We had done a via ferrata route in Norway back in June and really enjoyed it. Myself more than Ruth, but she was sure proud of herself when she accomplished it. And we wanted to do another one. Again, myself more than Ruth, but although she was hesitant, she didn't say no.
So we met with our new friends David and Mirsie at the Balkan N Adventure location just at the entrance to the National Park where we rented the safety equipment for the day.
It's really cheap compared to the one we did in Norway, but then Norway is a very expensive country, and Kosovo is a relatively inexpensive country. Also, because of our experience in Norway, we didn't need a guide. It cost €8 ($10.80 CAD, $7.80 USD) per person to rent the equipment.
A short drive up into the mountains, and then a short walk to the entrance of the via ferrata.
Heading up to the starting point at Via Ferrata Mat.
And away we go!
It's not long and the route goes right through a cave. Very cool!
Mirsie and Ruth.
Ruth, and me in behind her.
Mirsie gave us some of her photos to use in the blog as well, so I can be in some pictures too!
Me!
Heading higher.
Ruth and Mirsie.
David up ahead.
Fantastic fall scenery.
Ruth and I.
Via ferrata selfie!
Ruth, climbing over one of the more difficult sections.
This route was fairly moderate, although there were one or two sections that required a bit of rock climbing. You just have to be aware of where you're putting your feet, and there were quite a few loose rocks. And we noticed that because we haven't been doing our normal exercise routine, our upper body strength is lacking. In fact, we're probably going to be a little sore today! We'll get back into it when we return to Max early next month.
Heading back down in this section.
I took a short video for you...
Ruth and the view.
This was a difficult spot.
Taking a few moments to enjoy the views.
Heading higher.
Mirsie took this looking down on us.
Heading up the second section at Via Ferrata Ari.
We're going up there.
Can you see Mirsie looking down at us?
Scenery along the way.
Me!
Made it to the top!
We had started at 10:40am and made it to the top around 1:30pm... so almost three hours.
With a view looking back at Peja.
Then we had about a 40 minute hike back to the car.
We met a guy collecting chestnuts.
He insisted on giving Ruth a handful.
Along the way we came upon some pretty fresh bear poop!
We met an older couple who were out having a picnic. It's great having Mirsie with us because she speaks fluent Albanian! They explained that the bears come down to this area because there are so many berries out... and they love chestnuts too!
Just to check out the validity of something I read, she asked if they consider themselves Albanian or Kosovar. They said they are Albanian. In fact, 92% of the people in Kosovo consider themselves to be ethnic Albanians. They said that just because some stupid politicians made a border years ago that didn't make sense doesn't take away from the fact that they are Albanians. So, they are Albanians from Kosovo.
You may have read about some recent troubles flaring up at the Kosovo/Serbia border. Here is a good and recent BBC article that explains in detail what is going on...
We went out for a late lunch/early dinner with David and Mirsie. The guy at the adventure place had recommended it, as did Blerta at the tourist office.
I had the "boiled beef muscle" with local vegetables.
Ruth had the exact same dish, but with veal.
It was served at the table bubbling hot! And delicious. The meat was so tender!
A little pricey by local standards, but it was a nice restaurant and the food was very good. With a big salad and a baked cheese starter, that we all shared, plus a beer and a glass of wine the bill was €25.75 ($34.75 CAD, $25 USD) per couple.
Man, we have sure eaten out a lot this month. Our "meals out" category in our monthly expenses is getting high! Oh well... back to normal next month!
Heading out for another hike this morning! Feeling a little stiff, but not really that sore.
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Wow, what stunning fall foliage and views you experienced. I salute your bravery (especially you, Ruth!) in attempting and completing what looks to be a challenging and scary trek. I would love to do something like that, but I suspect some of your blog readers are going to be shaking their heads and saying "not me"! I do hate to hear of anyone still eating veal. :-(
ReplyDeleteYes, the fall colors are really starting to pop so it was nice to see it from our vantage point on the via ferrata. I have to admit, I did find this via ferrata a little more challenging than the one we did in Norway, even though the one in Norway was higher and went straight up, this one did involved a little rock climbing which definitely put me to the test. I am proud that I did it though but it sure made me realize that I need to get my upper body into better shape! I am sure there are many that are saying "not me" as well, and I probably might have been one of them at one time but being in a harness and double clipped into the safety line makes a huge difference and this is someone that has an issue with heights!
DeleteVeal is not something that I would normally eat, in fact I am not sure if or when I might have eaten it last but it is more common here and it was a recommended local dish so I gave it a try.
Great views! We are being visited by bears in Santiago and Monterrey. Sightings are daily now and they get very close to downtown.
ReplyDeleteThe views were wonderful but they were even better on the hike that we did yesterday.
DeleteI expect that the bears are coming closer to the city because their territory is getting smaller and food is getting harder to find for them. Hopefully when they get close to town that they aren't shooting the bears but instead trapping them and moving them further back into the wild away from humans as much as possible!