Pristina, Kosovo, was a serious place, with lingering memories of the Balkans War. Prizen, Kosovo, where we spent May 1, 2026, was a bright, happy resort city. We finally got to taste borek, the pastry that is sold all over the Balkans. Cheese or other fillings are placed on layers of filo dough, which is then folded into a long coil, wound into a circle, and baked. One of my goals, when I am back in SLC, will be to master the art of making borek!
A saxophonist played in the central square of Prizen and, spontaneously, a group of citizens began to dance. Prizen was that kind of place!
Prizen was a beautiful city, built on the banks of a river, with a fortress brooding on the hill above it.
Flowers bloomed, tees shaded the sidewalks, and people relaxed outside at cafe tables.
The Sinan Pasha Mosque is in the heart of the old town, overlooking the river and the town's Ottoman Bridge. There used to be 20,000 Serbs living in Prizen, but after the Balkan Wars, only a few hundred remain.
The mosque's imam addresses the congregation on Fridays from a pulpit that, like this one, may be heavily decorated.
Muslims wash themselves before entering mosques. The sinks for ritual washing, like this one, are often picturesque.
We crossed the old Ottoman bridge.
Turkish-style house museums are a "thing" in the Balkans. In Prizen, we not only admired the furnishings of the house, but also a collection of Balkans art and costumes in the nearby art museum.
The Ottoman influence was clear in these paintings.
No comments:
Post a Comment