Macedonia: Tuesday May 30 2017, Day 10

Skopje

Capital, by far the largest and leading city of Macedonia. Sits upon the Varna river.

Terrible earthquake in 1963, destroyed 80% of buildings, killed 1000+ people. Streets in city center are named for cities from countries that helped rebuild.

More than 100 new monuments, part of Skopje 2014 (still in progress: "it's the Balkans"). Major effort to modernize central city. Monuments are popular with tourists but controversial among people: 500 million euros that could have done a lot of things directed only to Skopje city center. Also, the endemic corruption disappeared a lot of the money.

Outskirts of town

Drove through a Muslim neighborhood, nobody was out because it was Ramadan: people start the day much later to help with fasting. More of the "PR" mosques: funded by petro money.

Skopje tour

Drove by Zoo Administrative Buildings: Barracks of temporary buildings built after the earthquake and still used fifty years on City park and football stadium Government building: amazing marble columned facade Post office a communist brutalist horrorshow of a building Park of the women fighters, to the women who fought in WWII Old rail station, now a museum. Clock on the front stopped at the exact moment of the 1963 earthquake Beautiful Church of St Clement of Ohrid

201705 - Balkans - Mother Theresa Plaque Skopje - 39 of 66 - Skopje - Sopishte, May 29, 2017 201705 - Balkans - Mother Theresa Plaque Skopje - 39 of 66 - Skopje - Sopishte, May 29, 2017

Fortress of Skopje

Oldest walls got to the sixth century. Original city existed from 2d c to 5th c, destroyed in earthquake. Rebuilt on hill of current fortress. Hill overlooks whole valley, defended by river on one side.

Millennium cross on hill opposite fortress hill. Skopje is in a valley, which leads to pollution problems

Church Sveti Spass (holy savior), built during Ottoman times. Ottomans wouldn't let them build tall so dug underground. Has tomb of Gotzen Delchev, a liberator of the country.

Old Bazaar

Merchants divided by kind, the jewelry district is what remains. Jewelry and souvenir ships with huge green market at the end of it.

201705 - Balkans - Skopje Market - 95 of 101 - Skopje - Skopje, May 31, 2017 201705 - Balkans - Skopje Market - 95 of 101 - Skopje - Skopje, May 31, 2017

Big Square

Statue of Philip II Holocaust Museum, on the old Jewish quarter

Cyril and Methodist Clement and Naum

Main Square

Gigantic statue of Alexander the Great ("Ancient Warrior on a Horse" to palliate the Greeks)

Aside: the flag

Old flag was sixteen rayed yellow and red sun Again to deal with the Greeks they made current flag which is eight yellow (negative eight red, making sixteen again)

Mother Teresa

Born Skopje, went to Calcutta at age 18, the church she was baptized in is now a museum to her.

supermarket

Mina's coffee, mamas ajvar, slatko preserves

Canyon Maltka and Lake Matka

Diving, rock climbing, boating 200 species of Butterflies

Dam over the Treska river

Built 1939 Lake is called Matka, "womb", supposedly because of shape. Treska means "trembling" because of Rapids along the river.

St Andrea church

1389 by brother of King Marco Beautiful icons preserved since 14th c. Dedicated to St Andre, the first apostle Beautiful blue paint, made from a precious stone and as expensive as gold

Vrelo Cave

Vrelo means source Three parts one is underwater extends more than 250m under ground "Shishaka" or pine cone stalagmite, developed over millions of years.

Saw the water bubbling up from underground cave entrance

Visit to alumni Host family in Volkova

201705 - Balkans - Archaeology Museum and River - 91 of 101 - Macedonia Square - Skopje, Skopje, May 30, 2017 201705 - Balkans - Archaeology Museum and River - 91 of 101 - Macedonia Square - Skopje, Skopje, May 30, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Statue of Alexander the Great - 92 of 101 - Macedonia Square - Skopje, Skopje, May 30, 2017 201705 - Balkans - Statue of Alexander the Great - 92 of 101 - Macedonia Square - Skopje, Skopje, May 30, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Dimitar and Flip - 86 of 95 - Macedonia Square - Skopje, Skopje, May 30, 2017 201705 - Balkans - Dimitar and Flip - 86 of 95 - Macedonia Square - Skopje, Skopje, May 30, 2017

Philip KromerComment