Blogs from Macedonia, Europe - page 4

http://www.heygo.com 22nd February - Ohrid, Macedonia Ohrid is one of the oldest settlements in Europe, and was once considered to be the epicentre of religion and Slavic culture. Nestled between the mountains of Macedonia, three hours outside the capital Skopje with Greece to the South, Bulgaria to the East, Albania to the West & Serbia to the North. It is Lake Ohrid that makes the city a unique historical artefact. At three million years old, it stands as one of Europe’s oldest and deepest lakes, and gives Ohrid the prestige of being named as both a cultural and natural UNESCO World Heritage site. We started the tour high on the hill overlooking the lake & Galicia mountains and next to Samuels fortress. It was the capital of Macedonia during the rule of Tsar Samuel at ... read more

My guesthouse owner gave me a small breakfast before leaving. I had coffee and polenta with cheese. After eating quite a lot of polenta in Romania and finding it pretty bland, I wasn't expecting it to be amazing. However, my hostess has found a way to make it more appetising, by adding cheese. It tasted so much better. After breakfast, I made my way to Ohrid bus station and bought a ticket for the 10 o'clock bus to Bitola. I was quite surprised at how busy the bus was. I had expected it to be quieter. The journey to Bitola only took about an hour and a bit. Bitola bus station is a little out of town and it took me about twenty minutes to walk to my accommodation. I got there before check in, but ... read more

The bus ride from Skopje to Lake Ohrid took about 3 and a bit hours. I enjoyed the views from the bus window as we made our way through Macedonia. I was a bit disorientated when I got out of the bus station, but soon got myself sorted on the right path to my accommodation. I almost missed the place as it was hidden down a side street when google maps said it was on the main street. The hostess was absolutely lovely. I can't speak any Macedonian and she doesn't speak a lot of English, but we were able to muddle through it. She even fed me a plate of veggies and rice porridge as a small lunch. After taking a bit of a rest, I headed out to explore Lake Ohrid. I wasn't staying ... read more

After a hearty breakfast, I headed out to join the free walking tour. I am definitely a bit addicted to these tours, but I feel like it gives me a good overview of the city I'm in. This one met in front of Mother Teresa Memorial House. It was a beautiful morning, nice and sunny. There were only about five of us on the tour, which made a nice change after the bigger tours I'd been on in Sofia. We headed off to our first stop, which was at the end of the street. This was the old Skopje Train Station, which has now been turned into a museum. The train station was damaged by an earthquake in 1963 and this meant it was no longer used for its original purpose. I really liked the building, ... read more

People like to talk in Macedonia and the how much the recipient understands could well be a secondary consideration. We stayed a few days in Ohrid and encountered a succession of extremely talkative taxi drivers, waiters and other hospitality workers all speaking flawless English. A head spinning quantity of information was delivered. Opinions about food, wine quality, social etiquette, viticulture and travel were all imparted. However, away from the towns the wish to engage with travellers does not seem to be just limited the the tourist sector and takes no account of language barriers. The town of Ohrid is well-appointed. The curve of a mile long promenade along the lake side finishes at the old town which forms pile at the base of a promontory jutting into the Lake. Wooden walkways take you around the edge ... read more