This post features Skopje, from May 2013, and Ohrid, from September 2013. At the time of my visit the country’s official name was “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”. In 2018 it changed to the Republic of North Macedonia. It’s pronounced with a hard “c” as in “makky-dough-nya” and Ohrid is pronounced as in “och-rid”…
Skopje
Too early for the sun – 04.50 at Heathrow – off to Skopje via Vienna – just a hop, skipje and jump away (or so I thought)…
When Things Go Wrong:
So – rather than hold their Skopje flight for 15 minutes, Austrian obviously think it easier & cheaper to fly 15 or so people to Skopje via either Istanbul or Zagreb. Regrettably the Istanbul option was full by the time I got served – so instead of a 19.40 arrival I’ve got a 22.30 arrival – just the 11 hours late. Shortly after this the queue snaked all the way up to the big D-sign as the aftermath of the Heathrow problems hit (BA flight to Oslo re-landed with smoking engine – no casualties – just chaos – but why return it to Heathrow? Southend was closer) The sickly plane – and yes – it is a Fokker 100 – wonder what we’ll get now and – more importantly – when…Groundhog Day – let’s hope this one worksHmmm – so, finally arrived in Zagreb only to discover that the flight to Skopje is delayed from 21.15 to 22.50 – rats…You have to laugh: 6am flight from Heathrow delayed by 30 minutes – then 200km from Vienna & showing an on-time landing put into a holding pattern – land 20 minutes late – bear in mind Vienna is a major transit airport – cabin crew announce connecting flights will be held – ha ha – race through 2 lots of security to D-gates only to find Skopje flight has left – back through security to service centre – re-booked on 17.15 to Zagreb & 21.15 from Zagreb to Skopje – Zagreb flight delayed then aircraft withdrawn from service – put onto different plane & depart Vienna 90 minutes late – flight to Skopje eventually delayed until 23.15 – and the reason given for the delay? Waiting for transfer passengers. Definitely pivo time…
Skopje
Skopje – a sweet, happy, friendly & quirky city…
A City of Statues:
Alexander the GreatAlexander the GreatSamoil – King of the StatuesEmperor Justinian – founder of the Byzantine EmpireA committee of statues – is that the right collective noun?Gatekeepers…Of course – the plan is to replace these trees with statuesBeware the silent majorityStatues commemorating motherhood in the foreground – hills awaiting statues in the background…St Cyril & St Methodius in contemplationA memorial to fallen comrades during the Great WarMy favourite statue – slightly spoiled by graffiti The “We come in peace” message was lost on the increasingly suspicious people of Skopje – the fight-back has started…
Along the River Vardar:
Given a stern lecture here by some mad old nationalist who seized my elbow and began a diatribe on the weaknesses of Cameron & Blair; the state of the world today and – oh, can I have a euro, please, as I’m hungry….Statues everywhereRumours that statues would outnumber residents of Skopje by 2018 were strenuously denied…3 decrepit Soviet lorries now used as portaloos – the poor River Vardar in turmoilThe River VardarA concrete boat – that makes sense…
Other Sights:
Weird looking shrine to Mother TeresaThe old city railway station – badly damaged in the 1963 earthquake – now the city museum – clock on the wall unchanged since the earthquake struckNot much to see in the museum – it is rather sweet (and dark) – we should start a collection to get it some exhibitsA cellist & pianist playing odd, discordant music in the similarly odd, dark (& out of focus) city museumThe famous Stone Bridge (Kamen Most)Old Turkish baths – now an art gallery – closed, unhelpfullyThe City Park – my hotel in SkopjeA terrific little restaurant around the corner from my hotelSkopsko – a very good beer, now owned by Heineken – better than the Zlaten Dab, Skopje’s other beer (now owned by Carlsberg). It makes Sarajevska’s independence all the more remarkable and all the more reason to cherish it…These Tito-era buildings – one of which is the post office – are so ugly they look like they’ve been air lifted in from MaidenheadRandom view of Skopje
Old Vehicles:
Old Soviet-era lorryAnother old Soviet-era lorryOK – it isn’t old but it’s delightfully bonkers – ever so toy-town – Yutong City MasterAnd not one…but two Moskvitch Aleko – how amazing is that?A Yugo Zastava saloonA Yugo hatchbackA brace of Yugo – seen more here in Skopje than in Belgrade, Zagreb, Sarajevo and Ljubljana combinedThe irony of my return flight to Vienna landing in Skopje 5 minutes early not lost. Nor clearing Vienna transit security in less than 10 minutes – despite being held up by a half wit with liquids in his bag (again)…
Ohrid
At the Albanian border with Macedonia Welcome to Ohrid (pronounced “ok-rid”) You can see 2 of these old Zastavas – based on the Fiat 600 – there were 3 in this little car park The church of St Clement – one of only 365 churches in Ohrid – one of which was the 11th century St Sophia that was built on the ruins of a 5th century church – but I deleted that picture – being a complete half-wit The church of St JohnRoman amphitheatre A view of Ohrid from the lake St John from the boat – for lunch I had a fish called Belvica – apparently this species is endemic to Lake Ohrid..
