skopje, busy market women, bustle about setting out their products. fruits, vegetables, eggs, spices, herbs and much more tower in pyramid-shaped competition.
at the daily market there is a colourful family atmosphere. at an old-established stall we eat delicious regional dishes, sit between local people and feel very much at home.
we continue through an inhabited pre-fab slab construction district, take a break at an old playground, a place with old communist charm.
arriving in the center we come across a gigantic figure fundus. in the middle alexander the great is enthroned as an oversized statue.
with mother theresa they are probably the two most famous macedonians.
the heroes of antiquity and modern times are scattered throughout the city.
we can hardly believe our eyes. for our taste less would have been more.
on the other side of the vardar is the old bazaar quarter. narrow alleys and small craft shops from ottoman times. uphill we come across the local microbrewery temov. the offer is multifaceted and the beer delicious.
a few days later we are standing with 6inavan, an interesting family with 4 boys, directly on the edge of the matka canyon not far from skopje. here the local people spend their free time. by chance we meet the colorful bird darne from the rock band “karamela”. he invites us into his cave house. a hollowed out mountain turns into a private club with a freestanding bathtub. impressive labyrinthine architecture on several floors.
while darne is indulging in old times, he offers delicious cafe and liquor. the 5 boys play karaoke, drums and e-guitar wildly. they have a great time.
before we drive on to ohrid lake, we visit the pitoresque old town of bitola, walk through the wooded city park and admire beautiful, delicate floor mosaics in the antique site herakleia lynkestis. the first heavy rain surprises us on this trip.
lake ohrid, the oldest lake on earth, borders onto greece and albania. it is the pride of the landlocked state of macedonia. besides the lively and well-attended city of ohrid and some bathing places, there are other interesting sights. e.g. the orthodox monastery sveti naum from the 9th century. it is situated above the lake in wonderful nature and is a well visited pilgrimage site because of the grave of saint naum.

high above the national park galichica we have a fabulous last view and feel the beauty of macedonia with its centrepiece ohrid.