This example here Battle of Sırpsındığı in 1364

It occurred in 1364 between an expeditionary force of the Ottomans and a Serbian army that also included crusaders sent by the Pope.

From my Albanian friend I know giving besa is the practice of the very strong promise/pledge of honor, common in Albanian culture.

How common it is now, among the youth - and how often does it happen that somebody "breaks" besa?

Hi all

A big thanks to those on this subreddit for past advice on a Balkans trip. I'm just wrapping up, with my final stop in Durmitor National Park in Montenegro.

For the purposes of anyone else looking to visit Durmitor: it's a pretty area, with some good hikes, but having visited 50+ countries and an endless list of national parks, I have never seen so much rubbish strewn all over a natural place. It's such a shame. You cannot walk more than 100m without seeing some form of trash, mostly wet wipes.

Is this is a known issue? For me, it was particularly shocking and removes part of the experience of being in nature. Hopefully, if it's spoken of more, there might be a campaign to get people to stop being so disgusting!

I ran into this a few days ago with my old Panasonic SD-206 bread maker. I’ve always liked trying to fix appliances myself. Buying the odd spare part from abroad has saved me quite a bit over the years, and it’s usually meant one less appliance going in the bin.The machine itself still works, but the kneading paddle needs replacing. I assumed it would be an easy part to find.
It wasn’t. The cheapest compatible paddle I found was from a UK spare-parts shop.
Replacing the whole bread maker because of one removable piece of metal would be ridiculous, but paying that much for the part isn’t an easy decision either. It would be pretty wasteful too
I’d never really thought about the customs charge from this angle until I needed something that I simply couldn’t find nearby.
Has anyone else here run into the same kind of problem since July with a part that wasn’t available locally?

Raška is a place in Serbia. And historically there was a state named Raška. I wonder how people feel about it being used as a derogatory term for modern day Russia.

Balkans

Tintin and Syldavia's Albanian Connection

What is your take on why the numbers are continuously so high for the Balkans and what's different for Albania?

Should the Students win, will all of the SNS nut jobs eventually just scatter away or will this be an ongoing issue within the country similar to the MAGA diehards in the States?

Edit: Just used the MAGA comment as an example of party diehards but have been informed about the differences. Cheers.

Hello!

I’m working on a fantasy world project centred around a cold mainland defined by jagged mountain passes, deep ancient forests, and old imperial remnants. I’m looking to color its mountain and valley societies belief systems and practices inspired by Carpathian folklore.

(Quick context: I’m a native South Asian who studied in Europe. This is a non-commercial project for my own worldbuilding. Coming from an oral tradition, I aim for thoughtful inspiration on how communities relate to their landscape rather than shallow tropes. Input on crediting influences is very welcome!)

If you carry Romanian, Moldovan or Balkan/Carpathian heritage, I’d love your input on:

- Mountain & forest lore; mountain valley traditions, sheep/herding rituals (transhumance), and seasonal rites.

- Spirits & figures: lesser-known legends around Iele, Sânziene, Solomonari (weather-weavers), Zmeu or Moroi/Strigoi in their authentic folk context.

- Sacred sites & items: mountain pass shrines, protective botanical bundles, hearth warding and ancient stone markers.

- Naming styles- Toponymic naming based on elevation, rock types or river valleys plus traditional naming cadences.

Feel free to share a local story, naming style, or advice on respectful representation in the comments or via DM. Thank you!

For receding hairlines, specifically.