Dramatic chronology: Skopje, Macedonia

Facts of life.

As we travel from Ohrid to Skopje we get a taste of the verdant countryside  with picture perfect villages. We come across different graveyards,as is usual, just outside the towns and villages or beside churches.  

Notably,the gravestones with Moslem names show the crescent and star symbol. Other graveyards also have very simple rectangular  tombstones. 

We arrive at a town for lunch and are surprised to see double decker buses plying the routes. DrInk and I walk into a large store to get something to eat and also to spend our leftover Macedonian Dinars for they would be of no use to us when we leave the country the next day. We find only chocolates and Turkish delights that are unique to the Balkans.

A double whammy

Our next stop is Matya Canyon. Once our bus is parked we walk along quite a ways towards a gate. But there is still a long distance to go. Those who have opted to go on a boat ride, that would take them on the crystal clear water flanked by rugged cliffs to a short hiking trail into a cave from where they would hike back, are advised to use the toilets before boarding. It is no piece of cake. A slope leads up to restaurants, and various stalls. At the end of a long laborious walk, after a steep climb over the stone stairs are the public washrooms. Our group is appalled that it costs 1 euro each. Not many of them have the required cash for it. Toilets are free at the restaurants only if you eat there. 

The main overlook

We huff and puff towards the dam after which is the water ride platform.  Ticket booths are busily selling tickets for a lot  of activities like hiking and boat trips here. The restaurants lining the path along the canyon are rustic, mostly built of stone and wood, adorned with rose bushes. What steals our attention most is an open air antique store. The gelato vendors are doing a roaring business. These and the souvenir shops only accept local currency. The restaurant accepts credit cards.

A precarious venture

The path continues further into the higher parts of the canyon. A few people are loping up the path hugging the side of the  cliffs. It looks easy and therefore tempting. So I decide to give it a go and ambitiously think it might lead me to the cave. The path is rough rock except for a few steps. Apart from being uneven the path is narrow at times as well slanting down towards the waters way down below. The hand rails look a little wobbly. So I simply hold on to them tentatively and also hang on to the cliff wall. To my surprise a sturdy rope  anchored to the cliff at intervals helps boost my confidence. Manipulating the sharp bends and abrupt, heartstopping  steeper slopes does sap my energy, so much so that I content myself with great views of the canyon from different heights and angles from where I am. All thoughts of reaching the cave (which is actually not accessible from where I am) are abandoned. The teal waters of the river, rugged cliffs punched with caves, and peaceful surroundings (not many people hiking) are quietly dramatic.

From tumultuous history to religious diversity

As we leave Matka Canyon for Skopje most of our fellow travellers fall asleep from exhaustion. At Skopje we are dropped at the old down in the shadow of a fortress. As always, our local guide has been advised to keep us in the shade as much as possible. 

We are standing beside a plateau on which sits Mustafa Pasha Mosque, an Ottoman-era mosque, characterised by its opulent architecture and a serene courtyard. We get a glimpse only of the domes above a wall from where we are.  It is reminiscent of the Hagia Sophia of Istanbul. It is certainly as tranquil as is touted to be. 

A few metres away is an ancient old oaken door. The guide tells us the door opens into a churchyard that holds the sarcophagus of a revolutionary. 

This is the Church of the Ascension of Jesus of  Eastern Orthodox heritage, adding yet another historical dimension to the city.

More revelations

We are then led to the well preserved bazaar, the second largest in the world after Istanbul’s dating back to the 12th century. Walking along the stone paved alleys we are shown a traditional hamam(now a museum) , Turkish baths, several mosques and a caravanserai which has been converted into a restaurant with Byzantine touches. There's a synagogue too.The bazaar is famous for its traditional craftsmanship. It hosts numerous art galleries, museums, and cultural institutions making it a cultural center . 

Here a statue, there a statue . . .

As we leave the bazaar we enter Macedonia square,a completely contrasting space. It's a spacious square that spans the Vardar River. We see the back of a statue,  poised on an extraordinarily high pedestal, ahead of us holding his sword aloft. Wouldn't it be that of Alexander the Great, the very first name that pops up at the mention of Macedonia? The statue looks spanking new. And then there are several modern buildings around the square housing cultural and political institutions. There's also a mall. Only after we come to the front of the statue do we realise that the statue is not of Alexander but of Phillip, his father. Appearances can deceive. In the background is the Hamam.

And then it hits. Here a statue, there a statue, everywhere a statue. Definitely a dense population of past men of note. It may seem all too overwhelming but it does certainly help make history endure and give the city a pseudo classical feel.

The more prominent statues with fountains are those of Alexander's mother nurturing her child in the different stages of his childhood. There's also a statue devoted to mothers. 

And  there stands Alexander the Great mounted on his horse rearing to conquer more lands.it is an overwhelming 8 stories high!

The other side

Crossing over to the opposite bank across the iconic stone bridge (the Old Bridge),a 214 meter long bridge made of solid stone blocks resting on 12  arcs, we get views of the three modern bridges lined with statues of prominent people, from different generations and different walks of life, who have contributed to the growth of the country over the centuries. Each bridge has a theme. That's when we enter Macedonia Street. This is  obviously Skopje's  industrial, commercial, and administrative centre. 

We are led to a tree which stands in place of the house Mother Teresa was born into an Albanian family in 1910. Ethnically, therefore, she is Albanian. That is the reason why Tirana, Albania takes pride in  her through statues in her memory. A few meters away is the humble Mother Teresa Memorial House on the 2nd floor of which is a gallery of pictures and icons related to the Saint. 

Italian irritation

Our tour leader has booked us dinner at the Italian restaurant in a vast mall which is strangely very quiet in spite of the abundance of shoe shops and a few branded clothing stores. The waiters are brusque with us since we have asked for late dining. We are served pasta and a dessert that I wouldn't call Italian. They are very happy to whisk away our plates, mostly unfinished portions, and call it a day.

Brand new accommodation 

We are in for a surprise. Our hotel for the night is directly opposite the memorial. It's a slim building which makes us conjure up what our rooms would look like. However we are not going in yet for our tour bus has to find a way to get to the closest road where parking is limited to 10 mins. The trees in the vehicle-free Macedonia Street have wrap-around seats. Exhausted, we slump on to these while others waddle into the hotel lobby. It is fun to see night life beginning to pick up all around us and the temperatures falling. Finally, after nearly an hour, our bus driver has been advised by the hotel to pull up at a back street from when we could pick up our luggage. It's quite a trudge. We do get bellboys who handle the bulkier suitcases.

We have the best rooms on the trip so far. Partly it's because the hotel is just a few months old, the Vietnamese staff speaks English, the towels are brand new, etc. There is a weighing machine as well! It's definitely five stars and more.

Living up to expectations 

As the lights go on we go out into the city retracing our morning route. At the river bank on Macedonia Street the large green park which is an oasis during the day has transformed into a dynamic space. A large group of people surrounds a few artists- painters, a magician, acrobats- demonstrating their work alive. .it is teeming with people enjoying a leisurely stroll or engaged in various activities. We arrive at the even more vibrant and busy old bazaar with restaurateurs calling out to customers. Craft and souvenir shops take on a magical aura. 

It is then that we decide to try the new Bridges of Civilisation parallel to the stone bridge lit by beautiful street lamps. We now notice the triumphal arch covered in marble reliefs that depict important scenes from the history of Macedonia, including images of Alexander the Great. This depiction led into an official complaint by the Greek government since Greece has claims to the man who cut the Gordian Knot.

The street on the other side is awash with colourful lights displaying restaurants that offer diverse culinary experiences 

Dawn in Skopje

It's our morning routine to take a walk in the city before breakfast. The square and the street are still except for the occasional pedestrian up and about for work. As we cross the stone bridge the seemingly calm waters of the river reflect the surrounding buildings. The book shop with its attractive shutter and scooters for hire await customers after a busy night. 

We reach a space just next to the bazaar where we find ourselves just across the highway to the city under the imposing fort that we only had a glimpse of the previous day. 

While on the stone bridge a stray dog follows as though it was protecting us for it barked if birds flew near us and left us abruptly as soon as we finished the crossing.

The bazaar is silent. The stillness makes us more aware of our surroundings and the unimaginable huge statues placed in the midst of fountains. Then there are quirky statues. 

As we look up from anywhere in the vicinity, the Millennium Cross( one of the world's tallest) perched atop Mt Vodno, proudly supposed to celebrate 2000 years of Christianity in the region. Also it is twice the size of Christ the Redeemer in Rio. At night it is lit up

On our way back we come across a bull reminiscent of the one in New York City. Its tail is broken. The bull symbolizes the strength and fertility of the Macedonian people.

We also spot the old feudal tower that withstood the earth quake of 1963, before we reach our hotel for an excellent buffet breakfast.

That's when we realize how walkable this city of 500,000 is.

A new Church close to the mother Theresa memorial is nearing completion.

We  cover everything on foot within an hour which just goes to show how compact the city is.

Remarkable

The city was destroyed twice. The earlier destruction was caused by a fire started by Austrian troops in 1869 that burned for 2 days destroying the city and reducing the population from 60,000 to 10,000. It is also conjectured that the city was burnt down to eradicate the cholera epidemic.

Around 30 mosques within the city are testament to Ottoman, as are several hamams and inns .

Point of contention:

Greek or not?Ancient Macedonians spoke Greek and had a Hellenic culture. While modern North Macedonians speak a Slavic language from the 5th century onward. 

The Greeks believe that Macedonia also encompasses most of northern Greece and parts of western Bulgaria. Calling Skopje’s country Macedonia creates territorial implications. So this should not be used as the name of the country due to the territorial implications this could have.

Alexander the Great is called Warrior on A Horse in Macedonia because the Greeks claim him for themselves.

Internationally, the mini-state still has to call itself the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia – the title it was given by the UN shortly after independence – inspit of the fact that 132 countries have recognised it as the Republic of Macedonia.

Vivified: Agadir, Morocco, 2014

 Run-of-the-mill 

Our experience in Agadir is totally different from the other ports we visited in Morocco. For starters, the port is far away from the city. As far as we can see only sand and rocks are visible. It is a desert. So we are in a port where there is no point wandering around. There is a shuttle bus to the town.  Should we walk there? Secondly, an elderly couple suggests we share a taxi to take us around the city. We do and we are not disappointed. 

Predictable tourism in a unique port

Our driver-cum-guide drives past the Marina (none of our fellow passengers expresses interest in it). But almost immediately our attention is drawn by huge nets piled on boats, some spilling onto the pier. It is the fishing port. In fact, it is  considered the first sardine port in the world. It is not only the busyness that attracts us but also the auction. It is hard to tell the difference between the auctioneers and the bidders for lack of understanding of their language. Strangely there is only a hint of the sea food odor. The last time we had experienced that was in Helsinki's fish market.

Shipyards: quite an experience

As we drive by we catch glimpses of shipbuilding. Quite curious, we take a stroll down the pier and get to see shipbuilding from the skeleton to the almost completed traditional wooden fishing boats built by hand. It is hard to tell the difference between what is being  built and what is being repaired. We have since found out that shipbuilding, especially of newer and bigger ships with steel hulls, is now considered Morocco's mainstay for its  economy.

Inescapable,  yet wondrous

Of course, our driver-cum-guide does the tour-guide requisite. He takes us to an Argan oil (a highly coveted multi purpose miracle oil) cooperative to show us the traditional methods of production. An expert tells us how unique and precious the tree is to this part of the world, how the kernel is harvested, extracted and processed and, then, its traditional uses. Predictably we are introduced to the other products, including black seed oil ( anti inflammatory and antibacterial) which we are already familiar with, produced or sold in the facility. It is fascinating how the wide array of goods testifies to the popularity of homeopathic treatments.

The return to sightseeing:Mosques 

Our next stop is a mosque. Just like most of Morocco, visitors are not allowed inside, but the façade has us admiring the richly decorated horse-shoe shaped doors. The walls just under the eaves and along the pillars sport blind arcades with intricate stucco carvings made up of calligraphy and decorative patterns mostly in brown and beige. Only when we peek in through the turquoise  grilles at the top of an immense staircase do we see the traditional greens and blues. The roof of green porcelain tiles looks  like a slim edge from below.  It offers a charming outline contrasting with the earthy hues of the facade. 

Lebanese  Mosque

We did not have a tour of this building with a less prominent minaret. Allegedly this mosque welcomes visitors of all faiths and also offers guided tour. 

Kasbah

Next we go up the hills that can be seen from anywhere in the city just as the Alps are in most cities in Austria. We are near the ruins of the ancient Kasbah in the midst of restoration. It is no longer a bustling city with souks, mosques, or a medina. The bulk of the city was destroyed in the earthquake of 1960. Most of the history is gone except for what is displayed in a museum. 

Interestingly, as we go up the hill to simply be in the vicinity of what was once the Kasbah, we are taken to a viewpoint that gives us stunning views of the sea side.

A renewal : the progressive spirit

All is not lost. The destruction of historical structures meant rebuilding. The renewal has included gardens and parks, big hotels and the inclusivity and tolerance of the  Lebanese mosque. Most of the buildings, a mix of the modern and traditional, are white, hence earning the city the nickname  ‘White City'. 

Beach

Finally we take a stroll along the crescent shaped beach which caters to tourism . The 10 km seafront t is a tourist haven complete with magnificent views  of the blue Atlantic waters. The Promenade is broad and it runs all along g the coast starting g from the Marina.

Of note:

One of the symbols of modernity appears in a curious form. What's that strange looking palm tree in the park? It's actually a transmission tower!

Trivia:

 Agadir is famous for the largest collection of beehives in the world. 

What resilience, sense of community, and discipline can do: Miyako-Iwate

Not to be confused with Miyako Island

Miyako-Iwate is a small city of about 51,000 people situated on the eastern-most coast of Honshu, Japan's biggest and main island. It has a container port famous for its  fish. The main attraction is its surrounding national park with underground caves and limestone cliffs as well as its top rated beaches( especially Jodogo-hama beach) popular with Japanese holiday makers.

Miyako is not a cruise port and so there is no port building to walk through. The residents give us a warm welcome with their high school students playing music to their guests on a cold morning - guaranteed to warm our hearts. 

A truly Japanese welcome

The lack of a cruise building is more than made up for with several marquees. Hordes of volunteers gave out local maps. There is even a bouncy 'castle' albeit a Japanese cartoon character! The day is beginning to warm up. A shuttle bus takes us to the railway station in about 25 mins. There is a tourist office there but we don't need it since its an easy city to navigate and we are definitely not going to the the promoted attractions that are a long drive away. We could take the local buses but we are content to explore the immediate vicinity. This turns out to be remarkable since we really get to appreciate the nature of theJapanese culture as never before.

Is the Town alive

It has begun to drizzle but by this time we are already near their famous fish market. A quick tour gives us some respite before we resume the walk along what seems to be an arterial road lined with old and new buildings. It wax hard to tell whether each was residential or business property. Most of the doors a closed against the cold and we are not even sure if the businesses are open except if there is  a tell-tale sign of umbrellas placed in a tall receptacle at the entrance. There's one in every store.

Since it's still autumn the gardens are still abloom with flowers. One garden was especially attractive with its multicoloured flowers. As I was passing by, one particular pot made me stop on my track and retrace a few steps. Bunches of grapes- a few were green and others were purple. Was this a hybrid  or grafted grape vine? This is Japan after all! Defintely a reason for a closer look. Aha! These are not grape leaves! More scrutiny. Bunches of plastic grapes placed at strategic nodes with the help of ties! Could have fooled me!

Sylvan setting

We continued our walk uphill on a narrow road with a pullout now and then for passing cars (almost none). Water babbled in the background and birds chirped. We  were actually walking along a naturally camouflaged  stream. No fences. It can't get anymore natural. Almost every house has a garden with either fruit trees or vegetables. I spott a hairy fruit. You guessed it. kiwi. And there are hundreds on the few vines that a lady with a broad smile for us was tending. We had a one-sided conversation with a cascade of Japanese words which I took to mean , "Sorry, the fruits are not ripe, and will not be for a few weeks. My apologies for not being able to share any with you."

In another residence fire wood has been stacked in various parts of the garden. One vegetable garden has bright red chillies! And, what are these other fruits- passion fruit? As we near the top of the hill the rain picks up. We find shelter under an overhead pass.

 Perhaps the overhead two-lane  road would take us back to town, but our map stops short there and we we retrace our steps downhill. In one of the bigger residences in town we see a resident trimming off the parasitic creepers on his fruit tree from his balcony upstairs. There is a lot more life on the streets with Japanese women in their aprons  frequenting their favourite stores for their fresh fish and vegetables. 

What is it about Japanese temples? They are so calming.

Now, we follow the map again to a temple. We hadn't realised how cleverly the route had been indicated on the map. The relevant numbers appeared on the lamp posts! No trouble at all reaching the quiet temple beside which is a kindergarten. The tatami mats in the temple are very comfortable to sit on. I grab the opportunity for a short meditation.

On our way back to the port we pass by a shrine. We looked at the steep and narrow stone hewn steps. Not today! We have seen enough shrines in Japan

The most friendly citizens

Back at the railway station we take a quick look at the tracks, even crossing them, before we head back to the port. We are greeted by the many volunteers who know only a few welcoming words. They are all college students majoring in English, Korean and Chinese! They struggle as we ask about them but bravely and hesitantly try to communicate with us. 

The port is abuzz with guests trying on kimonos, trying out food from the food trucks, learning to write their names in Japanese, etc. 

Ha! There's WiFi. Of course, it's intermittent but who wouldn't want to connect. And then we are done for the day. As we we pull off the local high school brass band peforms a selection of music and the citizens have come out in full force to wave us off on a safe voyage.

What can the world really learn from Miyako-Iwate?: Recovering from the  tsunami 

Recent history is testament to their resilience. The prefecture was horrendously battered by a massive earthquake in March, 2011. The tsunami that resulted in  10 meter high waves that rose over their levees destroying most of downtown. Homes and businesses were lost. A 6 storey hotel on the famous beach lost two of its bottom most floors to the tsunami while the four upper floors remained. All the while the proprietor of the hotel was standing on the top floor watching his hotel being washed away underfoot. Today the Taro Kanko Hotel is a designated earthquake heritage site.

What a lively spot the city is today. The Japanese, typically, are not complainers. They pick up where they left, and carry on with life. They are not quick to blame. They look out for each other. There's something there that we can all learn from.