The Traveling Is Over!!! Want a new blog to follow?
Hey everyone. I just want to take a second to thank all of you who followed my blog and joined me throughout my adventures through Eastern Europe. It means the world to me that you did (pun intended). But just because I’m home and back to my busy life at school doesn’t mean that my adventures stop. My photography is stronger than ever, and you can keep up with it on my other blog. Click here to check it out, and follow if you want to. I will not be posting any more to this blog, but it will always be here for the memories. Thank you all again, and see you on my other blog.
~Connor
P.S. If you want other ways to keep up with me, I am active on almost all social media platforms as well 🙂 Click the links to the right, or search for me using the following info:
My other blog –Â http://connorpmoriarty.wordpress.com/
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Here is a sample of my photos on my other blog. See you there!
My European Travels And Living In Kosovo
1. Dubrovnik, Croatia
2. Lake Ohrid, Macedonia
3. Budva, Montenegro
4. Istanbul, Turkey
This is the list, ranked in order of my favorites to least favorites, of the places I traveled to over the past two months. This is a very close list, though. If you have ever been to Budva or Istanbul you should be wondering how they became the last two on the list. These four places I spent extended periods of time in were some of the most fun, beautiful and diverse places I’ve ever been. Though I chose to rank these in order, if you asked me to rank them on a scale from 1 to 10 they would all be above an 8, with some exceptions, i.e. Costs of Budva, culture of Istanbul, travel time to Dubrovnik, etc. Those are easily forgotten when all the amazing aspects of these places completely drown the negative aspects out.
The Blue Mosque
Istanbul: The New York City of Eastern Europe. The crazy buzz. The countless shops and cafĂ©s and restaurants and people. A place where you can see Asia from Europe and easily travel back and forth between the two. Though everything is very overpriced and the city could use a big cleanup, the beauty and history of it make up a place that I am so happy to be able to say I’ve been to.
The secluded beach we found and spent our day.
Budva: The first time I saw mountains and sea in the same view. The sky blue water flowing into the layers of rolling mountains showed me, as I said in my previous post, the meaning of the term “breathtaking.” The gorgeous beaches, fresh seafood, and hospitality unlike anything else made this city a place to remember. Again, the prices were steep and the 10-hour public transportation makes it hard to want to go back, but once I was there I didn’t believe any other place in the world could be beat it.
View of the sunset from our hotel room.
Lake Ohrid: My most recent trip. What makes this place number 2 on my list? Everything. As people who enjoy small, less-known, quaint destinations, Tori and I thought this was the perfect romantic couples getaway. It didn’t have the beaches or stunning views like Budva, but the lack of tourists, fair prices and nice people allowed it to scoot to number 2 on the list. Add the fact that we were able to escape the buzz and drama from our the rest of our USA group for a weekend and you get the perfect weekend. The bus ride may have been a treacherous adventure through the mountains, but it was less than half the time to get to Budva, and that is worth it to us.
You Game of Thrones fans should recognize this pic…
Dubrovnik: Oh, Dubrovnik. The hardest place to leave. Literally the only downside of the trip was the 10+ hour bus ride, but it was on a private bus that we could spread out on. Besides that, the three days I spent there were my favorite of the two months in Europe. It had the scenery of Budva, the prices of Ohrid, plus an amazing hotel with its own private pool and beach, free of charge. Drive 10 kilometers north of there and you find yourself in Old Town: the most beautiful city I have ever been in. The Ottoman-style houses and shops overflowing within the former castle walls that jet into the Adriatic Sea make it something that is not easily forgettable. Then, imagine seeing that city from atop the mountain that overlooks it, then driving dune buggies through those mountains. Yes, it’s hard for me to believe that is real life as well. But it is, even though getting on the bus to leave was a bad dream that I have yet to wake up from.
Notice how Kosovo isn’t on this list? That is because this is a list of my favorite vacations, and Prishtina definitely does not fall under such a category. A vacation, to me, is a short amount of time spent in a place where you can relax and act in ways that reflect the fact that you probably won’t be back there anytime soon. It’s a time for some R&R and for spending a ton of money.
Shtime, Kosovo
Kosovo was so much more than that. I may have spent a lot of money there, it wasn’t relaxing, and I definitely didn’t spend a short time there. But that was exactly what I wanted when I decided to come to Kosovo. I didn’t want to be a tourist. I became a part of Kosovar society. I knew my way around the city, had my favorite spots, learned the language, and became a member of their community. I met amazing people, even made some friends, and I was fortunate enough to hear all their stories. More importantly, I was giving the opportunity to contribute to that society in a way unique and unlike anything else. I won’t claim to be better than anyone else living in Prishtina. After living among them for 2 months I know that I couldn’t live a day in their shoes. They are inspirational and remarkable people. But I, an American student formerly ignorant to this part of the world, was able to come here and contribute.
Through the reporting I performed through KosovaLive, I didn’t write as an American who knows more than Kosovars who wants to implement my ideas of improvement to their world. I wrote as someone who knows that people in this world have a voice, and they often go unheard. I took my opportunity in Kosovo as a way to give these people a voice. I am no better than they are, but I am blessed to have the power to give them something great.
Whether I am helping a Kosovar golfer get his words and ideas out about strengthening the presence of golf, his dream, in his country, or raising awareness about the process of finding people still missing from the war with hopes of strengthening that process, I like to feel like I am contributing in a grand way. During the past 2 months, not only was I able to witness a reforming country grow, but I can say I was a part of that growth. I am so thankful that my university, and Kosovo, allowed me to live here for such a long time and and together help this amazing place.
One Last Trip – Lake Ohrid, Macedonia
As our final European trip of the summer, Tori and I made the wise decision to make a romantic couples getaway to the quaint Lake Ohrid in Macedonia. On paper this place looks like it could never compare to some of my other trips such as Budva, Montenegro and Dubrovnik, Croatia, but it pleasantly surprised us. Not only was Ohrid a short 3-4 hour drive from Prishtina (unlike the 10 hour ride to Budva/Dubrovnik) but it was absolutely stunning. It had the mountains and the crystal clear water that the west Balkan coast has, the only difference is you could see the other side of the body of water. This small and quiet town on the coast of the lake made for a perfect spot for the two of us. We loved the Adriatic, but it was nice to get away from the tourist hot-spots and buzz of those cities. Ohrid was peaceful, relaxing, and most importantly, cheap.
After the short (yet treacherous) bus ride through the typical Balkan mountains we checked into our hotel. Hotel Tino was the best place we could ask for: Small and friendly with a lake-view and a fancy restaurant. We could tell right away that this place would easily allow us to fulfill our plans for the weekend: relax. Every week and weekend thus far this summer has overflowed with work and travel and places to see and things to do. We wanted to get away from the group for a while and sit on our asses and do nothing. Ok, we did more than nothing, but you all know what I mean.
A rain storm over the lake
The five meals we had in Ohrid were all at our hotel restaurant. That’s how amazing it was. I don’t know if it was the large menu, the quartette in the corner, the perfectly prepared food, the dirt cheap prices, or a combination of them all, but we couldn’t get enough of the place. Each day we enjoyed fresh chicken or seafood salads for lunch, then pasta, protein and a local bottle of Cabernet for dinner. The staff was unbelievably friendly and hospitable, which may have been because of the tips we left, but they deserved it. Our overall experience at the hotel was perfect.
The fortress wall
Saturday was our main day to explore and do anything we wanted to. We walked into the city and down the main street. We stopped in stores and, of course, I bought Tori some Macedonian jewelry. We eventually found our way through the winding streets and hills to the Bulgarian fortress, built in the 4th century B.C. atop the hill overlooking the city. After walking along the castle walls we stumbled back down the trail we found ourselves face-to-face with a local man with the cliche captains hat on asking us if we wanted to take a boat ride. Of course! We hopped in the boat, just the three of us, and for 5 Euro each we drifted around the lake for 45 minutes. I had a view to remember, a nice glass of white wine in my hand, and a beautiful girl under my arm. It was the perfect scenario to end the day. Add a sunset behind the mountains and there is nothing else I could have asked for.
On the boat ride
Other than that, we spent our time wandering, laying down, watching movies, and any other relaxing thing you can think of. It was exactly what we wanted. Yes, we could have gone swimming or rented jet skis or gone hiking up the nearby mountains, but we had an image of a different kind of trip in mind. For the first time in 7 weeks we could do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted, without the overarching feeling of needing to meet up with people or wait for someone. It was just the two of us, and it was the best way we could have spent our last weekend in Europe together.
As always, you can view all of the pictures from the weekend under the photography tab at the top of the page.
Taking A Swing
I am now officially an international journalist! Click here to read my first story published for KosovaLive360.com about golf in Kosovo.
Weekend Trip to Dubrovnik
You Game of Thrones fans should recognize this pic…
This past weekend all 20 of us from Miami traveled to Dubrovnik, Croatia. The drive was almost identical to the one we made to Budva, Montenegro except we passed Budva and continued for about another 2 hours. I was skeptical that this place would compare to the paradise of Budva, but boy, was I pleasantly surprised! It was absolutely stunning. Even before I explored the city, I could tell by the looks of our hotel that we were going to have a nice and relaxing weekend. Our rooms were clean and overlooking the Adriatic. There was an indoor and outdoor pool again overlooking the sea. And there was our own beach in front of the hotel for us to use at our disposal. Add 5 included all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast and dinner, and this place was perfect.
Our hotel pool behind the beach.
The massive staircase leading down to the old town.
We used the first night to rest up from our mid-term week the preceded this trip.  Between the lack of sleep and the 10 hour bus ride, we were dead. So we got up early the next morning to head to the old town of Dubrovnik to have a tour of the city. Now, if you ask people who know me, they will tell you that I hate guided tours of historical places more than anything in the world. But this city was so amazing that even I loved it. I don’t know if it was the limestone castle walls, the tight towering streets and alleys, or the views of the Adriatic port in every direction, but I couldn’t get enough of the place. The perfect July day and the good company of Tori and my friends just added to the enjoyment.
Just half-war up the mountain in the cable car…
After our tour, Tori and I decided to buy a couple tickets for a cable car that took us to the peak of the mountain that overlooks the city. While waiting in the massive line, we questioned if it was worth it, but when we got to the top we realized we would wait a lifetime in that line… The view had to be (I know I said this about Budva) the most breathtaking view I have ever seen. The castle surrounding the old city of Dubrovnik jetting into the Adriatic sea was in front of you, and the mountainous Croatian outback was behind you. I’ll let some pictures do the talking:
Selfie in the buggy.
So, just when we assumed our trip couldn’t get any better, we found something too awesome to pass up: dune buggy rental. That’s right, Tori and I hopped in a buggy and skirted across the Croatian mountains without a care in the world (Ok, she was freaking out, but that’s beside the point). The ride started at the top of the cable car, wound through the outback, and stopped at another breathtaking view of the Adriatic before heading back. That ride was definitely a one-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m so thankful we took advantage of the opportunity.
All in all, this was a well-deserved excursion. Add hours of R&R at the beach and a couple of local beers to it and you get a perfect 3 days. I didn’t know it was possible, but it was harder to leave Dubrovnik than it was to leave Budva. I am so thankful to have the opportunities to travel to these amazing places. I don’t know if I will ever have the chance to come back, but Dubrovnik is definitely a place to put at the top of the list of places to return to.
If you want to see even more pictures from the trip, visit my “Photography” tab at the top of my blog.
The Racak Massacre: Meeting the people who lived through it
Racak, Shtime
Yesterday my friend, Emma, and I traveled to the Kosovar municipality called Shtime. If you didn’t tell me it is a short 20 minute drive from the lively capital of Prishtina, I wouldn’t believe you. I don’t know if it was the unpaved roads or the horse-drawn tractors being pulled across them, but I had no idea places like this existed so nearby to Prishtina. Those 30 miles separate a loud, energetic and innovative city from a unpopulated village stuck in the 20th century.
The Racak Massacre Memorial
We found ourselves in this unique place because of an assignment for our International Studies class. Our goal: travel to a municipality hit hard by the war of the 90s and interview locals who lived through it to get a picture of what happened. Unlike Prishtina, we knew very few people would speak English, so we brought our friend, Blerta, a Kosovar English major at the Prishtina University, to translate for us.
Our day began with a visit to the Racak Massacre Memorial. As the newest Kosovo memorial, it was erected in tribute to the dozens of Albanian citizens slaughtered by Serb forces in 1999. It was an eerie feeling being there. As I looked at the names of the dead, some as young as 14 years old, I thought about the fact that these people weren’t killed in an accident. They didn’t live full lives. They were brutally slaughtered by military forces on the ground where I was standing.
We walked down the adjacent road and approached the first man we saw. His name was Xheyxhet Mustafa and he lived through the massacre. Furthermore, two of his cousins were killed. Staying true to the level of hospitality Kosovars have, he invited us to his home to tell us stories and experiences from the war. After passing by a his barn, fire pit, garden and tractor we were at his house– a beautifully kept Ottoman-style house. The first thing he did: he went into his shed and brought out a 3-foot tall artillery casing from the war that he found in his yard. This is when I knew that not only did this man have the experiences we were interested in learning about, but that he would be willing to tell us.
3-foot tall artillery shell from the war that the Mustafa family found in their yard years ago.
When we entered the Mustafa house, we were greeted by their six children and their eldest children’s children. Family is important to this culture. When you turn 18 or 21, you don’t move out, you get married and help the household thrive.
We were equally bombarded with snacks and drinks. As the saying goes, the less you have the less you need to make you happy. These were the nicest people I have met in a while, probably living off a couple Euro a day, yet they were serving us all the food and drink in their cabinets. I was so grateful, and Emma and I definitely didn’t go hungry.
So we sat in their living room talking for hours with Xheyxhet and his wife, Memduhije. They told us and showed us everything we could ever ask for. Xheyxhet began by showing us pictures he had from that dark day in 1999 when his village was slaughtered. The pictures showed the mutilated bodies of his friends. We saw the broken bodies of his late next door neighbors. We saw the dozens of body bags lined up. We saw Xheyxhet’s cousins, one will a gaping hole in his face and one who had his beating heart ripped out of his still living body in an attempt to harvest his organs.
I didn’t eat much after that.
Words can’t describe the emotions I felt throughout these hours. We all have seen and heard stories that happen in times of darkness from our televisions, radios or newspapers. We know they are real, but they don’t feel real to us because of the distance between us. But as I sat in these people’s house and listened to them, I felt like one of them. I felt their pain, and I wanted to cry for their family six feet under ground because of what other people did to them.
“…This tragedy occurred on the morning of 15 January 199 when serbo-cetnik’s rabid beasts of paramilitary forces attacked the innocent and vulnerable people, where dozens were massacred; children, elderly people, and women, only because they were Albanian…”
What was most remarkable, though, was the positivity radiating from the room. I imagined this family to mourn and hang their heads while talking about the massacre. But they didn’t. They talked about it openly to complete strangers. They were happy that American students had found them, would listen to them, and were going to make their voices heard. They were even happier to know that they were telling us the truth, not the “truth” filtered through the media which is all us Americans are exposed to. To be honest, I think Xheyxhet wanted to learn more about us than we wanted to learn about him.
As you can imagine, we learned so much that day, and as I said above, words cannot describe it. So, I will include some quotes from Xheyxhet and his wife. I believe they capture the emotions much better than my recap. Enjoy.
“Before and during the war, it was a disaster here. Now we are free.”
“We will never leave here. We have too much history here. The memories won’t push us away.”
“I don’t hate the Serbs. I hate the governments and militaries that made this happen. Serbian citizens are the same as me.”
“Am I mad at the people who did this? No, they have to live knowing what they did.”
“We love Americans more than anything and we are so thankful for all you did for us here.”
“I have post traumatic stress disorder. I take pills for it. I see the doctor for it. I can’t get a job because of it. I am not stable because of it. Those people destroyed my life.”
“We became happy when the bombs started falling because that meant freedom was coming.”
“Massacres like this were planned for Fridays because internationals didn’t work on weekends and the Serbs could cover it up.”
“The dead gave their lives for the living people’s freedom.”
“My eyes hurt when I see Serbs.”
Me, Emma and the Mustafa Family
Istanbul
The Blue Mosque
Last weekend Tori and I met up with her sister, Emily, and Emily’s boyfriend, Matt in Istanbul, Turkey. This was the farthest East I have ever been, and it was definitely an experience. We hit all the main sightseeing spots (mosques, a cistern, bazaars, and more) and we even went on an afternoon cruise to the Asian side of the city. All in all, it was nice to get a change of scenery and go to a place as well known as Istanbul.
Selfie on the cruise.
Unfortunately, we didn’t like it very much. Don’t get me wrong, Istanbul is an amazing place with a history unlike any other. The places we visited were beautiful and I love that I can say that I have been to these places. The culture, though, didn’t jive well with us. Tori and I are not fans of big and populated places. New York City isn’t our favorite place and we both have dreams of living in a quiet suburb. While in Istanbul we didn’t just visit the tourist areas that everyone sees. We explored the depths of the city, including the places where just the locals go. It was a crowded, shoulder-to-shoulder experience with people badgering you about anything and everything in an unfamiliar language. We could not go anywhere without someone trying to take advantage of us Americans, and that is very unsettling. The place reeked of body odor, stale garbage and sea food that had been sitting in the hot sun all day. As the icing on top, it was one of the most expensive places I have ever visited.
But we did enjoy our time. The hotel we stayed in was a palace. It was the nicest hotel I have ever been in. The food was absolutely outstanding and we could stare at the rooftop views for hours (we actually did). The weather was gorgeous and my first taste of Turkish Delight was mouthwatering. Most importantly, the company was amazing. I don’t get to spend much time with Emily, and this was the first time I met Matt, so I really got to know them in a way I wouldn’t be able to if I went out to dinner with them once. We explored together, we tried new things together, and we got lost together. It was a beautiful bonding experience and I could not be happier that I was so lucky to get to go with them.
The most important part of the trip, of course, is that I got some photography. I didn’t have my camera out much, so the pictures are few and lacking in quality, but they represent our experiences fairly well. Scroll over some of the images to see the caption. Enjoy.
Adem Jashari Memorial
A view of the memorial from the top of the Jashari house.
One of the many graves. This one in particular is Blerim Jashari’s grave, a 6 year old boy.
This weekend our group took a day trip to the city of Peja, and on our way we stopped at the memorial, grave, and former home of Adem Jashari. For those of you who dont know, Adem Jashari formed the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) which was responsible for causing Kosovo’s independence. Adem is seen as a national hero to Kosovars. In the 90s, because he formed the KLA, he was sought-after by the Serbian army. After many failed attempts to capture and kill Adem, the Serbian forces went after him in his home. Serb soldiers armed with guns, artillery, mortars, helicopters, and tanks lined the hillside facing his home of 56 family members and neighbors and opened fire. It was an army versus no more than 70 men, women and children in a house. In the end, 56 Jashari family members, plus 7 neighbors, were killed by the Serbian forces. Adem Jashari was among the dead. Following him to the grave were 18 women and 10 children under the age of 16.
Scaffolding holds the destroyed house from collapsing.
Today, the bombed house compound still stands under the support of scaffolding. The house has not been touched since the attack in 1998, so you can see things ranging from the holes in the walls to the Jashari’s tractor to furniture in the house. Outside the house is the Jashari memorial which includes the graves of the people killed in the attack. Beginning at the Jashari house is a maroon path, symbolizing blood, that twists and winds all the way to the graves of the Jashari family, connecting the graves to the home. Two KLA soldiers keep a constant watch over the graves, and they are positioned on either side of Adem’s grave. To Albanians and Kosovars, this memorial is the Arlington National Cemetery of Kosovo.
To get a feel of the memorial and what happened during that dark day in 1998, make sure to see and read the pictures and captions below.
The tractor and wall of the Jashari house littered with artillery holes.
A bit of life from a bird in a pool of death.
The artillery used in this attack exploded on impact, then exploded again once inside the house. This is how most of the family was killed.
An eerie picture that reminds us that this crumbling, bombed house was once someone’s home.
Picture this: This is the hillside that was lined with the soldiers, mortars and tanks. See the picture below to see their target.
A weak house is in the crosshairs of the Serbian army. An army versus this.
Two KSF soldiers stand on either side of Adem Jashari’s grave at the cemetery of his family.
The bright green grass squares represent renewal
The three round flower beds symbolize Adem’s three sons that were killed in the attack.
Adem Jashari Memorial
Weekend Trip To Budva, Montenegro
The secluded beach we found and spent our day.
Nothing is better than a 9 hour cramped bus ride through the mountains.
On a whim, Victoria, Brian, Ryan, Jon, Colleen, Caitlin, Jess, Sarah and I decided to travel to Budva, Montenegro for the weekend. Don’t ask how we found Budva, but after just one hour of planning the busses and hotels we were set to go. We had no idea what to expect, we just knew it was out of the country and had beaches, and after hearing that we were sold.
Our trip started by showing up to the bus station at 11:45pm for our bus just to find out it didn’t exist. Apparently eastern European busses are less predictable than the weather. We found out that the next buss to Montenegro left at 8am the next morning, so we headed back to our hotel for a few hours of sleep before we had to go back to the bus station.
The view we had during a stop we made on the journey.
A cozy taxi ride
The view during our taxi ride to Budva
Once we got on the bus, other than being cramped for 10 hours, the traveling went smoothly. We made regular pit stops and got stuck at some boarders, but we got to Montenegro safely. Once we ended up in Ulcinj we found out that, once again, the bus we had planned to take was not when we expected. So we found a couple taxis, piled in, and made the last hour stretch to Budva. The drive in was the most beautiful experience of my life. We came around a mountain corner and saw water to our left as far as we can see, and mountains behind mountains forever to our left. At that moment I understood the meaning of the term “breathtaking.” Everyone in our car gasped simultaneously.
The view from our hotel.
The view from our hotel.
And we continued to be impressed once we got to our hotel. It’s a little family owned apartment/hotel combo on the side of the mountains overlooking the Adriatic. We were able to walk out of our room to a pool overlooking it all. By that time, though, it was getting late, so we asked the extremely hospitable hotel owner to show us to the nearest nice place to eat. He made a phone call and walked us one minute down the road to a man greeting us outside a quaint restaurant.
The view from our fantastic dinner.
The man walked us down some mountainside stairs to a patio overlooking the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen. We sat down under an awning and enjoyed a dinner of seafood, lamb and homemade red wine. Words can’t describe how beautiful this dinner was, and we agreed that this was our karma for enduring the struggles of getting there. We continued to eat as the (also hospitable) owner’s Dalmatian and Bernese Mountain Dog (that was bigger than me) sat by our sides begging for attention. Our night ended by enjoying some Baklava while listening to “What A Wonderful World.” It was perfect.
Jess, Colleen and I looking for the beach.
Our first full day began with a massive search for the closest beach. Colleen, Jess and I walked along the narrow mountainside highway looking for the beach that all the locals said was close by. We never found it, so I went by myself for a run in search for it. After 20 mins I saw it a couple hundred yards down the mountain so I hitchhiked down to check it out– It was gorgeous. So I made the hike back and told everyone. We piled in taxis and headed there.
The drive was the definition of sketchy. The gravel mountain road was 45 degrees at some points, and our taxis slid down, almost falling off the edge. But we got down to the secluded beach. It would be impossible to explain it, so I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
After a long day at the beach, Tori and I headed down to the city to have a date night. We ended up at a little place on the beach. I guess we wanted to splurge because we got a cheese platter, seafood spaghetti, and a platter of 3 types of mussels, shrimp, calamari, fish, potatoes and spinach. We didn’t go hungry that night. After a walk along the beach we headed back to the hotel for a deserved rest.
As I’m writing this I am sitting at our hotel pool an hour before we head home. Wish us luck with the busses because, optimistically, we will get home at midnight. None of us want to leave though. We have all contemplated buying a boat, becoming fishermen and never going home (sorry mom and dad). Montenegro will do that to you. This is by far the most beautiful and welcoming place I have ever been and I definitely want to go back some day.
And don’t forget to click here to see the rest of the photos I took over the weekend.
(Update: I got home safe everyone!)
Sunset Dinner
This is the view from our fresh seafood five star dinner tonight on the edge of the mountain in Budva, Montenegro
Kosovo - A World Unwritten 
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