Kosovo a 1st impression

BlitzKrieg

Ok the UNDF are letting me use their PC's only if i have this educational (hence in humanities)


AND

before any1 asks: their PC's are alright aimed for excell and net work but their connection is satilitie.

Day 1:

I arrived in skopje captol of macidonia (ignore spelling mistakes)
I get picked up by the irish army armed with steyr augs. This was after i was searched by the german and belguim army at the airport. Its recommanded not to take photos these guys are armed with ak47's. the airport itself had 10 hinds, 4 german fighter jets (couldnt see wha type) 1 american transport plane (big mutherfu(ker, which the front opens up to load viechles.

Of course Macedonia is almost as bad as kosovo driving towards the border the irish army explained that it had alot of problems and that with recent rebel attacks things got worse. The Roads are like Irelands....They never stay still, winding every direction.

The actual border was adventure. Its currently closed in one direction. I can enter Kosovo but i cant leave. There was trucks lining up being searched before entering kosovo. Because of this they dropped me off a distance from the border and i had to walk rest of the way. Walking in the heat i found that both countries have a lovely scenery. The trainsystem here hasnt run since the war so this border was only way in.

I got stopped near the border by a convoy of lepoard 1 tanks being transported out of Kosovo. Very cool looking at them all. The border itself was covered in soldiers and to get in i had to show my passport and explain why i was there. This led to a attempt to explain who my dad was and why i was visiting him. (turns out since the war i'm the 1st tourist not here to work) After being interigated and passed. I found my dad further down the road. We drove to Prishtina capitol of kosovo. Along the way u can see how badly the country is, apart from military bunkers everywhere looked abondened or ripped down.

I already talked about the bases.. America has 1 but its massive while the others have 3-4 except Ireland who have only 1.


Prishtina... Simply put is THE BLACK MARKET. It is run by Albanian mafia and evrything is pirated, stolen or smuggled.
Cigerettes are 40p 200 packs are 3pound.
Games go for 4pound.
Satilite can be both for 10pound and u get pirated card so u see EVeRYTHING..

Its a wonder how the place works.
The infastructure doesnt exist hence the UN being here to fix it. There isint really poverty just no work, everybody does the black market.
The city is mainly surviving on the UN... There are 50 000 Un and other workers here helping. And restaurants and shops continue to be open because the UN go to them.

The whole city is also a building site.. Continous building. I was awoken 7am this morning by building sites all over the city.

The power comes and goes But everyone has generators in case.
The telephone company is boycotted because its serb. Everyone uses pirated Monoco phone lines. Mobiles are extreamly expensive because of this.

The majority of selling is done by stalls on the side of streets, there are few main shops.
No cashiers, everything by hand.
The currency is deutchmark and when the Euro comes in there is going to be CHAOS.

I cant think of much right now but theres a first impression...

Any questions about the country or other topics (I.e Women, food, drink) just ask

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People of the Boards

I have a cunning plan

and before u ask how cunning

just trust me its cunning

oooo thats cunning

Evil Phil

Women, food, drink?
What are the people like in general? I'd like to go to Kosovo just to see.

BlitzKrieg

Generally they are nice and the WOMEN WOOF!

The food is excellent and if u want drink join the german army before saturday, they have a mission called "Wine tasting" which involves them going around tasteing all the alchole beverages in kosovo made by kosovo. Of course im going with them cant wait.


Have to say out of all the military groups out here apart from the irish the germans seem to be the best craic...

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People of the Boards

I have a cunning plan

and before u ask how cunning

just trust me its cunning

oooo thats cunning

the fnj

What sort of vibe do you get from the place. Are the people looking to the future or are they feeling sorry for themselves.

Would you consider the city to be dangerous ie would you be happy walking around by yourself?

BlitzKrieg

They are looking foreward but to a independant kosovo. they are basically surviving right now because of the UN, they sell everything to them. They have no real infastructure. I've been to 2 cities Prishtina (capitol) and Prizren. Prishtina looks like ballymun sometimes with all the flats with up to 6 families in each apartment. But its actually safe, the only thing u gotta watch for is people trying to sell u stuff. Prizren is much older looking and feels much safer. its a lovely city and i'll have some pics up soon of it.

The only way u can be seriously in danger in Kosovo's cities is if you are one of these:

-A serb (They have to have the KFOR, escourt them everywhere)

-A Russian (untold hatred of Russians)

-A American (To a degree, in some areas they dont like them)

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People of the Boards

I have a cunning plan

and before u ask how cunning

just trust me its cunning

oooo thats cunning

Belisarius

Whod be hating the Russians , the Albanians? , and I cant imagine theyd be too happy with the Yanks either , but how do they see thier long term prospects , how aware are they of the fact that they'll get dropped like a hot potato in a few years ,or are the blissfully unaware . And how serious are they about the Idea of greater albania , especially with the troub in Macedonia ...

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The Man From Delmonte , He Say "Yes"

BlitzKrieg

The albanian kosovans really h8 the russains...


They are very determined, they seek to have a independant kosovo, The Black market keeps prishtina going and when the UN cant drop thme because next uear their is gonna be chaos.


they use the german mark out here...when the Euro comes in they will use that but over a slower period changing over. So when the mark becomes worthless all hell will break lose here.

Rapier-q3

How much are AK-47's in Kosovo? Are they easy to get?

Whats the army food like?

Do the irish soldiers find it boring or exciting in comparison to their normal tasks?

Any snipers there still?

TheAuditor

"i was searched by the german and belguim army at the airport. Its recommanded not to take photos these guys are armed with ak47's." What complete and utter bull****. The German and Belgian armies are not armed with Russian-made submachineguns. Stop feeding the cretins horse**** to make the story look more interesting. Also it's the Belgian army, not "belguim army" - Belgium is spelt "iu" not "ui". Ignoramus.

mayhem#

I might have missed this, but why again are you there?

Belisarius

I thought that aswell , surely Belgians would support its own Arms industry by buying Fabrique Nationale ? , Same Deal with the UK , whoose armed forces have to make Do with those REALLY dodgy Lee Enfield , Im sure any UK soldier out there can tell you some stories about those pieces o Crap Blitzkrieger

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The Man From Delmonte , He Say "Yes"

[This message has been edited by Belisarius (edited 05-08-2001).]

Clintons Cat

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">they use the german mark out here...when the Euro comes in they will use that but over a slower period changing over. So when the mark becomes worthless all hell will break lose here.
</font>

wont they just start using euros and a new blackmarket enterprise spring up converting all the existing duetshmarks in circulation to dollars and euros?
You got to hand it to those blackmarket chaps they are certainly resourseful.
Nice post BTW Blitzkrieg

BlitzKrieg

Firstly at the airport. I thought they were Russian because of the Ak's But the Irish soldier who took me to Kosovo told me that Russains wouldnt be in the airport and that its belgain and Germans who were manily running the airport. I didnt ask any further but when i meet him again i'll ask.

*Ok UN just told me: There were Ukrains in the airport that day helping unload something with the Germans hence the AK's

About buying Ak's it was possible to buy them bloody easily before the UN came in, it was because after Albania went broke the army started selling its arms to the kosovons for money, I have a sheet in my apartment telling how the Un rounded most of these up and burnt them, so when i get a scanner i'll scan that on along with pictures.

-About the Euro, most Kosovons dont know its coming, they are just continueing to use the deutchmark, But when the Euro comes, that will become useless, and none of them would have prepared for it.


-On why I'm here. My Dad works out here in the UNDP and i came out to visit him, he's all friendly with the German and British army hence me seeing alot of military equipment.


Now...
The weekend was very interesting, not only did i get to see the back part of Kosovo (much worse then prishtina) but also i learned wha the German amry calls a mission: "


Which plainly means They are escourting Un people on a hike to a waterfall then taking us the the Kosovo wine storage house and tasting as much as we want, then to a serbian area for a dinner. Strange as it sounds the Germans were the soundest. Now i also saw the Afirka korps (most famous for the desert war in ww2) armed with g3's. Its strange i thought they were gone after ww2.

On the note of serbs they have to be kept in private areas protected by the KFOR, it feels realy strange going in, they being locked up for their safety, barb wire checkpoints gaurds all over the streets coming into the area. It really hits home how dangerous the place is for being on either side.


other little note:
-This country has 4 types of toilets:
normal european one
normal europeqan one, but with smaller hole at bottom so u have to put toilet paper in a nearby bin
A hole in the ground with a tap to wash your ass
A normal toilet but with no toilet paper and when u flush water sprays uer ass and u wash it with you hand ?

I'll try and make a full report later.

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People of the Boards

I have a cunning plan

and before u ask how cunning

just trust me its cunning

oooo thats cunning

[This message has been edited by BlitzKrieg (edited 05-08-2001).]

Belisarius

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by BlitzKrieg:

-This country has 4 types of toilets:
normal european one
normal europeqan one, but with smaller hole at bottom so u have to put toilet paper in a nearby bin
A hole in the ground with a tap to wash your ass
A normal toilet but with no toilet paper and when u flush water sprays uer ass and u wash it with you hand ?

I'll try and make a full report later.

</font>

No please , just keep to the Political stuff

BlitzKrieg

Resting yesterday and today...

For the next 3 days i'll prob go check out the british tank force (CHALLANGERS!!) And hoping to meet the protection agency about trying out some of the weapons...


On saturday i already told you about the German army's "mission" I didnt tell u one of the people on the mission was a judge and that because some rebels tried to kill her, she had 2 bodygaurds, one was a sweed, who was really funny, sunglasses, mp5 around his neck, glock in his holster, He just sat around and watched us, i talked to him abit, he was a nice guy and showed me a few things on the mp5, including the double clip he had on it.

The other bodygaurd was funny as hell just watching him. He was a american armed with a berreta, and he was such a steriotype, standing behind the judge, full american special forces uniform, sunglasses, not even a smile. He never left her side. And though he was just doing his job he took way more serious then the sweed and was funny as hell to watch. I have a pic tha i'll post when i get home.

Doc

Give this man some Karma. Well done that man!
Interesting stuff.

Chaos-Engine

I'm one for adventure and i always taught the balkans was too dangerous... Now i think instead of going to Amsterdam in October i'll be off to the Balkans...

Whats it like entering Kosovo from Serbia???
I was thinking of going via Italy - Slovania - Croatia - Bosnia Hertz - Serbia (on to Belgrade) - Kosovo - Then maybe home via Sofia, Bulgeria

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"Information is Ammunition"
Choas Engine
Email: choas@netshop.ie
ICQ: 34896460

BlitzKrieg

DAMN MY LAST POST DIDNT COME UP IT HAD A LIST OF ALL THE WEAPONS I HAVE CHECKED OUT HERE sniff.


Technically, Kosovo is still part of serbia, so its just passing the UN border check that will prob let u in if your Irish or other european passsport.
Just check that borders are open when u head off, sometimes they are closed and u could get stuck outside kosovo or like me in kosovo. YEp tha right i was technically locked in kosovo last week because the borders were closed. thankfully they are now open to "UN personal" so my dad has sneaked me onto one of their shuttle buses.


My other post had info on the irish army and other stuff, but i cant wright about it now going to see Prishtina prison.

Victor

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Chaos-Engine:
Whats it like entering Kosovo from Serbia??? I was thinking of going via Italy - Slovania - Croatia - Bosnia Hertz - Serbia (on to Belgrade) - Kosovo - Then maybe home via Sofia, Bulgeria</font>

Do lots of study before doing that. See this article

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Kill, kill, kill the laser mice.

[This message has been edited by Victor (edited 08-08-2001).]