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.