Hotel Tim's Apartments Skopje

... checking in we began our explorations. The hotel is right on Macedonia Square, a huge square that looks big enough for communist parades and tank processions. We walked over the Kamen Most bridge into the old Turkish quarter of Skopje. I think had we not just been in Prizren and Sarajevo we would have been more impressed with what we saw here. It was a bit difficult to enjoy the surroundings as it started to rain and we were regularly accosted by aggressive ...

... a ten euro note in dinars so I could buy myself a wake up bottle of coke to really get this day started (oh a little travel hint for the squeamish- do not use the toilets at Skopje train station. You have been warned, I'm not going to go into details, but just trust me, don't) With my caffeine fix and foreign currency sorted, I was ready for a days wandering/binging. That was until I saw the state of Skopje outside the train station. You really would not ...

... because they were full flowing as they usually are. But because of the heat and global warming, they have dried up considerably. It is too bad, I think they are a beautiful site. There is a third waterfall, but they told me that the only way to get to it is by guide and a Jeep!! Marija was getting pretty hungry by this point so we left to stop somewhere to eat. We stopped in a little village called Koleshino(like the waterfall) to a ...

... the dishes that we ate, they ordered three dishes for us to share. One dish was called Selsko Moso( means country meat). It consisted of beef, pork, sausage and mushrooms with heavy gravy. The Second was called Tava Novo Skopje, that had Ajvar, cheese, meat and sauce. The last but my favorite was Turli Tava, consisted potatoes, beef, onions, green beans. They say it was the most traditional dish that you can get in ...

... found out that since Im american I can get in almost anywhere. Yay? Today I woke up, worked out a bit, and decided I wanted some alone time (Ive been out and about with people constantly for like 2 weeks). I did some shopping (all the shops here are more interesting when they are closed and I wonder whats inside), and now im sitting at a mexican resaurant enjoying some food. Went to a coffee shop called casablanca and ...

... the rooms is particularly interesting. I especially enjoy the parts where the white plaster has been kept away, keeping the old clay and brick visible. In the middle ages, the baths were open to men, women, and Jews, each having their own bathing areas, the wealthy being able to afford private rooms while commoners bathed in large communal pools. Climbing a series of narrow alleyways, I reach Sveti Spas, a church built below ground so as to not violate ...

... a bit. I will go for Christmas and for new year to Slovenia to Barbara's place (so nice) and before that pass by Bulgaria. After Slovenia i travel to Finland again by busses and trains, hopefully meeting some peopleon the way. Totally different life compared to this one here will start soon, but everything will be ok. In Ferbuary i will anyway move to Helsinki. Changes are good, they keep us going. :) So, that's all for now. I try to write once more before i leave. warm wishes, M

... form Bosnia and Slovenia: Anne, Kristi and Oliver, that i met in Novi sad-exchange. it was so cool and so unreal to see them to stand in the bus station in Struga, i thought it would never happen. After hearing their stories, it seems that EVS in Balkans is not the easiest thing, but yeah, at least we learn alot. :)It would be nice to have them around more often. There have been so many changes during the last weeks that now I hope the real routine is finally starting ...

... need that place to calm down. During the last month i have felt so much, everything and things are simply going so deep, everything, happiness and sorrow. But I'm not afraid of those feelings, they just show that I'm still me, very much alive. Maybe i need to change the way I behave sometimes, but I will not change myself. Macedonia may be sometimes hard, but I have to be grateful for these lessons. Wish me luck. I miss you all! Yuo are really welcome here! Hugs and smiles, Maria

... jeeps,hiding their faces by wearing balaclavas,appearing intimidating to oth**s,as well as proving their own fear at being recognised by rebels and being attacked themselves. I drove out of town,again by taxi,which w**e much cheap** h**e than in Britain,to visit an aid convoy that had been sat by the roadside on the way to Lipkovo,for the last week,held up at a police checkpoint,as officials attempted to gain p**mission for it to supply the villag**s ...