Trips

Sat., 5/26/18 - Ohrid to Skopje, Macedonia

For part of our 110 mile trip to Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, we drove along in the mountains of Mavrovo National Park. Road construction is spotty so we traveled many back roads.

Our first stop was in the town of Tetoro where we visited a beautiful 15th c. Sarena Mosque. Sarena means decorated, which it certainly is. Both the inside and outside are spectacular. The artist who painted the interior included scenes of the cities he traveled to around the world and also lots of flowers. There is an unusual pendulum clock decorated with jewels. Beside it are five clocks showing the day’s times for prayer.

Stork's nest	Beautiful drive
	Sarena Mosque
Sarena Mosque	Sarena Mosque
Sarena Mosque	Sarena Mosque
Sarena Mosque	Sarena Mosque
Outside the Sarena Mosque	Outside the Sarena Mosque
Kayak course on the Treska River	We entered the Canyon Matka, meaning womb or mother, and took a long walk to the touristy area of the canyon to have another Macedonian lunch. The group had fish soup and some kind of whole bony fish. Marge and I escaped with broccoli soup and vegetable risotto. Both were edible but rather yucky. Then all 16 of us squeezed onto a small boat (with life jackets) and went up the river to the entrance of a small cave. We climbed up the steps then down into the cave to see the two small lakes inside. They connect to the Treska River. The stalactites and stalagmites were not exceptional. Bats live in the cave. We returned to the lunch area and walked at least a mile back to the bus. The river runs fast and a slough went off to one side for a kayak slalom course. Too bad no one was using it while we were there.
Treska River in Matka Canyon	Treska River in Matka Canyon
This might say Matka Canyon	Treska River in Matka Canyon
Our boats	Nice scenery
In the cave	In the cave
In the cave	Nice scenery
Long way down	Friendly butterfly
Friendly butterfly	Nice scenery
Nice scenery	It was then a short ride into the center of Skopje. Skopje means “small wooden house” which it may have meant in Roman times but it is now a good sized capital city. There have been three devastating earthquakes here, the most recent in 1963. 80% of the city was in ruins as a result.
Our hotel, the Stonebridge, is at the stone bridge that legend says Alexander the Great rode across on his way to conquer the world.
One crazy shower!	Our hotel room is a small bedroom with crazy half sheets, but a large living room with two sofas, four chairs, a desk, and two tables. The bathroom is hysterical. The shower is a cube perched in the bathtub with five shower vent options - hand held massage, rain shower, two more in the ceiling, six horizontal sprayers, and a water/foot massage. Most no longer work. There are buttons to answer a phone, turn on music or a fan or a light. All on a console for the shower. We were happy there was hot water!
We had an included dinner at a nearby restaurant and the main course was four chicken sausages, French fries, and baked white beans. Macedonia seems to have shunned the Mediterranean diet in favor of Slavic or German heavy meat and potatoes.
Sun., 5/27/18 - Skopje, Macedonia This morning we had a walking tour of Skopje. Outside our hotel is a pedestrian square with a many statues. There are so many statues that it distracts from the significance of three of them: King Philip II raising his arm in a salute to his son, Alexander the Great, on Bucephalus, across the river. In between is a fountain to Olympia (Alexander’s mother) with four statues of her pregnant with Alexander, and three of her holding her growing son. Among the photos below are a selection of these statues - you couldn't possibly photograph all of them! - and other photos from our stroll around the area.
From our hotel window	From our hotel window
King Phillip II raising his hand to his son Alexander who is on the other side of the river	Alexander the Great on Bucephalus
In front of Alexander the Great - where else would you have your picture taken?	Sts. Cyril and Methodius - "inventors" of the Cyrillic script
Alexander and Olympia Fountain	Alexander and Olympia Fountain
King Samuel of Bulgaria	Horse Fountain
Sculpture downtown	Statue of divers in the Vardar River
Bell tower of the church of St. Dimitrija	Sign post in three languages
Riverboat restaurant	Nice plate
There is legal gambling in Macedonia	Used book stand - I wonder if the vendor knows what all he has?
Just an interesting building	Another floating restaurant
Nice sign	Stray dogs are captured, given their shots, neutered, and released back onto the streets to be fed by whomever

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