Peja/Peć

On Monday we took a day trip to Peja/Peć, a town in western Kosovo.  The town is very small, but very scenic and in the middle of mountainous terrain.  Inside the town there are several mosques and kullas (traditional Albanian houses).  The tourist agency in Peja is especially helpful and they gave us armloads of brochures and postcards.  From the city center it is only a 20 minute walk to the beginning of the Rugova Gorge, which is beautiful.  Along the way we saw a goat herder as well as some questionable looking tracks that may have belonged to bears (there was a sign for the hunting area with a bear on it, so we aren't getting too far fetched with that idea).  Also at the start of the Gorge is the Peć Patriarchate; once the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church.  The Patriarchate is beautiful, but security measures to enter are very strict.  We had to leave our passports with KFOR and they had to call ahead to the get approval from the monastery before we were allowed to enter.  It is very serene once you are inside and has a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.  The patriarchate is comprised of three churches linked together.  Since we were the only tourists, one of the nuns showed us around and pointed out the meanings behind the various scenes depicted.  We were especially lucky because she unlocked the church dedicated to St. Nikola (normally locked) and pointed out the paintings' meanings.

The offending paw prints.

Peć Patriarchate

Kulla

Afterwards we headed back towards the city and had an early dinner.  We have been drinking Peja beer (the national beer of Kosovo) throughout our trip, but it seemed especially appropriate to drink it in its hometown.  For 1 euro it can't be beat.