April 2023. Picking maps to illustrate our foreign travels is always tricky, but this one might work for Kosovo. That reminds me; we still need to do Belgrade and Sofia. Bass recommendations for those places welcome. Pristina was a joy. The mix of brutalist housing, international businesses, crafty cafes and a bit of old city… Continue reading At Kosovo’s national stadium, we’re outed as “Not Ultras”
Month: April 2023
PRISTINA – KOSOVO’S FALMOUTH ?
March 2023. Blimey. I’m going to have to say something nice about Mrs RM. She’ll think I’m being sarcastic. Here goes; Mrs RM takes better photos than me. Sadly she’s still struggling with the title/format/copywrite for her imminent blog relaunch so I’ve had to nick her photo of Soma Book Station off Facebook, where she… Continue reading PRISTINA – KOSOVO’S FALMOUTH ?
CRAFTY CAT CAFE, PRISTINA
March 2023. I didn’t know what to expect from Kosovo, but I wasn’t counting on crafty cat cafes in Pristina. Our apartment was just across the road from the main pedestrianised boulevard of Mother Teresa, between park and national stadium. The most obvious sight are the minarets of mosques in a largely Albanian Muslim, but… Continue reading CRAFTY CAT CAFE, PRISTINA
BILL CLINTON WELCOMES US TO PRISTINA
March 2023. Three days in North Macedonia, three in Kosovo. Just as Erling Haaland had more bookings than hat-tricks today, so we ticked more countries than GBG pubs last week. A 10am departure from Skopje bus station after double espressos and doughy snacks accompanied by the Sounds of 1976. I admit we were hoping for… Continue reading BILL CLINTON WELCOMES US TO PRISTINA
THE ONLY LUNCHTIME DRINKERS IN TETOVO
March 2023. Day 2 in North Macedonia; time for a day trip. This was the point where we realised we should have flown in to Skopje and home from Pristina or Trirana, with the most interesting excursions some way off. So we settled for a city of 50,000 an hour way to contrast with the… Continue reading THE ONLY LUNCHTIME DRINKERS IN TETOVO
SURVIVING SKOPJE – A GUIDE FOR THE MACEDONIAN NOVICE
March 2023. “I am enjoying reading about these exotic places that you visit – we are not brave enough” writes top commentor Pauline about these Macedonian posts and I feel a duty to put your mind at rest if you’re considering a visit. Frankly, the scariest part is the drive through Luton to the airport,… Continue reading SURVIVING SKOPJE – A GUIDE FOR THE MACEDONIAN NOVICE
“Is that the Star Trek theme ?”. A Skopje cultural break.
March 2023. Us amateur bloggers like to believe we don’t really care about the blog views, but the truth is we’re obsessed with both the quantity and the quality (one Laos view is worth a dozen from France), and we’re always on the look-out for ways to boost readership unless it involves selling out by… Continue reading “Is that the Star Trek theme ?”. A Skopje cultural break.
CRAFT BEER IN SKOPJE
March 2023. Reader “Duncan” is waiting eagerly for my report on Skopje beer. Sadly, it’s no Paraguay. Or even Paisley. Yet. Mostly, in (many) restaurants and (fewer) bars you’ll find this; It’s actually “Skopsko” (Macedonian: Скопско), and my attempts to ask for “c-konko, please” in bars and restaurants met with much hilarity. About £1.40 a half litre… Continue reading CRAFT BEER IN SKOPJE
STATUESQUE IN SKOPJE
March 2023. Back from the Balkans this morning after too much beer, buses and baklava, I’ve got a thousand or so photos to weave into blog posts for you. Mrs RM has similar ambitions, and once she gets beyond having a blog title I’ll let you know. Don’t expect any Bass in her blog, but… Continue reading STATUESQUE IN SKOPJE
TO SKOPJE ! AFTER SIX (6) HOURS AT LUTON AIRPORT
March 2023. Mrs RM is about to launch her new blog/Instagram/rucksack brand called “One small bag“. It is absolutely vital you spell that last word correctly. She’s been working daft hours of late, so these trips to the Balkans this year are her reward, and I’m not to say she should have saved the planet… Continue reading TO SKOPJE ! AFTER SIX (6) HOURS AT LUTON AIRPORT
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