Headed Home... Temporarily
Having 11 hours to daydream… while flying from Frankfurt to Houston… a permanent smile was glued to my face. So many experiences, new sights, sounds, smells and tastes. During our long flight, my mind wandered. Fresh memories bounced through my head… things that made a profound impression on my… things I will miss. Oddly, one of the things I realized I would miss is our little corner market. This very tiny shop had an extraordinary selection of items… including Mars Bars. :-)
Thinking about the pedestrian areas we won’t get to walk every day… whenever we prepare to travel, I search for a couple of things: The Old Town and Pedestrian Zone. No matter where we go, these two neighborhoods make me instantly feel at home. Little shops and sidewalk cafes always feel like the heart of the places we visit. Kneza Mihaila completely fit the bill… with a line of trees down the middle, street performers sharing their musical gifts hoping for a small (or not so small) donation… it was the gathering place. Shkoder on the right also had block after charming block of pedestrian zone. We will spend more time there on our next visit.
Randomly placed statues and sculptures is another thing I will miss. These works of art added to our long wandering wandering walks. We found historically significant statues and abstract designs, each with a story to tell. It occurred to me that I should do a complete post on the statues of a particular city. When we return in the very near future, I will do that for both Albania and Serbia… and hopefully Montenegro, Croatia, Romania, Macedonia, and Hungary if/when they open up without restriction.
Driving from village to village enjoying the wide open spaces. Though I love the city, the beauty of the Serbian countryside cannot be missed! Both Albania and Serbia had interesting lands. In Albania, we could visit tall, tall mountains and in an hours time drop down into a valley with a stunning beach. In Serbia, we could be in the heart of the big city and within a short time be visiting wine country, mountains, flatlands, jungle wilderness, flowing rivers, caves. There is so much to see!
Photographing colorful vines growing up the walls of buildings is a “subject” of which I will never tire…The amount of time it had to take to fill in so completely, is not lost on me. The growth provides an added charm to an already charming structure…
Forever etched in my mind, are the families fishing for dinner. Perched on the shores of the Mighty Danube River, carefully placing bait on hooks, casting and waiting patiently for a nibble on the line… So many things I loved about this, the serenity, being out in nature but most of all… togetherness.
Weird, I realize… but in countries so old, the cemeteries are fascinating. My wish upon returning, is to visit at either sunrise or sunset. Lighting and shadows would make for some beautiful photography.
Oddly, this will even be missed… both countries had loud speakers strategically placed that blast the Islamic Call to Prayer several times a day, starting with sunrise. This video was taken when we were stopped for afternoon coffee. In preparation for getting back on the road, I stopped in the restaurant bathroom. The exact second the light switched on, the prayer started. It startled me because I thought it was a sound that started with the bathroom light. After experiencing bathrooms in Japan… the one’s that make noise so no one can hear you go to the restroom, I initially thought the loud chant like sound was for that purpose. It only took a moment to realize the window was open and the sound was coming from outside!
The Views… who wouldn’t miss these views?!?!? Astounding observation points can be found all over the Balkan. A fortress atop a hill or overlooking the Danube… or peeking at the ocean from atop a very high mountain, so many special locations to take in the views.
Unique parking will be missed…. crazy drivers, not so much. We were fortunate to have an amazing driver, in our friend Adnan. It was the other drivers, narrowly missing head ons, creating four lanes out of two… that’s what we might not miss that much. The parking is what was pretty entertaining. With quite a few Smart cars, creative parking was the norm. Some small enough to pull straight in, some parked diagonally in a parallel park situation, while still others double parked.
Obsession is too mild a word for what ails me… every colorful building, every unique building… basically everything my eyes see, needs to be captured and brought home. My camera is busy attempting to accomplish that… whether it be moving water, shimmering leaves or people in their every day routines… my eyes view each scene from the perspective of permanently capturing it with a click. Looking for the best perspective, best angle. I pity those who travel with me… ha!
Still, clear waters…. fast moving waters… and even turquoise waters. These are places to be visited in the early morning hours and then again at dusk. Natural lighting changes the look of area dramatically. Seasons change the look. Fall is beautiful, and I am told that spring is even better.
Whether it be sheep in a meadow, clicked while driving by in a car… or cats lounging on their porch on a sunny day… capturing the personality of an animal is a challenge I love. Exploring new settings, new sights will be missed!
Never have I seen so many parks… benches, grassy areas, gardens, scattered throughout the cities we visited. The part to be missed is capturing those enjoying the peaceful setting. Most of the time, we found nowhere to sit. Couples, families or even a solo person settle in and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery. Longing to relax on a bench in the parks with meticulous landscaping… happy to know it won’t be too long a wait.
Some believe if you’ve seen one church, one cathedral, one synagogue or one mosque… you’ve seen ‘em all. No need to visit every one. That is not at all the way I see it… every architectural structure is a work of art. The insides often more beautiful than the outside. Albania and Serbia are filled with incredible houses of worship… there are so many more to visit upon my return!
The simple lifestyle… visiting beaches, watching people work in the olive orchards or buying fresh produce in the outdoor markets. What a shock to buy a dozen eggs for $4, when it cost $0.12 in Albania. Shopping in the meat market, the cheese store, fresh fruit and veggies stand… getting to know those vendors. It’s a way of life that truly appeals to me.
Without a doubt, what we will miss the most… the people. They are the heart of the places we visited. So proud of their homeland. So willing to share their history. We were welcomed with open arms… though slightly more cautious due to COVID, everyone we had the pleasure of spending time with, enthusiastically shared hints for dining and suggestions for sightseeing. We were blessed to visit friends and made a few new friends. Can’t wait to get back to enjoy more time together… Until our next adventure (which is right around the corner)… Check back as I continue to catch up on documenting our past travels!
