October 6: Long Study Tour, Day 5

Today brought another trip outside of Prishtina out west to Peja, which is the second largest city in Kosovo.  We stopped for a short walk around the city and saw the main town square as well as the many narrow market streets- definitely a smaller feel than Prishtina, but very charming!  Peja is situated at the bottom of the Rugova Gorge, and the mountains surrounding the city are absolutely gorgeous.

After a quick bus ride, we visited the Decani Monastery outside Peja, which is another Serbian Orthodox Monastery.  The area in which its located has had quite a turbulent history, so we had to pass through a military checkpoint and give over a form of identification before entering.  Once inside, one of the 30 monks that currently live there gave us a tour.  Despite its turbulent history, the monastery itself was gorgeous, and it was such a tranquil and quiet place to walk around.  Best of all, there was a dog, cats, and a kitten!!  

After our tour, we got back on the bus to head back to Peja.  All of a sudden, I hear someone say "There's a monk on the bus!"  Sure enough, there was in fact a monk on the bus.  Turns out, Charlotte asked to take a picture with him.  He didn't quite understand English, only that she wanted a picture, so before we left he came on the bus to give her a pamphlet with pictures of him in it!

He had quite the beard..

........Back in Peja, we had lunch at a restaurant whose specialty, apparently, was meat.  Meat of all colors, shapes, and sizes.  While it was a bit intimidating, we were hungry and didn't have much of a choice, so I chose to enjoy it.  It turned out better than expected!

Did it for the story.

After lunch, it was once again baaack onto the bus.  Our next activity was a bus/hiking tour of Rugova Gorge.  My expectations for the whole thing were pretty low..  But it turned out to be one of the most beautiful places I have seen in my entire life.  We drove for a while on some incredibly narrow and winding roads, then we got out and walked a little bit further up to a cheese factory that was nestled in the hills.  After grabbing some samples of their signature "white cheese," (which I unfortunately passed on due to my life-long aversion to most cheese products) we continued up the hill to a small village where we were greeted by a precious little old man, his wife, and their daughter-in-law.  They gave us fresh cornbread, milk, and honey and let us explore their farm.  It was so much fun, and again- one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.  They are trying to start an agro-tourism business, allowing guests to come and stay with them and help on the farm.  Before leaving, he encouraged us to come back someday with our parents, or husbands and wives, promising to always be there, since eating fresh food from the farm was his secret to a long, long life!

Sampling their cheese.. Some enjoying it more than others!

The factory.

Ben, Truc, and me

Justice & Human Rights in Rugova!

After a perfect visit to Rugova, it was back to Peja.  We got a chance to do some shopping before our final group dinner of the trip!  Ended the trip on a beautiful, delicious, wonderful note!  On Friday, we had one final academic visit before flying back home to Copenhagen.  

Home sweet hygge!  :)