Peja (Pec) Kosovo
The Rugova mountains were drawing me to Peja. The drive was easy on a lovely highway until it abruptly stopped with a pothole and a single lane!
The drive after the highway makes you think, all along the road is memorials to fallen soldiers from the Kosovo War. Most of them, big or small have the faces of soldiers on them, makes it feel very real. When you see a headstone with a name you are more removed somehow.
When I started reading up on Peja the Rugova Gorge seemed to be a must to visit but not to drive yourself. I came across numerous posts saying how dangerous the road through the mountains is (did you know there is a website dangerousroads.org... this site did also say spectacular!). So with these glowing recommendations, I headed to the Gorge.
The Gorge is beautiful, the road has its moments lots of blind hairpin bends that either go without warning into a one lane tunnel or one lane with low rock overhangs, the drops over the edge are long! Makes for some exciting moments when a vehicle is coming the other way… There was plenty of rock falls happening there and on the way back. That said the road is absolutely stunning and so worth the drive. Truth be told it’s not bad at all, in the snow, you might think twice…
I realised on this trip that a “bad” road all depends on what the writer and the reader have experienced before as bad. I have driven through Africa on horrific so-called roads where you can only manage a few kilometres a day the going is so tough (bad roads!!)!. Some of the articles I have read, the reader has only driven on gravel with maybe a few potholes and write that a road is really bad. This is tricky for someone like me whose definition of bad is the Lubmbashi to Lusaka road (check my DRC post). I immediately wonder if I should tackle it on my own, then do a bit more research and realise it will be fine to drive on…
When I got to the end of the road, I saw a photo of a beautiful glacier lake on a board, so hooked a left up the mountain and 13 hairpins later found a magnificently situated almost deserted lodge.
I asked where the lake was, I was pointed to the left and told 2km. Ok… off I went about 30mins later my gut was telling me to turn around – I always listen! She was right I had gone the wrong way up the mountain – ahhh! On the way down I saw the right path and decided to give it a go. Oh, my heavens – straight up the mountain for 2km. I did get to see the snow though, then was walking in it, sinking to my knees in it and sliding on my butt down it…! (Still love it, even soaking wet!).
The path took me so far up I was almost (well not far!) from the top of the mountain (it’s about 1800m). The snow was covering most of the higher path. Probably not the smartest decision I have ever made to carry on. I was on my own in new trainers (thanks Leyton) and not much else, on a more hectic snowy climb than anticipated but hey, I’m on an adventure and my gut said: “get on with it”. When I finally reached the lake it was still mostly frozen – luckily I wasn’t… I’m not sure I’ve seen a frozen lake – kinda cool! The walk (slide) down was an adventure in its self!!!
When I finally drove back into town and found my 4 star Hotel (€20pn!). I dropped my bags and hit the town. Peja is very quiet this time of year (more a skiing place) but I don’t get the feeling it gets much busier. The shops are weird selling elaborate dresses, ostentatious gold jewellery, sports shoes and Tshirts rows and rows of the same things all aimed at the locals.
Peja is trying to be a tourist place, but misses the mark more than it hits it, but not in a bad way, in a naive, innocent way (like kids playing dress up). It makes me feel a bit sad for this town. When the tourists realise the skiing, hiking, climbing & mountain biking… opportunities that are available in such a beautiful, cheap place the town will change, feels like Thailand 25-30 years ago before the developers moved in.
