5 - 18 October
Early morning saw us walking the border crossing between Albania and Macedonia, this area is not only on the lakes edge but also the Galicica National Park. Beautiful if you don't mind the rubbish left by locals on the side of the road.
Part of the reason I chose to cross this part of the border was the easy access to visit Sveti Naum Monastery. It was established in 905 by a monk of the same name. One interesting Macedonian folk law is that you can still hear the saint’s heartbeat by pressing an ear to his stone coffin inside the church.
The monastery has been renewed and enlarged several times over the centuries. While most of its iconos and frescoes date from the 16th and 17th century, earlier etchings in the Byzantine Greek vernacular also remain. But numerous mistakes indicate that they were written by Slavic-speaking local monks. Other inscriptions in the church make up some of the oldest epigraphic evidence of Slavic literacy. One other interesting fact is there is a hotel here for all the 'rich' tourists and their travel log notes the following baloney actual extract - a peculiar element of St. Naum is located not on the inside of the church but on the outside: the preponderance of multi-colored peacocks strutting around and luxuriating in the grass. phhww
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| (signage inside the monastery grounds) |
The signage inside the monastery grounds is also worth reading and it makes me smile that a friendly tree is now classified as a building not for commercial use - not sure but I think they need to be talking with the local squirrel population.
Loving this place and I haven't been in the country for more than 3 hours. Happy lady especially when I have arranged for our 4 bags to be left in a local restaurant with the promise that we will come back and drink beer with the owner as a thank you whilst we walk through the pack and monastery area.
Getting into Ohrid - (because there are four of us) we decide to split a taxi rather than waiting 2 hours for the bus to take us into town. Roughly works out to be the same price and our driver is a golly man who is happy to have us in his car and gives us a tour of the lake area stopping every so often to explain sights and stories of his family to us - spoilt!
Again when we arrive into town our packs yell tourist and a husband wife team decide that we so need to stay with them they hound the two Brazilin gentlemen I am travelling with for 20 minutes. Am very thankful to be with them as they bear the brunt of the hustle - I find it a little disconcerting but I guess if they get tourists this way and people keep falling for the aggressive then they will keep trying. Upon arriving at the hostel my room mate informs me that she is leaving for Skopje and would I like her return bus ticket. Very looked after...
The next couple of days I spend hanging out in Galicia National Park - the autum change has begun and it is pleasant to view the colours starting to come in I was beginning to worry that I had missed this season as it has been snowing further north around Skopje. I had wanted to go diving in the lake but unfortunately with tourist season having ended and the weather this has not happened I am hoping this is not going to be the story for the remainder of my trip north as there are a few tick list items on my agenda. So a boat trip on the lake is called for instead where I am given control of the launch and receive a my second marriage proposal for the day. A stray dog picks me up for the remainder of my day and it is a great joke with the locals who name him Bosco and join me for a few wine and beers. It also makes me smile when I note a Dutch couple trying to figure out what is going on as local politics are being spoken in English with a lady who is definitely a tourist but has a dog asleep on her feet. We get talking and turns out the husband is the designer of desalination plants and is currently building one in Australia. I have so enjoyed my evening talking about the water industry and the local guys construction/contracting business so great convos!
The 10th October sees me shifting up to the capital and I'm not in the city more than 2 minutes when I spy horse and cart lined up at the traffic lights. Cant help myself and pull the camera out - unfortunately the guys driving also notice and shout for monies - damit need to be more stealthy with my camera shots.
The hostel is a lovely place and I have met some very cool peoples here. We spend time hanging out together vising a local cannon which has kaya race facilities, caves, great wine and a nice 6 hour lake walk. Skopje is a interesting city and the government has gone a little over kill with all its statues I mean in one spot you can count over 12 of the buggers and yes they are all larger then 2 meters. The largest of all is Alexander the Great - opps I mean the Warrior (not allowed to upset the Greeks - a lot of political about this, kind of like NZ vs Australia over pavalova and phar lap) is situated in the main square apparently they wanted to build a new church right next to the thing but I am pleased that they did not as it would be so crammed. Another highlight is visiting the Mother Theressa Memorial House the city also has random placques placed through out the city centre - thought provoking.
Love it - the politics and history is so interesting. A couple of Australian girls are popping over to Kosovo and I decide that this could be a cool trip not something I had planned but will join them for the border crossing and see how we go. The train ride is very pretty and we have a very cool experience when I get chatting to a gentleman from Pristina (Capital of Kosovo) who works for the EU and is helping to develop human trafficking policies. A elderly chap hears the word Australia and New Zealand and it is translated to us that his family was kept alive by Australia's humanitarian support of wheat. All the more special when the ladies I am travelling with are both of wheat farms. Cant describe but we all go the biggest hugs and longest hand shakes. The capital of Kosovo still has Army personal rocking around a lot of construction happening politics interesting, I ended up there Sunday Monday - of course most things are closed so I enjoy my time cruising through the main part of town and up to the local university which is architecturally interesting! and meeting a few local students who yes speak English and want to have coffee. Happy to oblige. They are very interested in my travels and other parts of the world - and hope that someday they will also be able to travel outside of their country. The nation is using the euro and it is far to complex at this stage to enter Serbia from this area so its back to Macedonia.
Back at the hostel in Skopje and I bump totally coincidentally with a new friend I met in Ohrid from Turkey - Elif! and decide to stay here until she departs for home. This is a great idea as we decide it would be cool to see further parts of Macedonia and hire a car. The hire is costing each of us 18 euros for rental, fuel, meals etc. fantastic idea. We manage to find two other people to share our experiences with and the 4 of us flick out to Kokino which has been used for sacrifices and is a "ancient" observatory. The time is spent walking and climbing the rock formations and dring through the country side stopping to look at farms and local villages great day out and fantastic people.
The following morning we get up early as our car is not due to be collected until 9:30 am and go in search of a local 13th century Ottoman Empire Aqueduct - we have some issues trying to get the site as a few of the roads are blocked and after hitting our third fenced off area with padlocks we get out of the car to inspect the fence, not looking so strong we push the razor wire aside and pop through one of three areas of broken fence. We wander around only to discover our aqueduct is outside of our fenced area - bugger. Time to return to the car and try a different route through the neighbouring famers paddocks and houses. We round a corner to return to the car and spot a guy wearing fatigues. Figuring this isn't a good thing I play it cool and quiet so not to worry the two Australians with me nor startle the guy with his AK47 who has now spotted us. We are greated and exchange pleasantries - Amy guy; this is military base and the gate is padlocked why are you in here? Gabrielle's response - well I was looking for the aqueduct I now see it is not in here like the map shows but at the neighbours. Army man - the gate is looked; Gabrielle - yes but the fence has human sized holes in it and a people walk through here lots because the grass is worn down (not mentioning that perhaps I might have made the hole in the razor wire to walk through) ; Army guy - well you should not be here; Gabrielle - yes now that you tell me perhaps we could install a sign saying aqueduct? Army guy - maybe but you need to leave now have a safe holiday; Gabrielle - yes thank you will do hope that you have a good day also thank you for the directions!
Disaster averted. phew - poor Elif she was wondering how to touch base with both our embassies to say we were being detained by the local military. Life is good, another experience to write about and giggle about in the future.....
The following day sees Elif departing and me packing, I meet a lady from Lower Hutt and we have booked a 8:30 am bus to Sofia Bulgaria the following day (17 Oct). It is nice to speak with someone that understands my accent and culture almost didn't happen as I was a little bit rude when we first met. Our bus trip although pretty is not so pleasant with two Scottish guys who are having a mates week away - apparently they tell the whole bus the only reason to visit these countries is because the beer is so cheap and if it weren't for that you wouldn't bother to waste your time here. So disappointing - two wankers that spoil it for every one in the course of our 8 hour trip they mange to insult all nations especially where we are visiting manage to offend all the English speakers so pretty much the whole bus - and oh somehow get the whole of our bus searched by border patrol including all 30 passengers and their bags. Thanks guys.
luckily they are not at the same hostel so roll on good times in Bulgaria!
Hope everyone is well Bulgaria update coming soon
-Gabrielle
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| (Walking to the Macedonian Border Patrol) |
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| (Spring in Galicica National Park ) |
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| (St Clement - Ohrid) |
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| (Galičica National Park - I did get a little misplaced in here...) |
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| (Hooning around Lake Ohrid) |
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| (Local Market - Ohrid) |
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| (Farm life) |
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| (local transport - no licence needed for a portable saw mill) |
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| (Millennium Cross - Skopje) |
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| (Matka Canyon) |
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| (The rental.... ) |
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| (Best Cappachino!!) |
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| (Kokino) |
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| (Main centre Skopje) |
The monastery has been renewed and enlarged several times over the centuries. While most of its iconos and frescoes date from the 16th and 17th century, earlier etchings in the Byzantine Greek vernacular also remain. But numerous mistakes indicate that they were written by Slavic-speaking local monks. Other inscriptions in the church make up some of the oldest epigraphic evidence of Slavic literacy. One other interesting fact is there is a hotel here for all the 'rich' tourists and their travel log notes the following baloney actual extract - a peculiar element of St. Naum is located not on the inside of the church but on the outside: the preponderance of multi-colored peacocks strutting around and luxuriating in the grass. phhww 
Again when we arrive into town our packs yell tourist and a husband wife team decide that we so need to stay with them they hound the two Brazilin gentlemen I am travelling with for 20 minutes. Am very thankful to be with them as they bear the brunt of the hustle - I find it a little disconcerting but I guess if they get tourists this way and people keep falling for the aggressive then they will keep trying. Upon arriving at the hostel my room mate informs me that she is leaving for Skopje and would I like her return bus ticket. Very looked after...
The hostel is a lovely place and I have met some very cool peoples here. We spend time hanging out together vising a local cannon which has kaya race facilities, caves, great wine and a nice 6 hour lake walk. Skopje is a interesting city and the government has gone a little over kill with all its statues I mean in one spot you can count over 12 of the buggers and yes they are all larger then 2 meters. The largest of all is Alexander the Great - opps I mean the Warrior (not allowed to upset the Greeks - a lot of political about this, kind of like NZ vs Australia over pavalova and phar lap) is situated in the main square apparently they wanted to build a new church right next to the thing but I am pleased that they did not as it would be so crammed. Another highlight is visiting the Mother Theressa Memorial House the city also has random placques placed through out the city centre - thought provoking.
Love it - the politics and history is so interesting. A couple of Australian girls are popping over to Kosovo and I decide that this could be a cool trip not something I had planned but will join them for the border crossing and see how we go. The train ride is very pretty and we have a very cool experience when I get chatting to a gentleman from Pristina (Capital of Kosovo) who works for the EU and is helping to develop human trafficking policies. A elderly chap hears the word Australia and New Zealand and it is translated to us that his family was kept alive by Australia's humanitarian support of wheat. All the more special when the ladies I am travelling with are both of wheat farms. Cant describe but we all go the biggest hugs and longest hand shakes. The capital of Kosovo still has Army personal rocking around a lot of construction happening politics interesting, I ended up there Sunday Monday - of course most things are closed so I enjoy my time cruising through the main part of town and up to the local university which is architecturally interesting! and meeting a few local students who yes speak English and want to have coffee. Happy to oblige. They are very interested in my travels and other parts of the world - and hope that someday they will also be able to travel outside of their country. The nation is using the euro and it is far to complex at this stage to enter Serbia from this area so its back to Macedonia. 
The following morning we get up early as our car is not due to be collected until 9:30 am and go in search of a local 13th century Ottoman Empire Aqueduct - we have some issues trying to get the site as a few of the roads are blocked and after hitting our third fenced off area with padlocks we get out of the car to inspect the fence, not looking so strong we push the razor wire aside and pop through one of three areas of broken fence. We wander around only to discover our aqueduct is outside of our fenced area - bugger. Time to return to the car and try a different route through the neighbouring famers paddocks and houses. We round a corner to return to the car and spot a guy wearing fatigues. Figuring this isn't a good thing I play it cool and quiet so not to worry the two Australians with me nor startle the guy with his AK47 who has now spotted us. We are greated and exchange pleasantries - Amy guy; this is military base and the gate is padlocked why are you in here? Gabrielle's response - well I was looking for the aqueduct I now see it is not in here like the map shows but at the neighbours. Army man - the gate is looked; Gabrielle - yes but the fence has human sized holes in it and a people walk through here lots because the grass is worn down (not mentioning that perhaps I might have made the hole in the razor wire to walk through) ; Army guy - well you should not be here; Gabrielle - yes now that you tell me perhaps we could install a sign saying aqueduct? Army guy - maybe but you need to leave now have a safe holiday; Gabrielle - yes thank you will do hope that you have a good day also thank you for the directions!
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