An Ionian seaside town, Avola is a mix of old and new. The town focuses heavily on the sea, with its history as a tuna fishing port. Today, the remains of the Vecchia Tonnara at the wharf are a stone backdrop to the sandy beaches. Avola dates back to a pre-Greek people called the Sicani.…
Located about 11 kilometres north of Catania, it is the perfect little commune to visit during the ottobrata – the local festivity that occurs every October here in Sicily, celebrating the fruits of the land: frutti di terra. The first encounter went wrong already 🙂 Approaching the booth with fruit, I have noticed quince – one…
If something is worth visiting in life, it is the Aeolian islands. Becasue it makes you think about winter in the south. It makes you think about simplicity of life. And it makes you realise how not to treat the tourists: just some bags of potatoes that need to be shipped from one island to…
I haven’t had a chance to spent a bit more time discovering this city. But just a glimpse and it made me think to re-visit and make it’s due. When the time will come, I promise to update with more photos. But for now, enjoy the story 🙂 Several civilizations settled in Milazzo and left…
I didn’t expect much from this harbour city, to be honest. I knew they have a great beer – Messina cristali di sale: a great Sicilian beer brewed since 1923 and one of the most loved Italian beers. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy.…
Senlis is a city in the northern French department of Oise, Hautes de France. Cute, medieval and charming. It offered us great peek into history: The monarchs of the early French dynasties lived in Senlis, attracted by the proximity of the Chantilly forest. Senlis is situated on the river Nonette. Senlis was known in early Roman imperial times as Augustomagus. During the 3rd century, a seven-meter…
The Château de Chantilly is one of the finest jewels in the crown of France’s cultural heritage. It is the work of a man with an extraordinary destiny: Henri d’Orléans, Duke of Aumale, son of the last King of France, Louis-Philippe. This historic French château located in the town of Chantilly, Oise, about 50 kilometres north of Paris. The site…
The Scala dei Turchi is a rocky cliff on the coast of Realmonte, near Porto Empedocle. It has become a tourist attraction, partly due to its mention series of detective stories about Commissario Montalbano. The cliffs lie between two sandy beaches and are a limestone rock formation in the shape of a staircase, hence the name. The latter part…
Picture this episode: we parked on a roundabout. Some local approached us (my brother and me) – we thought because we should have not park in a roundabout, but then again they all did, so… in fact the guy just wanted to ask if we have cigarettes. Ok Sicily, episode n. At the roundabout is…
Enna or as the Sicilians would say Castrugiuvanni; is a city located roughly at the center of Sicily, towering above the surrounding countryside. It has earned the nicknames belvedere (panoramic viewpoint) and ombelico (“navel”) of Sicily. At 931m above sea level, Enna is the highest Italian provincial capital. To arrive there is not a piece of cake. Passing the two viaducts Morello and…
From its dramatic natural surroundings to its historic churches, Sicily has something to offer every traveler. The island of Sicily is a unique part of Italy. Its craggy mountains, wild vegetation, and omnipresent sea have fired the imagination of poets, wayfarers, and visitors alike. Though it is one of 20 Italian regions, its history under…
Aci Castello and the other Acis around are destinations not to be missed in Sicily, especially for lovers of Greek myths and literature. It is here that the poets Virgil and Ovid gave birth to the myth of Galatea and Aci and their love story. In the second half of 1100 the town was destroyed…
The very beautiful Macedonia (FYR of Macedonia, to be more exact) 🙂 after belonging to many empires over time, it is nowadays mostly shared by Christians and Muslims, who still come […]
The very beautiful Macedonia (FYR of Macedonia, to be more exact) 🙂 after belonging to many empires over time, it is nowadays mostly shared by Christians and Muslims, who still come together at the fascinating Old Bazaar in Skopje, one of the Balkans’ largest markets.
Old BazaarTraditional Macedonian bags at Old Bazaar
The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since the times of Neolithic and later Bronze ages. The most famous settlements have been found within the old Kale Fortress situated upon the city. The word kale arrives from turkish word for the fortress. The fortress is thought to have been built during the rule of emperor Justinian I, the Byzantin Emperor.
Kale Fortress since the Byzantine Empire
Macedonia was part of Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empire, and most recently it was a federal Yugoslavian republic until it gained its independence in 1991, and Skopje became country’s political, cultural, economic, and academic center.
The city survived the great earthquake in 1963 of a 6.1 magnitude which destroyed 80% of the area. Today’s symbol of the earthquake is The Old Railway Station in Skopje with the clock on it. The clock stopped at 5.17 on July 26, 1963 as the earthquake hit the city.
Old Railway Station clock stopped after the earthquake in Skopje, 1963
Through Skopje flows the river Vardar over which is spreaded Stone Bridge that connects city center and Old Bazaar. Built on Roman foundations under the patronage of Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror, the bridge is also less frequently known as the Dušan Bridge after Stephen Uroš IV /Dušan of Serbia.
Stone bridge, 5th centuryIncription on the Stone Bridge
My very good friend from Skopje brought me up the city walls to eat typical local food: ajvar (various vegetables’ souce) and drink Skopsko beer. The place where we ate is called Čaršija and has many great restaurants with local food, music and the best view on the city.
Maria and me drinking Skopsko beer
Ajvar
Skopsko beer
Skopje has a projekt of 2014 which has been postponed to nowadays. It includes building many statues, renovating old buildings and building new ones but with its upmost kitchy style if I am to be asked, and many locals too, especially if they are asked where their money is going to. The estimated unofficial price tag of the project is €500 million.
It is a project of a questionable taste that brings in conflict urbanisms vs. politics as the government is trying to re-build the history as weel by this project. This is well to be seen with the Statue of the Warrior on a Horse, supposed to be Alexander The Great or Alexander of Macedonia (which was that time the region of Greece).
Alexander Great at the main square
Then there are this small statues after every corner representing girls from Skopje or some other public figure…
Skopje girls
Skopje girls having a bath
Then there is this kitchy bridge, one of many actually, over the river Vardar, with many lamps and statues, again.
Kitchy bridges of river VardarKitchy bridges of river Vardar with many new buildings under construction
Aside from locals who have issues with the cost, I have to say this Porta Macedonia looks great. A triumphal arch located on Pella Square, whos construction started in 2011 (small giggle) 🙂
The Greek Foreign Ministry has lodged an official complaint to authorities in the Republic of Macedonia following the inauguration of the arch which features images of historical figures including Alexander the Great, ofcourse. 🙂
Amongst famous people from Macedonia, are Mother Teresa and singer Toše Proeski.
Although she was from parents of albenian heritage, she was born in Skopje in 1910 (then part of Ottoman Empire) and practiced christian catholics religion. She left to Calcutta, India and became famous for her work to help the poor, and was affectionately called the “saint of the gutters”. Before she died, she recieved the Nobel Prize for Peace. As a nun and missionary, the pope Francis canonized her as Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
Statue of Mother Teresa in front of Her Memorial House built on the spot of her birth house Toše Proeski
Toše Proeski was pop singer from Skopje, born in 1981 and popular across Balkan area but died in a car accident on a highway in Croatia coming back from his concert. He was 26.
After Skopje I was heading to Mavrovo. A national park consisted of Šar mountain and Lake Mavrovo. We were accommodated in a 5 star hotel Mavrovo for 4 beautiful days.
Set in breathtaking scenery amid grassy plateaus and snowy peaks, the abandoned church of St Nicholas was reportedly the victim of an artificial lake created to supply water to a local power plant.
Mavrovo Lake with submergd St Nicholas church
We visited as well the cave Šarkova dupka, found by locals and guided down by them as well. It was claustrophobic at the beginning but we managed to do it.
Šarkova dupka cave
Travelling more through the National Park of Mavrovo, we were admiring the green landscape that was covering rocky mountains and their cliffs secered by the brooks and rivers.
National Park Mavrovo
The last point we reached was a Macedonian Orthodox monastery Saint Jovan Bigorski, lovated on a cliff amongst the forest as mystical place. The church is dedicated to saint John the Baptist with many beautiful frescos inside. It is considered one of the finest examples of wood-carved iconostases. According to its 1833 chronicle, the monastery was built in 1020 by Ivan I Debranin. The Ottomans destroyed the monastery in the 16th century, but it was restored in 1743 by the monk Ilarion.
The cloaster of the monasteryView from the monasteryZen place
The monastery has a large collection of holy relics including John the Baptist, Clement of Ohrid, Lazarus of Bethany, Saint Stephen, Saint Nicholas, Saint Barbara and part of the Holy Cross.
A wonderful place and people, must not be allowed to destroy the them war. Why they are not yet in the EU and NATO then they would be guaranteed peace,
I didn’t even consider brtesafeeding my son. Its just not for me and I know if I had failed for whatever reason would have bad for both of us. I had numerous arguments with my mother about it before he was born and I now have a happy healthy 18 month old. I don’t understand the stigma. Formula is so great now that there really is no problem.
Incredible! This blog looks just like my old one! It’s on a totally different subject but it has pretty much the same page layout and design. Wonderful choice of colors!
Thanks for your publication on the vacation industry. I’d personally also like to include that if you are one senior taking into consideration traveling, its absolutely crucial that you buy travel insurance for seniors. When traveling, elderly people are at biggest risk of experiencing a health care emergency. Receiving the right insurance plan package for your age group can look after your health and give you peace of mind.
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A wonderful place and people, must not be allowed to destroy the them war. Why they are not yet in the EU and NATO then they would be guaranteed peace,
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This was fascinating! Macedonia has always kind of been off my radar, but I am really intrigued and would love to visit someday.
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Amazing photos! Looks like you had a great time!
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Looks like a lovely place to visit! Beautiful photos!
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Lovely pics
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Wow looks like an amazing place to visit
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I didn’t even consider brtesafeeding my son. Its just not for me and I know if I had failed for whatever reason would have bad for both of us. I had numerous arguments with my mother about it before he was born and I now have a happy healthy 18 month old. I don’t understand the stigma. Formula is so great now that there really is no problem.
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Why I never visited Macedonia when it’s so close I will never know. Well, I guess there’s still time aplenty.
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Incredible! This blog looks just like my old one! It’s on a totally different subject but it has pretty much the same page layout and design. Wonderful choice of colors!
LikeLike
Thanks for your publication on the vacation industry. I’d personally also like to include that if you are one senior taking into consideration traveling, its absolutely crucial that you buy travel insurance for seniors. When traveling, elderly people are at biggest risk of experiencing a health care emergency. Receiving the right insurance plan package for your age group can look after your health and give you peace of mind.
LikeLike
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