GHOST STATIONS AND SPRING FRUSTRATIONS - Bitola and Ohrid, North Macedonia

.....previous blog post about bizarre Skopje........

Splendid St John the Theologian, Kaneo, Ohrid, North Macedonia

When the time came to leave Skopje, we were determined to take a train to our next destination. The city's train station was hilariously abandoned and dilapidated, to the point where we expected a pack of zombies to emerge from the shadowy gloom. Trains were obviously not a well used mode of transport in North Macedonia. The friendly woman at the ticket office asked us why we only wanted a one way ticket to Bitola- not a great endorsement for our intended destination. Despite the shaky start, the train left on time from the one working platform, was perfectly modern and clean, and about half full for the journey. 

* A side note about language here. Almost all North Macedonians from all classes and ages seemed to speak at least some English, mostly to a very good standard. This contrasted hugely with what we experienced trying to communicate in Serbia and Albania. We never discovered the reason why, but we found it most interesting.

Railway lines coming into Bitola, North Macedonia

Follow the purple line

Sal slept on the train, as usual, but Rich was alert and happy, looking around at the winter scenes out the window. The scenery was a mix of pastoral land and forested hills, with snow capped mountains framing the picture.

It appeared the woman at Skopje station foresaw something we had missed about our trip to Bitola. Our stay in the second biggest city in North Macedonia was not successful, with several unavoidable factors combining to create a less than satisfactory stay. The first was the weather. Whatever high hopes we had garnered in Skopje with the sunny days and rising temperatures were dashed in Bitola after our first day there. Winter returned with the same ferociously as we experienced in the depths of December and January in Belgrade. Temperatures dived back down to as low as -9 degrees, and rain, sleet and snow were apparent every day, some days for the entire day and night. Although the hostel where we stayed was warm inside, the disappointment of slipping back into shitty weather, combined with not being able to comfortably walk around and see the sights was quite depressing. 

First there was rain.....

Then came the snow.......

Our hostel accommodation was eccentric, to say the least. It seemed the hostel had been empty of guests for many months, with only the managers living there. When we arrived (with a booking), we felt we were intruding on the couple's daily routine of sleeping on the common area couches all day, and shouting at each other at a high volume. We could have put up with the expensive, small room and the non-functioning shower, if the general vibe had have been friendly and inclusive, but it wasn't. After a day or two a couple of other travellers arrived and things improved somewhat, but we were happy to leave at the end of our stay. Richard, as usual, looked at things with a positive slant, and said we had been so lucky with our encounters in the Balkans so far, and that we were bound to come across a dud experience at some point! He was right, of course.

Before the crappy weather arrived, we were able to get out and about, and luckily, made the most of our first day in Bitola. The old town location where we were staying would have been charming in different circumstances. The old consulate mansions from the Ottoman period around the hostel were mostly falling down, but still held a modicum of grandeur. The old part of Bitola was actually more characterful overall than Skopje's old part, and despite our severe lack of sleep, and coldness, we managed a look around, albeit in zombie mode. 

Old town area of Bitola, North Macedonia

Tired and grumpy sight-seeing, Bitola, North Macedonia

One of many Islamic buildings in town, Bitola, North Macedonia

Finding some sun, Bitola, North Macedonia

Uncared for door, Bitola, North Macedonia

One of the highlights was discovering a cafe in the authentic old bazaar area run by two deaf brothers. It's location on a cobblestone street next to a river, and the friendly staff and customers lifted our blue mood (as did the killer coffee and salep they served). The main pedestrian area, Sirok Sokak, was filled with more posh cafes and historic neo-classical buildings, and it's close proximity to the hostel came in handy when the weather was bad. Unusually for us, we ate at restaurants during our stay- an excuse to get out of the hostel, but still be warm and cozy inside a venue. Not spending anything else during the day, we splurged on a couple of fantastic meals, that helped keep our spirits up. 

Our friendly find, cafe on the river, Bitola, North Macedonia

Deaf cafe had cool sign language pictures

Alcohol was our saviour in Bitola, North Macedonia

A feast at the local Irish bar, Bitola, North Macedonia

Salep drink, Bitola, North Macedonia

Skipping the famous Hellenistic ruins at Heraclea Lyncestis, as the main attraction mosaic floors were covered at that time of year, we opted instead to walk through the city parks, and up a lovely forested hill nearby and enjoy the last of the weak sun and nature with beautiful bird song and oak trees. 

Rugged up on the hillside, Bitola, North Macedonia

Beautiful oak forest, Bitola, North Macedonia

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The bus trip from Bitola to Ohrid was like a fairy tale come alive, with heavy snow covering the pine trees in the mountains and valleys. Vineyards, orchards and cute little rural houses dotted the country side. The sun had also come out, the scenery shined gloriously and our moods lifted immensely. 

From the bus, Bitola to Ohrid, North Macedonia

The first priority on arriving in Ohrid was to sort out some decent accommodation for our week's stay. We very quickly discovered a snug room with heating and plenty of hot water, a sunny balcony, fridge and a small stove. What made us happiest, though, was the lovely and welcoming family who ran the place. They settled us in, brought us coffee, local apples and lemons, and supplied us with all the information we needed (and thankfully took away all our smelly laundry to wash!). A good sleep saw us refreshed, clean and warm......and very happy!

Exploring the town of Ohrid was a joy. The picturesque old town spread gently down to the sparkling clear waters of Lake Ohrid, and with the blue sky as a backdrop and in the warm sun it was simply stunning. The amount of impressive sights to see was immense, and we loved wandering around the lake and back streets filled with buildings of various ages, many of them guesthouses now.

Old part of Ohrid, North Macedonia

What's behind the blue door?

Overlooking the lake, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Beautiful setting, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Clear water of Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

St George Orthodox church paintings, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Narrow back streets, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Roman amphitheatre, Ohrid, North Macedonia

We enjoyed being there in the Spring, especially now the depressing wintery weather had disappeared, and could imagine in summer the place may be over run and busy with tourists -there appeared to be many facilities for eating, cafes, souvenir shops etc, mostly empty in March. 

View to Ohrid, North Macedonia

First signs of Spring, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Warm and sunny at Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

Some of the extra wonderful highlights were the splendidly situated houses of worship. St Sophia church on a back lane near the lake lead to a wonderfully decrepit board walk, tucked under the cliffs which provided a scenic route to arrive at Ohrid's star attraction, the magnificent (and much photographed) St John the Theologian, Kaneo. The setting on the side of a cliff over-looking Lake Ohrid was breath-taking, and we took a breather there to admire the surroundings- limitless views across the lake with snowy mountains all around. The interior of the church was delicate and ancient, with many frescos destroyed by invaders, or faded away. An added plus was when the welcoming caretaker let us enter for free because we were Australian!

View of the town with St Sophia in the foreground, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Obviously enough of a problem for a sign!

Beneath the surface, St Sophia church, Ohrid, North Macedonia

The wonderful boardwalk to St John the Theologian, Kaneo, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Under the cliffs, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Boats on the shore of Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

Gorgeous view of St John the Theologian, Kaneo, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Interior of St John the Theologian, Kaneo, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Exquisite interior of St John the Theologian, Kaneo, Ohrid, North Macedonia

We were lucky at the Byzantine-era St Clement and Panteleimon complex to come across another relaxed guard who allowed us to look around the cordoned off part of the ruins which were closed for repairs, if we promised to be careful and quick. As a result, we were able to view the brilliant floor mosaics protected under an open roof. The setting of the church was again beautiful, with more sweeping views across the endlessly impressive lake. The interior was less interesting, with the paintings being of a more unsophisticated nature. There was also a massive university being built on site, continuing the traditional of teaching at the church, apparently started by St Clements himself.

Ancient mosaics at St Clements and Panteleimon complex, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Lovely sunny day at St Clements and Panteleimon complex, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Stunning church at St Clements and Panteleimon complex, Ohrid, North Macedonia

St Mary Perybleptos was another unexpected treasure. We were slightly hesitant to enter, as there was an entrance fee, and normally we don't pay to enter religious buildings. But the friendly caretaker persuaded us, and we were so glad he did, as it was one of the best Orthodox churches we have seen. There was a strict no photography rule inside, unfortunately, as the paintings were considered very precious. The caretaker was less concerned with flash photography harming the frescos, and more with the Greeks seeing what was inside and replicating it!

Having been built in 1295, it was the oldest church in Ohrid, and very important for the Macedonians. During Turkish rule, when many churches were converted to mosques, everything cherished was moved to St Mary Perybleptos, and it became the centre for Orthodox Christians.

We loved the story about how smoke from candles had blackened the interior for hundreds of years, and the wonderful frescos were not discovered until 1952. The paintings in the outer part of the interior were not protected by the soot and wax, and the difference was immense. Our informative "guide" also pointed out the unusual portraits of Jesus at the last supper at a round table, and Jesus climbing a ladder up to the cross where he would be crucified.

A day trip to Struga, another town on the lake, further west, was enlightening. The bus took a route via the small, quiet back road along the lake which consisted mostly of small scale orchards, and was a lovely alternative to the bustle of the towns. We immediately liked Struga, the clear blue water in the river flowing down from the lake gave the place quite a different feeling to Ohrid. Although it wasn't as historic, the vibe was extremely local and pleasing, and we both decided if we ever came back to Lake Ohrid, we would like to use this town as our base. Again, it would be a spectacular setting in summer.

Loving the view at Struga, Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

Rich looking out over Lake Ohrid, Struga, North Macedonia

The river at Struga, Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

Street scene at Struga, Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

Serene lake view, Struga, Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

Just when we thought we were churched out, we tried one more in Struga, St George, which was something different yet again, and surprised us for it's rich interior. It was a busy mix of styles, textures, different building materials and colours. 

Delightful frescos, St George church, Struga, Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

A wonderful mix of colour and light, Struga, Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

For some reason, Ohrid had a huge number of vintage cars in various states of disrepair. We particularly loved the Serbian-made Zastava.

Classic old Yugoslavia car

One other notable thing in Ohrid town was the very obvious lack of Roma beggars. They were hanging around in Struga, and the other Macedonian towns we visited, but not in Ohrid. 

Stunning castle and old town view, Ohrid, North Macedonia

When the time came to leave lovely Ohrid, we discovered our options were severely limited. There was no public transport running across the border, presumably due to the Rona restrictions, and we therefore had to take a taxi (or rather a paid for lift with our helpful hosts) to the Albania town of Pogradec.

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Costs in North Macedonia were slightly higher than Serbia and more expensive than Albania. We found food (in cafes, small restaurants, supermarkets and fresh markets) in general to be a little more pricey than we were expecting. Accommodation was pretty much the same situation as in other Balkan countries. We could generally make it in under the £12 mark if we chose carefully, stayed a week at least, and stuck to places with more accommodation choices. Apart from Skopje, transport options were minimal supposedly due to Covid restrictions. We made sure we checked the day before we wanted to leave somewhere, as often there was only one option per day for buses or trains. 

Beautiful Macedonian money

*A Macedonian oddity? In every cafe where we ordered a cappuccino, we were given the option of foam or whipped cream. 

Cappuccinos with whipped cream? Only in North Macedonia!

Although we enjoyed our time in North Macedonia, especially at Lake Ohrid, we found there to be an somewhat stifling feeling of control and obedience. Perhaps it's just a sign of the times (locals are fined 20 Euros for not wearing a mask, the equivalent of two days wages). People were certainly just as friendly as other Balkan countries, but we weren't as relaxed travelling there as we were in Serbia and Albania.

North Macedonian flag

A lonely wander on the shores of Lake Ohrid, Struga, North Macedonia

.......next up, back to the south of Albania for the start of summer.......