A 200km bus trip for £7.50 and I would’ve been happy to sit next to farmer Zlovzic and his goats. However this was a modern 56 seater touring coach complete with air conditioning and even seat back entertainment screens (that didn’t work). 1/3 rd full there was leg room aplenty. Comfortable bus trips and the quality of bread have both been unexpected highlights of this trip thus far. (Touch wood)
Minarets or chimneys camouflaged as minarets?
She got on 30 mins into the 3 hour trip. Her relatives found her a seat and then left the bus. Her fingernails were black from soil and she certainly had an earthly aroma. All of about 4ft 6” her luggage was 3 plastic shopping bags jammed with all manner of goods including a large Tupperware bowl. For the next 2.5 hours she sat upright clenching the handles of the seat in front of her staring at a blank screen. Bless.
The trip from Ohrid to Skopje was over several mountain (ish) saddles with the hills dominated by dense forests of beech, oak and walnut with leaves just starting to turn. Throughout the trip the view was also dominated by the construction of what seems to be a dual carriageway motorway from Skopje to Ohrid. Do we think this bee keeper had any clue or say in what was about to appear in his back garden?
I had a 3 hour quick walk around the sights at the centre of Skopje before the days light disappeared. From what I saw I think they should name Skopje “A sity (sic) of sizeable statues and stupendous structures”
Evidence as provided below.
Warrior on a horse fountain (I kid not. That is what it is called)
River Vardar and Stone Bridge with Archaelogical Museum of Macedonia in background.
Most Oko Bridge
Phillip II Square
Phillip II Square
Kale Fortress
Mustafa Pasha Mosque
“I need to stop doing shots of Raike* I was sure I didn’t park the car here last night”
* As far as I can ascertain they derive Raike from the left overs of wine production. Take it from me -avoid like the plague. Forget buying the Elon Musk and Tesla story of electricity being the future. This stuff could propel NASA’s next foray to Mars. Easily.
Skopje known in the Roman times as Scupi is situated 790 ft above sea level and is home to over 600,00 people. Situated on the Vardar River it’s located on the trade route berween Belgrade and Athens. Unfortunately it’s twinned with Bradford in the Uk amongst other cities. However don’t let that put you off from visiting it. There was a major earthquake in Skopje in 1963 measuring 6.1. It killed over 1,100 people and left the city flattened. When they came to rebuild a lot of the blueprints for buildings were taken from those in Japan.