znaju zasto» is inscribed in the banner that Ilias insisted to get photographed with. Later I translated it and mean «men know why». Elias! How much do you really know?!!

We picked up our stuff from the hotel room and after finally eating nothing, it was suggested to eat in Novi Pazar, which was close enough. On the way we were taking pictures of each other, since we were almost bored to drive. This terrible photo gave me the idea of a future project to turn my Gs into an one-seat café racer.

Around 12.30’ we were on the main pedestrian street of Novi Pazar. A Serbian city, but with strong elements of the Ottoman past, combined with communistic residential blocks. After the expensive coffee of Kopanik at 9€, it was the time for the crap coffee. At least we ordered something to eat. Elias’ eye was caught by a traditional food from the catalogue and he was making fun of me for not eating any traditional recipes, but only foods, as he called them «non-biological and genetically modified». I think I belong to the McDonalds generation, what can I do? They finally brought us something which looked like a huge bread, but filled with the worst combination of materials that one could imagine. «Elias, what did you expect to eat? A Pontian recipe at the most forgotten corner of the Serbian province?»

We wanted to leave and I was already 3 kilos heavier from eating the garbage we were served. Up to the border with Montenegro and up to Rozaje we maybe drove above speed limits. After the round of Biogradska Gora National Park and somewhere between Berane and Mojkovac, night fell for good. Wrong calculation? The time difference? I do not know exactly what happened, but we started to review the original goal of overnight stay in Budva. From Zabljak it would take about two more hours drive. We were driving in the small dark provincial roads, passing through tunnels. Driving in the dark is something I always want to avoid. In Durmitor Park, we found a monument in honor of a skier, who looked incredibly to Lemmy of Motorhead, the father of the heavy metal Gods. A thousand apologies to the dead guy, but I could not hold myself and I was photographed with him.

Zabljak. A small village, a junction would better describe it. We stopped to have a look on our paper maps. Maybe we could also drink a coffee to warm up. We were approached by a 35-year-old Montenegrin who, when he realized we were thinking of spending the night in Zabljak, insisted on showing us his rooms. We asked if there was some cafeteria and pointed just across, a bar that we had previously noticed. At the same time he raised his thumb - closed his eye, and with a stupid smile said «Stara Varos! .. good coffee!» We didn’t know if he was mocking us or not, but took his advise and sat there, having had enough cold already on the road and for sure we did not want to have any more by searching for other place. Hot coffee, wifi and booking. Here he came again .. He re-winded his cassette, telling us again for the rooms he had for the price of 35€. «Come on, have a look for yourselves». He even proposed taking us there with his car. «We are not interested, bro!». Then, he brought pictures. «We do not want, we told you already». But his experienced eyes noticed that we were looking at booking.com and suggested that we could also see the comments for his rooms. Having succeeded to really piss us off, we made him the favor to check his place, since the price was rather reasonable. We finally got an apartment that was ok for its money. These thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. «Now what? What do you want?». «Do you want to taste my rakija?» After that we followed him to his garage, which looked like a distillery. He gave us shots of his drink, made from vanilla fruit. I found it, at least, awful. That was when he finally introduced to us. «My name is Rajko». He only asked Elias his name, which I found totally normal, since he only appreciated his drinks. We wanted to know where we could grab some beers later, so the fatigue of the day would go away. «Stara Varos !! Good beer !!», again with that annoying smile and with a thumbs up. We laughed to tears and he tried in vain to interrupt us. This bar was probably the only one opened in the village, so we headed there. It did not take a while, and Rajko appeared at the bar window, probably to check if we followed his advice. Okay, the guy is a little god and we loved him for stalking us. The time passed quickly and the Niksicko beers were consumed as bottled water.

Day 3: Zabljak [MNE] to Tirana [ALB] (November 3, 2013)

Our friend Rajko prepared our breakfast, but had his father serve it to us. I bet he did that because his dad was quite old, and we wouldn’t harass him for the awful combination of the most unacceptable things that just happened to find in his fridge and cupboards. We photographed the landscape around Rajko’s property and my eye fell on some bicycles he had for rent.

Rather to wash the shame away, he said he would not charge us if we wanted to use them. Elias did not bother to get one. «Why Elias? Don’t you know to ride a bicycle, maybe?» We headed for the alpine «Black Lake», which was just outside the village (for more, click here).

I first arrived at a point, where Elias had to park Varadero. We continued walking through the forest and soon we found ourselves in front of the lake.

The view was simply something out of dreams, like made of a magic spell. It was a lake, but at one point a narrow stretch of land was created, that seemed to divide it into two parts. One can walk around both, but we did not have enough time and we left soon. It's more than certain that i will visit the lake again, maybe during summer session.

I have to mention about a small bet I placed with Elias. The lake from the room abstained 2,500 meters. To get back, I had to ride this distance with the bike, with a small uphill part, while Elias had to walk 400 meters through the forest, to the entrance of the park and the rest with the pride of the Japanese technology.

I am not a good cyclist, nor do I have a good physical condition, but the outcome of the bet was to wait for Elias for ten minutes at the hotel! «Yes, Elias, I know, you took pictures on your way back!». Me too. On the way I saw the following damaged building and an inscription. Anyone who knows what it is, just let me know by commenting bellow.

The road down to Niksic was so beautiful. Especially, shortly after Zabljak. But the bad weather and the strong wind prevented us from enjoying it as much as we wanted. In this situation, thick mist was added from Savnik to Krnvo, and after that heavy rain almost until we reached Niksic. The rain followed us down to Podgorica, where, to avoid the bad weather, we sat for a while in a shopping mall, where we also had some coffee that warmed us up. At the borders with Albania, we noticed that Elias had forgotten his passport to our friend Rajko. Problem solved by using Greek identity card. From Shkodra, using main roads, we soon reached Tirana, where we spent the night.

Day 4: Tirana [ALB] to Thessaloniki [GR] (November 4, 2013)

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and trying to taste everything the hotel's buffet has, it is something I always do. Tirana from the room.

The kilometers for Thessaloniki were few and we started driving rather loose, heading to Elbasan. A motorway linking the two cities was being constructed. On a previous ride, we had to take a course of about two hours on a poorly maintained provincial network for the same route.

The new road had many delays due to works, but quickly led us to Elbasan and from there we headed to Lake Ohrid. Coffee in the homonymous city and after a rest for a while, we were without a delay in Greek territory and the border station of Niki Florinis.

Every time a ride comes to its end, when parking in the courtyard of my house, I usually take a look at the rear tyre and the general condition of my bike.

Judging from what I saw, I was totally satisfied. I ended up saying a great «thank you» to my best friend Elias for the joy of his friendship, the experiences we shared by being together on the road and, in general, because he managed to tolerate me the last few days, despite all the teasing because of his «reliable» motorcycle. Besides that, a well known Greek saying confirms the relation between GS’s and Varadero’s, by mentioning «We can’t be together, but also can’t be on our own!!». Having said all the above, «Thank you again and safe roads, Elias!!»