Yesterday I finally left Pristina. Rather then go to another part of Kosovo, I decided to carry on and continue to Macedonia. The other parts of Kosovo seemed like quaint towns, forts, etc, and while great-they all seem to blend together, particularly here in the Balkin countries-where It has been almost a month since I landed in Belgrade.
So checking out of the hostel was bittersweet. I liked the hostel and had a good time with the others staying there. And Pristina was an interesting city-no large chain hotels, no tourist information center-it was a city that was sort of undiscovered. As mentioned I went to the museum (the only one open in the city), and I was the only one there-the curator gave me a tour.
First, I should say, there we're three interesting coincidences yesterday:
(1) First, while sitting in the lounge on the computer in Pristina yesterday morning, I was admiring the FB pictures someone I met in Berat, Albania took in Pristina-and I mentioned I was there to. Just a few minutes later, the girl actually approached me while I was still sitting there. Unbeknownst to me, she was staying at the same hostel. (not real noteworthy-actually-often times I have seen the same people at different hostels when traveling in the same region).
(2) Most interesting-A 40 ish year old African-American woman approached me at the bus station while I was waiting for the bus to Skopje, who I met before-but this woman I accidentally ran into at three very different places during my trip! First, on a walking tour in Zurich, Switzerland, secondly, at a hostel in Gdansk, Poland, and now in the bus station at Pristina, Kosovo!
(3) On the bus ride to Skopje, I sat next to a 20th something who just graduated law school, who grew up in Plantation, FL (two towns away) and moved to Palm Beach Gardens later. I sort of wish this coincidence didn't happen, because I would rather spend a bus ride in a new country looking out the window then discussing best credit cards, Publix, etc.
Other then my new local friend, the bus ride was an uneventful 2 1/2 hours (or so), other then the fact my passport was collected and stamped twice (once for leaving Kosovo, the second for entering Macedonia)
Once in Skopje, I had trouble finding the hostel-which wasn't a big deal-I didn't actually book a hostel here ( I don't think)-the day before while attempting to book one, the Wifi was cutting in and out in the hostel. When I hit "book" on the hostelworld website-the wifi suddenly cut-out, and didn't want to rebook it for for fear of being charged twice. So although I couldn't find the hostel I originally wanted, and just went to another which I passed, and then took a walk through the town.
