Our other home abroad is our little and independent brother, Kosovo. The population is approximately 2 million in this young country. Serbs; They still do not recognize Kosovo, which separated from them, and if you want to cross from Kosovo to Serbia, you will have problems at the border. This country, where many people are fluent in Turkish (people mostly speak Turkish in Prizren in their daily lives), is not a country with high prosperity. There are people who have been unemployed for years. They somehow get by with their lives and they don’t seem too unhappy. As you know, we have a few options on airlines; It is a good travel option to find a reasonable ticket price and fly to the small country of the Balkans. One week may be too much, but it is enough to spare 1-2 days for each new city you see. Unfortunately, there is no transportation network from the airport. You will take a confiscated yellow taxi or your spouse and friend will come to pick you up. On average, a taxi fare of 15 Euros is paid to reach the center. So I went to the center by taking a taxi with two friends. These friends coming from Istanbul had a reservation at a hostel on Nene Tereza Street. When there were available rooms in the two-storey mansion-shaped house, I accompanied these new friends I met and we stayed in the same hostel together. Our need for a taxi was solved by a helpful friend coming behind us. He talked to the taxi driver, speaking Albanian, and got a 10 Euro discount, and fixed the deal for the price we wanted (that is, the price I got from the internet), and he took us into the taxi and sent us off (how nice it is that one can communicate by speaking Turkish outside one’s hometown, and see those who know and use our language). The famous street of the capital Pristina is Nene Teresa. This road, which is closed to traffic (like Doktorlar Street in Eskişehir), is a central point where people walk a lot and enjoy spending time. There are plenty of cafes to sit at. Coincidentally, there was a strike going on while I was there and there was a strike tent. One night, after 01:00, Nene Teresa was walking on Street; Adnan Şenses playing loudly brought a smile to my face. A person is always happy and proud when he sees something from himself (it does not matter how preferable something from us is, how popular or unpopular it is). In this holiday we held during Eid al-Adha; As we walked the streets and walked among the people, we saw our soldiers serving in this small country. We celebrated and had a quick chat. There was a group in front of the Democratic Turkish Party about issues such as celebrating Eid and dividing the sacrifice. Our military friends were happy to see us there. Considering that there are still people who do not know what the condition of these places is, what their history is, and their ties with Turkey and our people, he expressed how important and nice it is for those who spend their holidays here during this period and to provide moral support to the brothers here and to make them feel that they are not alone (whether I have relatives here or not). When he asked why I came to visit these places, I shared that I came to see these places to make them feel that they are a part of us and that we should not forget these places and that we are with them even if it is a small support. As we continue to wander the streets, we see that Tika has made many renovations, revitalizing historical monuments and highlighting our past and ties. Of course, we wish good luck to everyone who contributed and good luck to their minds. It is quite normal to see many Turkish companies and Turkish restaurants on the streets. Meşhed-i Hüdavendigar, or the tomb of Sultan Murat I, is approximately 6 km away from the capital Pristina. The distance between the capital Pristina and Prizren is not far. It takes approximately 2 hours. The bus terminal looks like old bus terminals that are no longer used in many of our cities. You have several bus options and you can travel by paying your fare inside the bus. After this journey, we arrive in Prizren. Just opposite the bus terminal is another historical spot, Namazgah. At that very moment, TRT Türk or TRT Haber channel was filming and making programs here. I approached two young people sitting on the benches with “Ankara Metropolitan Municipality” written in front of this prayer area and asked about the hostel in Turkish. The friend I met here said that he could send his Turkish guest to Albania by bus and take me to a suitable place. His name was Fati. Then we walked towards the city center with this tough-looking but very sincere and warm-hearted brother. We explained the situation to the hostel employee, who did not speak Turkish, and we got an available room. In fact, he had his friend from Niğde, whom he had just sent off, stay here. Then we walked towards the famous Şadırvan square. At the same time, we were touring the city. Since he was tired, we drank coffee, an investment of 40 years. Then he left me (after a while, when he came to Istanbul for some reason, he called to meet me, but since it was not possible for me to be in Istanbul during the week, we did not have the opportunity to meet again with this hospitable friend). Sinan Pasha Mosque, seen from almost everywhere, welcomes you in its magnificent fountain square. Walking along the cobblestone and tree-lined streets is a tremendous pleasure. Right behind you, you can see the ruins of Kalaja, or Castle. It is a different experience that you need to have strong breath to finish that steep hill when you want to climb. Seeing the city from the top and taking a picture or two among the castle ruins is a nice moment. The river named Bistriça and the stone bridge built on it are in the square and parallel to the main street, which suits the city very well. When we remember the importance of water, fountains and baths in our culture; The river in a city is like the pearl of that city. There is no need to mention the value and beauty it adds. That’s why many people (including me) take lots of photos around this bridge and river. There are many restaurants and cafes here suitable for eating and drinking. Seeing restaurant staff shouting “bujrun bujrun” makes you smile, just like in our own markets and covered bazaars. 🙂 Eating large portions of food in these places and consuming delicious desserts and coffees connects people to these places. People’s attention, warmth and love make you feel at home. Because it is a small country; It was not very difficult to find our friends from whom we asked for directions in Pristina on the street. Later, they accompanied me in the city and showed me around. We spent our day and night eating, drinking and taking lots of pictures with a friend named Ömer and another friend whose name I don’t remember. When it was time to return, we left this beautiful city by taking the Pristina bus in the middle of the city. As it was time for us to return, the city was rainy, I guess sadness covered the country 🙂 When we arrived in the capital, it was still raining. Since there were no minibuses going from the bus station to the city center, people were taking taxis. While I was learning about the incident by asking someone, a lady named Mirsada invited me to go with her. He was also from Prizren and we came on the same bus. But he said that he could not speak Turkish, although he knew a little bit. We also communicated in English. The driver uncle in the taxi we rode with him also had memories to tell about Turkey. First he greeted me by saying welcome. He explained that he had worked in Istanbul for years and that his children also lived there. After the short taxi ride, I invited Mirsada for a drink and we strengthened our friendship by having a coffee at a point when we got out of the taxi. It would be impossible to come to the Balkan region and not eat meatballs. We enjoyed the filling and delicious meatballs with ayran. While we were here, we thought it would be nice to remember Bosnia and ate the magnificent Bosnian pastries. May God grant us the opportunity to taste these delicacies in their place:) As you know, a stone is heavy in its place. There are nice bars, cafes and restaurants where you can have fun in other streets close to Nene Teresa Street. Aroma Bistro offers very delicious food. At Maroon Pub, the owner welcomes you at his table and when you turn your head, there is a treat offered to you in front of you. You listen to a Turkish song every 5-6 songs and have fun. Che Bar, on the other hand, is like a small room, but it is a decent place that is packed to the brim. When the waiters realize that you are Turkish, they ask which is your favorite team. You will find yourself in entertainment with organ and singers in some other rooms, which are considered small in our opinion. Turkish music is played again and you suddenly find yourself singing along to the blue blue deep blue song. They dance halay and have fun as if it were a wedding with drums and pipes. There are huge entertainments in these relatively small venues. Another person with whom I had coffee and chatted was Ms. Valbona. He is an educated, cultured person with whom I had a great time with his Turkish like “Farewell Rumelia-Sütçü Ramiz”. Valbona Abla, whom I bombarded with a lot of questions and received useful information before leaving, spared time for me when I stepped into Pristina; We socialized together. To sum up: Kosovo is a small country. There are also many areas open to development. But these do not prevent us from examining Kosovo on site. At least when it is close to your travel route, I recommend you to stop by, chat with local people, and reminisce about the history and ties. I hope that this modest article consisting of my experiences and the photos I shared will be considered as a +1 excuse/encouragement for you and you will meet Kosovo and our Kosovar brothers. Finally, I wanted to share below a poem written by a person from here. Mehmet Akif Ersoy, whose father was from these lands (“İpekli Tahir Efendi”), who was born in the city of Peje, i.e. the city of silk, composed the following poem on the situation of Kosovo after it left Ottoman rule as a result of the Balkan Wars: ****Taken from wikipedia.org. Wherever I am, a bloody plain appears before me… Is it you or your dream, unfaithful Kosovo? You know, every step of yours was a thousand parades. You know, the road that “Lightning” breaks through in your heart. You know, the soldier, the Martyr who lies in your heart. Oh, where is that sacrifice of victory, where is that good man today? Tell me, Mashhad, let me kiss your land in prostration; Don’t you have two or three drops of Murad’s blood? Oh Mashhad! Is it the tavern on which side? Your lamp, I don’t see it, where is that peymane? Who are the drunks wearing hats sleeping in the harim? Or is it wrong? No, don’t tell me, I know… I know! Was he going to step on it, but the Serbian’s sandals were laid on his chest, and the turbans of thousands of martyrs were spread on the ground, Would he wipe the boots of the lowest soldier? My friends named Valbona, Mirsada, Fati and Ömer… Mavimore Tourism is a travel agency registered with TÜRSAB. Document number: A-8307