Autumn Comes....

Ever since we arrived in Macedonia, we have enjoyed blue skies and very hot, summer like weather.  Even the evenings were warm and balmy...not requiring a jacket or sweater.  Last Monday, we woke up to another nice warm day...went for our morning walk, and returned home.  A few hours later, we heard a huge rush of wind, looked out the window and saw a sky full of clouds and the air filled with dust.  Within minutes the temperatures fell 30 plus degrees and we knew instantly autumn had arrived.  

We were scheduled to leave for Ohrid the following day...so we made sure we packed warm clothes for our trip.  Ohrid is a small resort town located in the southwest corner of Macedonia.  It is about a three hour drive from Skopje.  The town is located on Lake Ohrid, which is one of two large inland lakes.  The country of Albania borders one side of the lake and Macedonia borders the other side.  

The city offers an old town alongside traditional houses with red tile roofs...  

several medieval churches with fresco paintings...  

an ancient Roman theater, where performances still take place during the summer months... 

and open air ruins form Roman times.

One of the local guides who told us about the ruins.

The church in the background is brand new and was built next to the Roman ruins.

It also has a fortress at the top of the hill that can be seen from almost any vantage point.  

Our second day was cloudy, cold and windy...but we didn't let that stop us.  

The parks located near the lake are beautifully landscaped.  

And...there is a wonderful walking path that runs next to the lake and through the woods.     Follow it long enough and it will take you to a small village tucked into the side of one of the mountains. 

We discovered a wonderful coffee house, bar and restaurant named Liquid that had a fantastic view of the lake and surrounding mountains.  

We also found two hip and trendy sea side bar and restaurant where we could sit and watch the sunset with a cocktail or class of wine.  Both places had indoor and outdoor spaces to enjoy the beautiful scenery.   

We ate at several nice restaurants that offered delicious food for a reasonable price.  Lance and I both enjoyed stuffed peppers...a local speciality.  This particular restaurant is located in a building that is more than 300 years old.  

Lance and I had a terrific stay at an AirBnB for just $17 a night.  It included a private room and bath, the use of a shared kitchen, and a washing machine.  Nade and her husband, Vladimir were great hosts...very helpful and friendly toward us during our brief three day stay.  If you travel to Macedonia, the town of Ohrid is a must see.  I promise you will not be disappointed.      

We are back in Skopje now...and happily the weather has warmed up a bit.  We are now enjoying pleasant temperatures in the 70's, with beautiful blue skies.  Life is definitely good in the Balkans.  

  

The Crush and the Cross

Last week we decided to finally go to see the Millennium Cross that sits on the top of Vodno Mountain in Skopje, Macedonia.  It is 217 ft. tall, and at night when it lights up you can see it from almost any spot in the city.  We heard that there was a city bus that would take you half way up the mountain.  From there, you have the choice of riding a cable car to the top...or...climbing up the rest of the way.  We decided to climb.  

On Friday, we set out for the first bus of the day in hopes of doing the climb before it got too hot.  When we arrived at the bus station we saw a small crowd of seniors were gathering at the bus...waiting to get on.  As the crowd grew, Lance and I staked out a spot in hopes of getting a seat.  When the driver arrived the crowd surged forward and literally fought to get on the bus.  We've never seen anything like it.  People pushed and elbowed their way to the front with no regards to who was in front of them.  It was unbelievable.  We were being crushed in the crowd...and no one seemed to care...except us.  Apparently, this is not unusual here.  To make matters worse...there was no limit on how many people could get on the bus.  If you were able to squeeze in...you were good to go.  As we drove through the city the bus made several stops...and again, people would push their way onto the bus.  I guess the term safety first holds no weight here.  

When we arrived at our stop, Lance and I hopped off and started to look for the trail that would take us to the top of the mountain.  A woman noticed us checking the map in the parking lot and she approached us with a big smile and told us to come with her.  We followed and were surprised to see that she was taking us to a church.  Later we learned that this particular day was a holiday for the church.  People were coming for a religious celebration (which explained the big crowds on the bus,) and she wanted to show us what was taking place.  

Truthfully, she couldn't have been more friendly.  She took us into church...bought a candle for us to light...and took our picture.  Even though neither of us could communicate with the other, she seemed excited to spend time with two Americans.     

Eventually, we parted ways.  She took the cable car to the top of the mountain where the cross is located...and we started our hike.  

When we arrived at the top about an hour and a half later...there she was.  We greeted each other again...and attempted some limited conversation.  Below is the view of Skopje from the top of the mountain.  

After a cold drink and a rest, we took the cable car back down to the bottom.  When we got off the cable car we could hear the church celebration still taking place.  Lance and I

wandered over to listen to the music and watch the dancing.

We had a good time and enjoyed our visit to Vodno Mountain.  

(Grrrr....who knows how to delete a video...try as I might, I can't get rid of it.)

   

Skopje, Macedonia

Alexander the Great located on the main plaza.

Lance and I have been in Skopje for 1 week.  During that time we have discovered the fruit and vegetable market located near the old bazaar...

 and found a very nice walking path next to the Vardar River...

that takes us past the City Park.

We took a "free" walking tour one evening with a gentleman who grew up here and witnessed all the changes that have taken place during the past 27 years.

We also discovered our new favorite coffee house...The Public House.  It's not as pretty as our former cafe in Pristina, but the food and drinks are good and the waiters are friendly. The Public House has a more industrial look...and is a popular place for young digital nomads to sit and do their work.       

We weren't sure what to expect when we got here...but we've been pleasantly surprised at what we have seen so far.  The city is different from any others we have visited in the Balkans.  I won't bore you with all the history, but I will share a few interesting facts. 

Skopje has been inhabited since 4000 BC.  In 1991 it became the capital city of an independent Macedonia.  During the 2000's, the Skopje 2014 Project was begun.  The plan was to improve the appearance of the city center with a new plaza, new buildings, and new facades on some existing buildings that were built during the communist era.

In the photo above you can see the facade that is being placed over the top of the existing building. 

They also added numerous statues to the city center.  To be honest, the whole thing looks a bit over the top...and somewhat reminds us of Las Vegas...but it does have a certain amount of charm.  

Our tour guide, Zoran was quick to point out that as a resident, you don't need to like or agree with everything that the government has done when it comes to the city renovation.  Some things he likes and others he doesn't care for.  But, as someone who was born and raised here, he feels that it is a vast improvement compared to what it looked like before.  The renovation has been good for the city because it has increased tourism, and, good for the locals because it gives them a safe and attractive place to hang out.  Before the renovation, no one would dare visit the city center in the evening.  Now the plaza, which is a pedestrian only zone, is filled with locals and tourists alike.

Unfortunately, the Skopje Project has been at a stand still for the past two years.  The former prime minister claimed the project would be completed in four years (2014) for the cost of 8 million dollars.  However, so far the city has spent a staggering 800 million dollars and it still is not done.  People became outraged and began to protest...the prime minister was voted out of office...and now the new administration is trying to decide how to proceed.  That means several large buildings on the plaza that were under construction are at a standstill. It remains to be seen what will happen with them. 

    

You can still find some older, attractive looking buildings that were spared renovation...

but many others...especially those built during the communist era... are not very appealing...at least to me.  However, a few (like the one pictured below,) can be interesting to look at.     

The main post office in Skopje

Below are just few of the many statues that you can be found around the city center.  

The father of Alexander the Great...Philip 11 of Macedon...king of the ancient Greek kingdom.

The Greek God Prometheus...who was given undies after the people of Skopje complained about the naked statue.

We're enjoying our travels through the Balkans.  We always feel safe, love the food, and enjoy learning about the different cultures in the area.