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Sent from Prizren, Kosovo on Sep. 6, 2005 

Hi from Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Srpska, Serbia, Monte
Negro, Kosovo

Trieste (Italy), thru Ljubljana (Slovenia), Zagreb &
Dubrovnik (Croatia), Sarajevo (Bosnia), Banja Luca (Rep. of
Srpska or Serbian Bosnia), Belgrade (Serbia or Yugoslavia),
Podgorica, Cetinje, Budva, Kotor (Monte Negro), Prizren &
Pristina (Kosovo). Hello from Upper Balkans


I am sending this from Kosovo.  I wanted to finish all of
Upper Balkans and then send this, but then decided to
compile a separate report on the Balkans, including Monte
Negro and Kosovo and my feel as to what the future holds
for them.  I will do this in the next report.  I am leaving
Prisren (the old capital), Kosovo (they prefer Kosova--with
a--here) on the 9:30pm bus, in Belgrade 8 hours later, and
another no-sleep night (3rd)...


1. SLOVENIA. I began typing this at the CELICA Hostel in
Ljubljana (Slovenia), after visiting the Yugoslav Embassy in
Ljubljana.  I was told that Americans do NOT need a visa to
Serbia, that I am free to go anywhere I please, "enjoy your
trip."  I shook the man's hand and rearranged my trip plan.
 Accordingly, I will head for Zagreb, Croatia first (only 3
hours by train from here), then to the recommended
Dubrovnik, Croatian resort on the Adriatic, take a bus from
there to Sarajevo, Bosnia, continue (bus) north to Banja
Luca, from where there are frequent buses to Belgrade, then
south to Monte Negro, east to Kosovo, back to Belgrade to
get my large bag, north to Novi Sad, Vojvodina (on the
Danube) to see the famous Petrovaradin Citadel, one of the
best preserved baroque fortresses in Europe, and continue
(by train or bus) to Vienna to take my Danube cruise to
Linz, said to be the most scenic section of the Danube
(called the Wachau section) and finally head north and west
to central Europe and Amsterdam for my return to USA on
Sep. 13.

Slovenia is an exception to all adverse I said
about Slavic countries.  These are southern Slavs who write
their language in Roman alphabet.  They are entirely European
in culture and demeanor.  They dress casual but stylish,
almost all speak good English. They are ready for the
European Union, at least by appearances and trying.  I
stayed here only one day, browsed the city and its castle,
enjoyed its nightlife at the Triple Bridges, listening to a
live band playing imaginatively arranged--even if
haphazardly--Greek and Mideastern tunes mixed with
classics, the audience sitting at the chairs of an open-air
cafe, or standing next to it.

Leaving today (Aug. 31) for Zagreb, Croatia to continue to
Sarajevo, Bosnia possibly via Dubrovnik, Croatia (on
Adriatic)--so that I do not have to backtrack the Zagreb
Sarajevo path, if I cannot get into Serbia.  How I continue
from there I am not sure yet, as I dont know if I need a
visa to Serbia, or if I can get one.  (I will check this at
the Serbian Embassy either here or in Zagreb.)  If not, I
will return to Zagreb and continue to Austria from there.
If Serbia, then I will go to Banja Luca in Republika
SRPSKA, which is in the Serbian half of Bosnia, from there
to Belgrade, then to NOVI SAD in VOJVODINA, the Hungarian
province of Serbia.  From there, I will find a way to
Austria or Hungary then Austria.  This part will be
complex.

Slovenia is an European country with all amenities. 
They dont officially use the Euro yet, which is about 240
of their currency.  But people accept Euros for
transactions.  And if you have extra local currency left,
the exchange counters at the bus and train stations do give
you back Euros.

a) Internet. The one at the bus station, next to the train
station, was not working when I tried it.  But there is
another on the back of the green building next to the train
station.  And at Hostel Celica there is free Internet, alas
only one computer, (UNIX OS).

As far as Celica Hostel, it is putting the
regular HI Hostel here--closer to the center--out of
business, as the latter has closed its doors for this
season already on Aug. 26.  And Celica is fully booked for
today.  It has all the amenities, including live music,
Mideastern room with round low tables, pillows to sit, a
restaurant, etc. etc. BUT the dorm rooms (with bath and
shower) are too crammed , too hot to sleep, and at 25E per
night for a 5-bed dorm too expensive for this area.  Still
it is a money-maker for the owner, as most suckers are
impressionable enough to fall for all this glitz.  If you
need your space (and sleep) head for some other place. 
There are other hostels in town.

b) Ljubljana is 93km from Trieste, Zagreb 135km from
Ljubljana, each trip about 2 to 3 hours by bus or train. 
Dubrovnik is much further from Zagreb.  From Ljubljana, to
Zagreb, there is a 7:30am bus and one at 8:30pm; and there
is a 1:30pm train, which I took.

c) landscape.  The Julian Alps to the north, at the border
with Italy and Austria, also mark the landscape in
Ljubljana, which is mountainous.

d) Spoken English in Slovenia and Croatia is a bit below
the level in Romania, but much better than in Greece or
Italy.


2. CROATIA (Euro=7.4 Kunas, $ about 6 Kunas).  The train
from Ljubljana to Zagreb takes only 3 hours.  There is not
much to Zagreb and I did not stay there. I took a taxi to
some squares Lonely Planet mentions as worth seeing,
strolled around a bit and returned for my 9pm 11.5.hour bus
to DUBROVNIK for 185 Kunas or about $30.  You pay extra for
the luggage you check in the bus: 7 Kunas per piece. Euro
is accepted commercially but not officially on buses, etc.

Dubrovnik (Rating 10).  Is a world-class town that is
bound to take away tourists even from Greece and Italy. 
The old town there, enclosed in a fort, the landscape
bounded by steep mountains of the DINARIC Alps on one side
and the Adriatic on the other is gorgeous.  And the town
has a sophisticated infrastructure.  It is already a
favorite destination for Germans, and judging from the huge
crowds of tourists, also of everyone else.  There is a Left
Luggage counter at the bus station.

a) HI Hostel.  (Get the brochure for HI Hostels in Eastern
Europe when you arrive in Bucharest, or wherever you find
it, or check www.hihostels.com) The map in Lonely Planet is
wrong, the hostel is much further from the bus station. 
Take Bus 1A or 1B from the bus station. (Ticket from kiosk
is 8K, from the driver is 10K.)  Ask the driver to drop you
off at the hostel, 4th stop.  There, at the intersection
turn right, see the hostel sign as right at the 1st street,
walk about 100m to small yellow sign that says Internet &
Bike Rental, turn left at that small passage, climb the
steps to the hostel.  It charges 95K. The place is spotless
but the dorm rooms for 6 are hot (in Aug.) and a bit tight.
 Take the same bus, 2 stops, to the gate of the Old Town,
which is about 1km further, with very nice views of the
cliffs dropping to the water.

* Internet. Use the 2 places at the gates to the old town
in Dubrovnik.  The one besides the hostel is too expensive
and since they are outside visibility is a problem.

b) The old town in Dubrovnik, surrounded by the walls of a
fort, may be the nicest I have seen anywhere.  Allocate an
entire day to it.

c) The Dalmatian Coast of Croatia (Rating 10).  Is a
lacework of jagged and intricate shoreline that is 600km on
a straight line, but some 1778km (more than 1000 miles) as
is, accompanied by 1185 islands not far from the shore, of
which only 66 are inhabited.  (Greece has 2,000 islands of
which 166 are inhabited.) This is a treat.  Sit on the
right side (facing front) of the bus to see the shoreline.


3. BOSNIA (Euro = 2 Maraka).  Sarajevo is 7 hours by bus
from Dubrovnik (150K, or about $25, plus 7K for checked-in
luggage).  This time sit on the left side of the bus, to
retrace the coastline coming from Zagreb.  The bus follows
the same route for about 2 hours before turning inland
towards MOSTAR, which it passes before Sarajevo.

a) Dinaric Alps (Rating 10). I had raved about the PINDOS
Mountains of Northern Greece.  These are no less and again
the ride is a treat.  They are higher than the mountains in
Aegean Turkey, in some way similar to the gorgeous Coast
Mountains of California.  And as if all this poetry in
landscape is not enough, there is also a river accompanying
you most of the way.  The last 1 hour of the ride, the
mountains became less rugged and more lush, like the
Appalachians in Pennsylvania.

b) Bullet & shrapnel holes in Buildings.  You will see many
such buildings as soon as you enter Bosnia and pass
villages, towns, and cities, and many such in Sarajevo.

c) Sarajevo.  I did not find Sarajevo an especially
attractive city.  It is several steps down in quality from
Slovenia and Croatia, perhaps below Bucharest in
appearance.  However the old Turkish Quarter is a
delightful treat, as the mix of stylishly covered Muslim
women and belly- (and all else) displaying Christian women
blending well together, as they do in Lebanon, in the
latter both groups more sophisticated.  I had a feast at a
Turkish-Bosnian restaurant, visited the Eternal Flame from
WW II, and left for BANJA LUCA, Rep. of Srpska on my way to
Belgrade.

* By the way, take Tram. 1 from the bus station to the
Turkish Quarter, then back.  It goes on the Marshal Tito
Ave, a block from the Turkish Quarter, which is 2 stops
from the Eternal Flame.

* Internet.  Walking towards the Eternal Flame on Marshal
Tito Ave, turn right on Pehlivanu(sh)a street--one of 2
blocks before the flame, 300 or so meters from the Turkish
Quarter.  It is a good one, charges 3K (1.50 Euro) per hour
 
d) Hostels.  Besides the hostel mentioned in the HI Hostels
in Eastern Europe, if you see SOBE--it is NOT South Beach,
as in Miami--sign anywhere in these parts, also in Croatia,
it means Room for Rent.  Indeed, upon arrival at the bus
station in Sarajevo, there was a lady waiting with rooms to
rent, this right at the center the BASCARSHICA (Main
Market), the recommended old Turkish quarter of the city. 
We took Tram No.1 to the Turkish Quarter on Mustafa ?
Street, got off and walked to the place.  It is Hostel
KONAK (Tel: ++387 33 53 35 06) that rents nice rooms for 3
for 10 Euro each.  (I ended up with 2 gorgeous girls from
Finland.)  A better pension is the LION at ul. Bravadziluk
30 (Tel: + 387 (0) 33 236 137) that rents singles for 25E. 
I saw the place.  It is nicer than many hotels, with TV,
Car Park, and Internet included, but shared bath.  They
have dorm rooms there for 100E in Toto.

e) Banja Luca, Rep. of Srpska (Serbian Bosnia).  I was told
by a native in the bus that unlike Kosovo and Montenegro,
which want to separate from Serbia, this so-called province
does not intend to join Serbia, or declare itself
independent, that the 2 Bosnian sides are learning to get
along, use the same Govt., money, etc.  (See my views
below.) There are 3 buses daily from Sarajevo to Banja Luca
(2005): 5am, 9:05am, and 3:30pm, one way = 25:50M, or about
12Euro for the 5 hour 30 min ride.


4. Rep. of Srpska. I think the person in the bus was
fantasizing.  There is nothing special about Banja Luca
itself.  However, there are many buses from there to
Belgrade.  Guess what? The bus route follows NOT the
shortest route east thru TUZLA, which is in Muslim Bosnian
territory, but north thru Vojvodina, which is in Serbian
sphere, then south and east to Belgrade.  What ever the
agreements on paper, I suggest that Rep. of Srpska's heart
is with Serbia, NOT Bosnia.  You get a feel for this in
other ways.  For example, although many commercial signs in
Srpska are in English, officially almost all else is in
Cyrillic alphabet, whereas Bosnia, like Croatia, uses Roman
alphabet.

a) The Euro is accepted almost everywhere in Bosnia, it is
not in Srpska, not for official things in Belgrade--except
international train ticket--exclusively Euro in Monte Negro
and Kosovo.


5. Landscape.  After the passage thru the Dinaric Alps
which resemble more the Coast Mountains of California in
their naked and rugged beauty, the land immediately around
Sarajevo is more like the Appalachians say around
Cumberland, Maryland, very mountainous and very green and
scenic.  Going north to Srpska, the land becomes flatter,
but still mountainous, scenic in a mixture of woodlands,
cultivated fields and family plots, rivers, and almost
continuous settlements.  Going North thru Vojvodina the
landscape flattens, like West Virginia to Ohio.

a) Homes.  All the homes you will see in these parts are of
cubical shape, with external adornments, like a small
balcony, etc., made ENTIRELY of brick, then (some) painted
or stuccoed over.  And almost all are 2 or 3 stories.  You
will not see anything like the ranch-style American homes
constructed of wood, and the shingles are of much heavier
material here, of red clay like Spanish and Turkish
varieties.  So while the landscape looks as if you are
taking a Sunday ride thru say Pennsylvania, when homes and
settlements appear, the aura is different.


6. Serbia from Belgrade (Euro = 84 Dinars, $ = 67 D).  The
bus ride from Banja Luca takes 7.5 hours. We arrived at
9:30.  The bus arrivals is across from the park from bus
departures, the latter joined with the train station.  The
Train station looks impressive from outside, it is
rudimentary inside.  And while cleanliness is up in all
countries--continuous cleaning--this place looked rundown
and in need of more cleaning.  The trains, as the trams, in
both Sarajevo and Belgrade are ancient.  Upon arrival, I
was told there is no ATM machine anywhere nearby.  After
wasting an hour I found one.  Not feeling sleepy, I stayed
at the station all night--several places open, and several
police officers around--took my city tour in the morn, did
Internet, and returned for my 6pm bus to Montenegro, there
11 hours later at 5am.

* ATM.  Facing the front of Train Station, turn left and
walk to the next building, the Post Office. Right at the
front door of it is an ATM.  It worked with my Master Card
the 1st day, it did NOT the 2nd day.  I had to pay a taxi
5E to take me 2km inside the city to get cash.  Such things
turn me off against a place, and other (few) visitors were
turned off too.  Imagine in a huge city with international
train station and no ATM, and they want Dinars...

* The Citadel, Internet.  First, take Tram 2 from the
station--facing the street from Train Station, the stop is
to the left, across the street, as the way to the Citadel. 
Go there first, pass under the tower to the view point to
where rivers SAVA and DANUBE conjoin in Belgrade, see what
you want and get back to the tram line. Turn right, walk 2
lights, cross the street and turn left to one of the
pedestrian malls, which is a nice area, also where the
cathedral is.  From there ask for PLATOPlus Internet Cafe. 
It is good at 100 Dinars per hour.

* Passport. Neither Croatia nor Bosnia placed an entry
stamp in my passport.  Serbia did--and on a blank page
(also so in Macedonia), which I could have used for a visa,
the bastards...

a) Bus/Train to Montenegro.  There is a 11pm train--sleeper
2,500 D or about $30--that arrives in Podgorica (capital)
at 7am.  Buses take longer but are more frequent, at:
12:30pm, 4pm, 6pm, 7pm, passing thru the prettier old
capital Cetinje and resort Budva too.

b) Luggage Check. At Belgrade train station for 90 D per
day, about 1E.

c) To Vienna.  Sleeper with 2 beds costs 95E, bus 42E.  For
sleeper, you MUST reserve at 11am latest for the night
train at 11:30pm.

d) Hostels. There are hotels near the train station and one
hostel I did NOT check out.  Its name: Balkan Kangaroo at
Kraljice Natalije 39.

e) Toilets.  Back to squat toilets in Belgrade (and Monte
Negro and Kosovo), and for pay, up to 1E if you want paper
too.

f) The train station in Belgrade is open all night, with
good security, as also the bus station.  the bus station is
open all night also in Podgorica.


7. Monte Negro.  Since most of the towns are along the
Adriatic, Monte Negro has lots of potential, but it will
need a few more years to equal Croatia in style and
infrastructure.  I give a Rating of 10 to the landscape and
scenery as far as the towns BUDVA and KOTOR are concerned,
especially the latter, including very steep walls of a fort
that climbs the Alps to the top.  Both gorgeous, especially
the huge drop from the Dinaric Alps to the shore.  In this
they are even more scenic than Dubrovnik, but neither has
the quality of the old town in Dubrovnik.  I saw no
backpackers, but about a dozen large tour groups at the
citadel in Belgrade, cruise ships in Budva and Kotor.  The
resort town of BAR is also an international port for ships
to BARI, Italy.  The old capital CETINJE and the resort of
ULCINJ are also OK; the new capital PODGORICA is a huge
city with nothing of special interest, but it is better
furnished, including an ATM, than Belgrade.  

a) Euro.  Monte Negro exclusively uses Euro for all
transactions.  When I offered to pay with Serbian Dinars,
of which Monte Negro is supposed a part, I got a look of
disdain.  Euro it is, and the same in Kosovo.

b) Connections. The 6pm bus from (1480 Dinars) from
Belgrade arrived at 5am in Podgorica.  There were some
women at the station offering rooms for rent.  I did NOT
take one.  There are frequent buses from there to all other
towns, for 4 to 6 E, Cetinje about 40 min from Podgorica,
Budva 30 min from there, Kotor 30 min from the latter.

c) the road  (Rating 10).  The road from Belgrade is almost
continuously up and down on the Dinaric Alps, which grow to
huge heights near the shore, ruggedly beautiful as Black
Hills are in South Dakota, these much higher, whitish in
color, with sparse bu enough vegetation to add color and
beauty.  There are many tunnels along the way.  This is
Mediterranean at its best.

d) Montenegro to KOSOVO(A).  There is a
daily bus at 7am (for 16 Euros) from the capital PODGORICA
to PRIZREN, the old Kosovan capital, and connections to the
new capital PRI(SH)TINA and other towns from there. There
are also daily buses from Belgrade to Prishtina, Kosova and
vice versa. 


8. KOSOVO--KOSOVA to the natives.  There is only one bus
(16E) from Podgorica to PRISREN, Kosovo: 7am, arriving in
Prisren at 3pm.  The first 3 hours the road passes thru
some of the most rugged and scenic parts of the Dinaric
Alps, really as if thru a continuous gorge with a river too
to your right.  After 5 hours on the road, you go thru
Monte Negro passport check.  They did not put an exit stamp
on mine, though now I was entering Kosovo, which is no
longer in Serbian sphere.  (Kosovo
has already applied for independence from Serbia  and is
awaiting decision by the United Nations (and USA).  No
wonder ticket people in Belgrade and some in Montenegro
showed displeasure when I asked them for info about Kosovo,
some telling me that it is dangerous to go to Kosovo. 
Anyway, about 15 min. later we stopped again, this time at
a building flying the United Nations flag, BUT manned by
Kosovan police officers.  They welcomed me, saying we owe
our lives and our existence to the USA, thank you.  And I
got a paper entry form, which they will probably take away
when I exit.  I am not sure yet what the Serbian officials
will do next, as they did not give me an exit stamp out of
Monte Negro; yet, I am coming from another country...

Kosovo is about as poor as the Rep. of
Transdienstr, the poorest 2 countries I visited on this
trip.  Yet there might be a potential for tourism: some of
the highest and most beautiful sections of the Dinaric Alps
are in Southern Kosov(a), great for rock climbers, hikers,
etc.  And, even now, the country is not isolated.  There
are buses from Prizren to all parts of Europe, and the city
itself seems nicer than some parts (NOT the area around the
bus station) I have seen in better-known cities such as
Bucharest, Sarajevo, Sofia, Belgrade, etc.  It needs to
upgrade its infrastructure a bit.  Otherwise these were
some of the friendliest people I met on this trip, and
everything is much cheaper.

a) BUS.  At the bus station in Prizren, ask for ADIO Tours.
 (From the station gates, walk across the bus lot, pass the
fence, cross the small street, look to your right.  The
office is 10m from the street.) Talk to competent Elvira or
Emine for the bus anywhere.  Adio operates fine buses to
many destinations.  (And ask them to call you a taxi to the
Internet place nearby; I paid 70 cents for taxi, 50 cents
for an hour of Internet.)  I took the 9:30pm bus (for 13
Euros) back to Belgrade, passed thru a border check at the
border to Serbia--I had an entry stamp from entering Serbia
from Dubrovnik--and arrived in Belgrade at 5am next
morning.  After collecting my big bag from storage, I
hopped on the next bus to NOVI SAD, Vojvodina.  (Get an
express bus; the one I jumped in stopped everywhere like a
city bus.)
 

9. Back to Belgrade.  There is a 9:30 bus (13E) daily from
Prisren, via the new capital in Pristina.  The trip takes
takes 8 hours--another night no sleep...  I will collect my
bag and continue by bus to NOVI SAD, Vojvodino.  I am told
they accept Dinars there, but I doubt for the train to
Vienna... Will see.


10. NOVI SAD, VOJVODINA.  Vojvodina is the Hungarian
province of Serbia, so far seemingly loyal to Serbia, where
you can still use your Serbian Dinars, as for cigarettes,
which are about as cheap in Serbia as they are in Moldova.

a) The city.  I liked Novi Sad a lot.  It is a university
city with many very nice buildings and apartments, and lots
of flower patches all over the city.  I came there
primarily to see the PETROVARADIN Citadel, that is in some
ways very similar to the one in Belgrade, also with very
nice views of the city and the Danube river.  (By the way,
river SAVA is the border between Serbia and Vojvodina.)  I
took a taxi to the citadel--Bus No. 3 also goes there--not
sure when I could back by bus--for 150 Dinars (2 Euros),
but paid 500D, including a city tour.  There is a nice old
town in Novi Sad, and right across from the Train Station
(next to bus station) there is the Novi Sad Hotel, if you
want to stay a night.  

b) Bus/Train to Vienna.  There are 2 daily buses from Novi
Sad to Vienna, one at 13:30pm (2260 Dinars, arriving in
Vienna at 21:30, the one I took), and one at 17:15 (3230
Dinars arriving at 1:35am).  And there is a 9:55am (in
Vienna at 18:40) and a 23:40 train (arriving at 9am) for
5093 Dinars for 1st class.  By bus, you will get an exit
stamp from Serbia at a UN post, have another passport check
at the EU post entering Hungary, and another when you enter
Austria.    

Sirman