Kopaonik is a ski-resort in Serbia,on “the border” with Kosovo.Last Saturday I visited this ski-resort, which is approximately on 1700 meters above sea level (with as top Pančić’s Peak, which is 2,017 meters above sea level. It was very strange to walk on the 22nd May through the snow and to throw snowballs to your friends…
All ski-pistes were closed and there was almost nobody there, it looked like a ghost town. My friends told me that when the ski-pistes are open that this is one of the hottest places in Serbia….
After we visited the ski-resort we drove a bit around and at the end we were not more then 50-100 meters of the ” border” with Kosovo: we parked our car and walked a bit (Darko knew the place, because he hired a cottage here). It is very strange to know that Kosovo is on your feet. The environment is beautiful and after a little climb we were on the top of Tresak. I felt so remote, so happy, a feeling I cannot describe: Kosovo was on my feet and despite all the problems with this troubled region it looked so peaceful: this is the heart of the Balkans.
We met also a Shepard, which was really friendly and my friends talked a bit (since I still do not know the Serbian language very well). He told my friends that he was from Kosovo and that he can cross the ” border” without any problems. You could see he was a very happy men and was glad to see us and of course he invited us to try some of his cheese, but unfortunately we had to go back….
For me it felt like I was in the heart of the Balkans, despite all the problems, it is a very peaceful place, with a friendly Shepard crossing daily for him unknown borders with his sheep’s and his dog ” Jacky”…..
A tear felt down when I had to descent with my friends and leave this beauty behind me, but I carry it always with me in my heart, the heart of the Balkans….
