As far as I know (and I cannot claim to be an expert on Kosovo after visiting for a few days) this is not a particular iconic location — it was just a place where we pulled over while driving into the Accursed Mountains (yes, that is their name) west of the town of Pec. Looking up into the mountains on either side of the river valley we followed, I was impressed by the thick vegetation, the steep slopes, and the atmosphere’s luminous haze.

For me it is an odd experience to quickly pass through a new landscape, particularly one where I’m unfamiliar with the features, the culture, and the language… and to then quickly move on, perhaps with no opportunity to return in the future. I’m more used to getting to know such places through return visits that expand my knowledge. But what I came away with here are fragments of memory — a walk to the end of a gravel road, lunch at a mountain lodge, stopping to photograph a country mosque next to a mountain river, and pausing to look up at theses slopes.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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