My little jubilee, the 50th country visited was Liechtenstein. And boy what a ceremony happened. The Principality of Liechtenstein and the Swiss Confederation were celebrating the 100 years of their common Dounae contract. We were about to cross the bridge that was built over the river Rhine, but we were stopped as the celebration was just…
Krapina is my hometown. Zagorje runs through veins. Kajkavian dialect is spoken out loud by my core. So please, allow me to show you a portion of heaven given to us people from Zagorje to enjoy, nourish, and remain proud. Krapina Krapina was first mentioned in 1193. It has always been a favorite site for…
This is a post of a lovely, walkable city that will charm all wine, gastronomy and history lovers. From Markets to Mustard! This capital of Burgundie is calling you to get all its tastes. And you will not know all of these existed! The province was home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until…
Avignon is a city on the Rhône river in the south of France. It is surrounded by walls of Avignon (French: Les Remparts d’Avignon) – a series of defensive stone walls that were originally built in the 14th century during the Avignon papacy and have been continually rebuilt and repaired throughout their subsequent history. We entered through Porte Saint-Michel. The…
This historical province of southeastern France, extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the south. It largely corresponds with the modern administrative region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur . The largest city of the region and its modern-day capital is Marseille. Known for its diverse landscapes, miles of…
Michel de Notre-Dame, as we all know as Nostradamus, was an apothecary by profession, and published in the year 1555 a book called Les Prophéties (The Prophecies). In his collection of 942 poetic quatrains, he predicted various future events that experts, and many amateurs, find a way of interpreting into related events occurring in the present day. Some historical evidence suggests…
This is going to be a short post. Sanremo is a city on the west coast of Italy, in the province of Liguria. It is the capital of the Riviera dei Fiori or Riviera of Flowers. Its casino also makes it a sort of Italian version of Monte Carlo. This large building in Art Nouveau…
Vivid green pesto, great wine and fabulous walks … Genoa is a city of indulgence. Driving in the city, noticing it’s fabulous big secession buildings it reminded me of the importance of Italy: banks, trades, imports of goods and businesses… Genoa was a medieval rival to Venice. It’s not been primped for tourists like Venice, though.…
Rapallo was never on my list. I never thought there could actually be something about this city. It lies on the Ligurian Sea coast, just between Cinque Terre and Genoa. As a girl from Croatia, I know it from the history books as the Treaty of Rapallo was signed there, in Villa Pagana, formerly known as Villa Spinola. A treaty…
The five Cinque Terre villages are situated in northern Italy on the Mediterranean Sea, just 3 hours by train from Milan, Pisa and Florence. I have arrived by car and totally enjoyed the national park that spreads across the five villages. La Spezia My journey started in La Spezia. This was the very first stop as I…
Tintine was slowly climbing up the hills of San Marino. Not much pressure should have been put on this car as she had enough of the shocks in the last year or two. The hills around us were rising and soon we found ourselves surrounded by an amazing view. It was San Marino surrounded by…
My Life in Sicily finished after a year spent on this island. It was time to turn on my Tintine (a beautiful red car), hop on a ferry and say goodbye. I was nostalgic as a was driving through Reggio Calabria. But soon I was in Puglia – the region with the best Italian cheeses.…
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.
Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say
that I’ve really enjoyed surfing around your blog posts.
In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I am hoping
you write again soon!
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,
LikeLike
This was fascinating! Macedonia has always kind of been off my radar, but I am really intrigued and would love to visit someday.
LikeLike
Amazing photos! Looks like you had a great time!
LikeLike
Looks like a lovely place to visit! Beautiful photos!
LikeLike
Lovely pics
LikeLike
Wow looks like an amazing place to visit
LikeLike
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.
LikeLike
Why I never visited Macedonia when it’s so close I will never know. Well, I guess there’s still time aplenty.
LikeLike
This poѕt gives cleаr idea in favor of the new viewers ᧐f bloցging, that actually how to do running a blog.
LikeLike
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
Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say
that I’ve really enjoyed surfing around your blog posts.
In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I am hoping
you write again soon!
LikeLike
I really admire your writing! I love sucking dick btw hmu
LikeLike