Primpin' Prizren

Quite often, it is the stigma of war, not so much the conflict itself, that can have devastating effects far surpassing those of bombs. It is the fear of fighting that scares away investors, developers and tourists. Kosovo is no stranger to both war and the reputation that comes along with it. For now things are calm. The situation is at times tense, but secure. But one city in the south-west of the country, Prizren, is a ticking time bomb of a different kind.

Prizren did not suffer as much as other parts of the region during the Kosovo War of 1998-1999. Instead, it is an explosion of another kind i speak of. Prizren is a powder keg of tourism ready to erupt. With it's combination of old world charm and lovely setting at the base of the Sar Mountains, it's easy to see why regional tourists flock here on long weekends and holidays.

In a region fraught with ethnic tension, i was shocked at the heterogeneous nature of Prizren. I should have seen it coming with the chat i had with my front desk guy at the hotel.

"So what local food should i try while i'm here" i asked, hoping for a bit of an inside scoop.

"Definitely try the Turkish Kebab or the Kofte" he answered without pause.

What? Come to Kosovo for Turkish food? But Turks are just one of

the ethnic groups making up the tapestry of town. There are even a few Serbs left (although they're in secure compounds). Wandering the new looking old town, the influence of the Ottoman empire was more than apparent. Plenty of Turkish-styled mosque are scattered about town. There are even old hammam (Turkish baths). But the main landmark in the city is likely the 16th century Old Stone Bridge, crossing the rather tame River Bistrica leading to the old town. What's more, there are several Mevlana Tekkes. These are the "whirling dervishes" from Turkey. But right next the the mosques and tekkes are churches, orthodox and non-orthodox, all working symbiotically and in relative harmony. It is clear evidence that the tension in Kosovo is not all what the media (and paranoia) what have us believe.

Possibly the highlight is the old fort on the hill overlooking the city. The path is clearly marked out of he town centre. But it's not the fort itself that is the attraction (it's actually kind of crap) instead it's the view over town. Just as good is to follow the path behind the fort with some beautiful views over the surrounding valley.

However, these monuments face a different kind of threat. Overdevelopment

is seeing old building torn down (or mysteriously catch on fire) in order for new, brand name shops to arise from their ashes. I've seen it all before. While travellers hope for the old and traditional, locals strive for the new and shiny. And while Kosovo will never be a major tourist destination for those in the west, once the few do start showing up, prices will skyrocket and development will go into hyper-drive. On the flip side, piles of rubbish, throw out in irrelevantly orderly manner, soil the streets. All that's needed are a few trash bins. I always hope for the best for any local population, but there has to be a happy middle ground between the past and the future.

Prizren is well connected with other places in the region. Buses go to Peja, Pristina and further afield to Macedonia, Albania and even Bulgaria and Turkey. The In Your Pocket guide is quite up to date with such info. The central Hotel Centrum is a great mid-range place to stay, even if their website sucks.

Even with it's issues of development, Prizren is likely the main attraction of the unofficial country. Any trip here should be planned to avoid holidays or summer weekends as the crowds can make it a little claustrophobic. But all-in-all, the city is definitely worth a stop if in the region, and verges on a destination in and of itself.