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Published: September 27th 2016
Church Of Sveti Jovan At Kaneo
It is easy to see why this is Macedonia's most photographed building.I've often been able to gauge the general mood of a nation's people when travelling, just through observation. Here in Macedonia, it seems that they're not exactly super-happy with their lot. Though when reading about the wasteful urban regeneration programme in Skopje, you tend to understand why.
Driving through rural Macedonia and through the outskirts of the bigger towns, it definitely appears to be a poorer country - more so than Albania for sure, although both countries have many an unfinished building lying around. And I don't know if its just the way they express themselves, but Macedonians always seem to be a bit annoyed with you when you're talking to them.
It was also interesting seeing the amount of Albanian flags that were flying in Western Macedonia. Albanians and Macedonians haven't really got on with each other in the past due to the desire of some more nationalistic Albanians to create a Greater Albania state that would include some of Macedonia's current territory. And given
Macedonia's history, I think the Macedonians have had enough of giving up their territory. Seeing so many flags of a neighbouring country being flown on the territory of another reminded me a lot of seeing Croatian
Inviting Waters
The water at the bottom of the Church Of Sveti Jovan At Kaneo, which has a stunning setting by the lake. flags being flown in the areas around
Mostar.
I have struggled trying to read Cyrillic too - I have worked out the Roman alphabet equivalent of a few letters but even after slowly deciphering each word, I wouldn't understand the words I have deciphered anyway.
The bus ride from Skopje to Ohrid was one of the more uncomfortable ones; there was almost zero leg room and the driver was more interested in speed rather than the comfort of his passengers.
Arriving at Ohrid's bus station - which is more like a bus shelter - I then caught another local bus to Lagadin, where my hostel was located. I didn't even check the location before booking it as I've been staying at hostels affiliated with the "Balkan Backpacker" programme where I get 10%!o(MISSING)ff and free laundry after staying at five different affiliated hostels. I was a little annoyed to be staying so far away - even more so when I discovered the massive, steep hill I had to climb to get there. But then again, the hostel - which was more like a large BnB with a few families staying in it - had a peaceful, retreat-in-the-wood feel to
Classical Amphitheatre
The Romans hosted gladiatorial tournaments here. it and for a place of Ohrid's natural beauty, I thought that maybe this was a good thing.
I was starving by the time I had arrived and I then realised that I had just 2€ worth of Macedonian
denars and that the nearest ATM was a one-kilometre walk up the highway. While some people would have made the walk, I knew I had half-a-bag of pasta leftover and just needed some sauce and tuna for a meal. And with this being Macedonia, I managed to find both for under 2€ with a
burek thrown in for good measure. I pride myself on this kind of thing; this is how I save money. So while I hate scraping the barrel like this, the sense of achievement afterwards is worth it. Until you realise that you don't have enough cash to make it back into Ohrid the next day...
I managed to scab 15MKD (0.25€) off my dorm-mate to get into the main town of Ohrid the next day so I could visit an ATM, get some more food and see the sights. Stopping by a bakery for brunch, I get a piece of burek while also spotting a
Sunset Over Lake Ohrid
Down on the beach in Lagadin, where my hostel was located. massive cherry danish for just 35MKD. I ask for one thinking that surely, she would cut off a portion from it but no - she gives me the entire thing! It's bigger than a Subway foot-long! For just 0.55€! I am liking Macedonian prices! I also got a half-litre of
ayran to complete a very filling breakfast for just over a euro.
I needed it too, before my tour of the sights, as it involved a lot of climbing.
First stop was at a couple of 14th-century Byzantine churches which have unfortunately been completely overgrown by the apartments and restaurants surrounding it. The churches were both closed and were easy to miss - that they were even listed by Lonely Planet wasn't a good sign in terms of the quality of the sights further ahead.
I had to pay 100MKD to enter St Sophia's, Ohrid's biggest and grandest church which was also a little disappointing, as many of the frescoes are faded or have been completely removed.
Macedonia's most photographed structure however, certainly delivered.
The Church Of Sveti Jovan At Kaneo is stunningly set atop a cliff looking over the lake with the popular beach of Kaneo just below
West View From Car Samoil's Castle
There were stunning views all around from the ramparts of Car Samoil's Castle. it. The inviting waters complete the postcard picture and only the angle of the sun ruined the perfect photo opportunity.
I then had to pay another 100MKD to enter the Plaosnik complex containing the Church Of Sveti Kliment i Pantelejmon, a refurbished 5th-century church which has had its hilltop setting completely ruined by the construction of a university campus all around it. The ruins of the original 4th-century basilica on the same site has some well-preserved mosaics on its floor but its curiously designed protective roof was almost just as interesting.
I then walked up to Car Samoil's - Tsar Samuel's - old castle which is mainly ruined but which provides stunning views all around from its ramparts. Only 30MKD, I thought that this was probably worth the 100MKD entry fees charged by the earlier churches. The front of the former Bulgarian king's medieval castle is imposing.
Rolling back down into the old town, the classical amphitheatre that dates from Roman times is impressive but I wasn't going to drop another 100MKD to see the Byzantine icon gallery inside the Church Of Sveta Bogorodica Perivlepta. All these entrance fees were starting to add up.
And yes, I'm going to
Lakewalk
Boardwalk connecting the town to Kaneo Beach. complain about money again.
Extravagant - actually no, they weren't extravagant considering what I got in return - expenditures in Greece meant that having now arrived in a cheap country, my instinct was to ensure I saved as much as I could to make up for my overspending. It meant foregoing beer at the supermarket and I can't say that I'm enjoying having to do this. It made me decide to try and enjoy myself a bit more by spending a bit more from now on - especially now that I have a stretch of cheaper Eastern European countries ahead of me.
I wanted to have a beach day on my last day in Ohrid but the weather didn't really play ball. It was a good five to six degrees down on the day before and sun hid behind the clouds for most of the day. Never mind, as it provided me with a good opportunity to catch up on some blogs! So that was exactly what I did.
The hostel certainly helped in this respect - it was so chilled out and really was a family retreat that you'd take your kids to on holiday, which was exactly
Beach In Lagadin
Beach at the bottom of the hill where my hostel was located. what a couple of families were doing. Others were simply spending a week relaxing here with either their partners or a friend.
Macedonia has been OK; the capital is OK and Ohrid would be the country's highlight, a superb place to come and chill with nature. But it hasn't been anything mind-blowing.
As alluded to earlier, I haven't met the friendliest people here either. They seem to go on the defensive very quickly, at any sort of hint that you might be accusing them of doing anything wrong or causing them offence. It felt like I was walking on eggshells at times.
With so much history with their neighbours - all of them have tried and/or wanted to take Macedonian territories over the years - I do wonder if this has given the people here that bit of edge that is evident.
Next, I go to another place with a troubled recent past; such places that in a morbid kind of way, I have found the most fascinating. I will be staying within the former Yugoslavia - this time in Kosovo!
се гледаме подоцна (se gledame podocna],
Derek
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Sanne
non-member comment
Robinson Sunset Guest house
Hee there, Finally I read your blog about Ohrid. Nice to read. I recognize a lot. It was nice meeting you in Robinson Sunset Guest House while you eat your pasta! Enjoy your stay in Kosovo. Goodbye, Sanne