“Moja Makedonija”

October 8th, 2011

I travelled from the Triglav to the Vardar (the reversed way of the old Yugoslav song od Vardara do pa Triglava) and when I actually entered Macedonia (via the border crossing with Serbia) I could hardly resist my tears: I was back in Makedonija (=Macedonia).

Makedonija and it’s citizens have always a special place in my heart and I again listened to my heart when I entered Macedonia. It felt like the “Makedonski sunce” (=Macedonian sun) was waiting for me and I was welcomed again by it.


I always ask myself this question when I pass this border crossing, which I passed many times: which country do I like more, Serbia or Macedonia?  Until now I was never be able to answer that question, but more important, do I have to answer that question? I think I do not have to answer that question, because it does not matter: I love the whole Balkans and yes, Macedonia has a special place in my heart, as Serbia does as well.

So, I was back in Macedonia, “moja Makedonija”, although I have nothing I own there, but that does not count.  I saw the Vardar river, after travelling around 2000km from the Triglav mountain, and there was nothing more I needed, ok except for a delicious “Skopsko” (beer from Skopje) : my heart told me that I was happy. I made it all the way from Triglav, thanks to the great help of my friends through whole ex-Yugoslavia (from Triglav to the Vardar and even behind) and now I was enjoying Macedonia.

I met my Macedonian friends again, I have seen again the magical Ohrid lake area , visited the beautiful monastery of Sveti Naum and climbed Macedonia’s 5th highest mountain Nidže…. What else do I need? Nothing….

Yes, I know what I need: I need to return to “moja Makedonija”…..

Pictures online now, just click here.

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Serbiaaaaaaaaaa

October 6th, 2011

Yes and my pictures of Serbia are also now online; you can click here. I had to merge them with my pictures of Montenegro, because I did not make a lot of pictures this time in Serbia, because I was in the “relax mode” while I was in Kraljevo. I already wrote that I spent a nice time in Serbia, but there is no need to write that, you already know that I love Serbia….

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Crna Gora/Montenegro

October 5th, 2011

During my latest trip through former-Yugoslavia I passed also Montenegro for a day and stayed one night in Budva. Montenegro has a rough nature and it is really beautiful: a lot of mountains, the coast and beautiful mountain rivers with clear water flowing towards the Adriatic Sea or the Danube.

The differences in this small country are amazing: the coast with Mediterranean climate and the mountains in the north with a more mountain (alpine climate).

My pictures are now online , you can click here to see them!

Below a panorama picture of Budva, you can click to enlarge if you want.

 

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Along the Croatian coast

October 2nd, 2011

During my last trip I travelled along the Croatian coast and it was really beautiful. I entered Croatia via the border crossing Rupa on the Slovenian/Croatian border the 5th September and I left Croatia via the border Croatia/Montenegro on the most southern part of Croatia the 9th September .

I just put my pictures online on my website, you can click here to watch them. I liked the “Jadransko More” (=the Adriatic Sea) and the 23 1/2 hour boat trip from Rijeka to Dubrovnik was great!

Dubrovnik is a story on it ‘s own: it is a place with a long history and a lot of tourists. I made great pictures in Dubrovnik and enjoyed it, thanks to my friends, for which I am grateful to them!

Below a panorama picture of Dubrovnik, click to enlarge and enjoy!

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Oj Triglav moj dom

September 29th, 2011

Oj Triglav, moj dom, kako si krasan…. (from the song)
Oh Triglav my home, how beautiful you are…

Here a panorama picture I made on Mali Triglav (alt. 2725m), click on the picture to enlarge. And here the famous Slovenian song:

Oj Triglav moj dom

Oj Triglav, moj dom, kako si krasan,
kako me izvabljaš iz nizkih ravan
v poletni vročini na strme vrhe
da tam si spočije v samoti srce,
kjer potok izvira v skalovju hladan:
oj Triglav, moj dom, kako si krasan!

Oj Triglav, moj dom, četudi je svet
začaral s čudesi mi večkrat pogled,
tujina smehljaje kazala mi kras,
le nate sem mislil ljubeče ves čas,
o tebi sem sanjal sred’ svetlih dvoran:
oj Triglav, moj dom, kako si krasan!

Oj Triglav, v spominu mi je tvoj čar,
zato pa te ljubim in bom te vsekdar,
in zadnja ko ura odbila mi bo,
pod tvojim obzorjem naj spava telo,
kjer radostno ptički naznanjajo dan:
oj Triglav, moj dom, kako si krasan!

The pictures of my trip through Slovenia are now also online, click here.

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Od Triglava do pa Vardara

September 23rd, 2011

I did it! I travelled from Triglav all the way to the Vardar and thereby fulfilled a long time wish, a dream. The reality in this case was even more beautiful then the dream and I could not believe that this could happen. First of all a big thanks to all who helped me to realize this dream.

Picture below: On top of Mali Triglav (Slovenia), 2725 meters a.s.l, 2nd September 2011.
Picture below: Near the Vardar river, 19th September 2011, Skopje, Macedonia.
I experienced so many beautiful things during my trip that it needs a lot of time to order them in “moje srce”. I leave it to this little blog post by stating that I made it and that I am very happy about it. I will write of course much more about it this marvellous trip later….

Map below: the trip I made “Od Triglava do pa Vardara”.

Posted in Balkan region, Central and East-Europe, Holidays :-), Macedonia, Serbia, Yugoslavia | 1 Comment »

Nidže/Kajmakčalan

September 21st, 2011

Nidze is a 2521 meters high mountain in Macedonia, a couple of meters away from the Macedonian-Greek border. It is the southernmost and highest peak of a range known in Greece as the Voras Mountains and in Macedonian as Nidže. It is the third highest peak in Greece after Mount Olympus and the fifth highest in Macedonia.  The top is also called Kajmakčalan (Kaimakchalan) or Kaimaktsalan (Macedonian: Кајмакчалан, Greek: Καϊμακτσαλάν). You need a permission from the Macedonian Ministry of Internal affairs to climb the mountain and I obtained that permission via my Macedonian friends for which I am very grateful to them.

Sunday 18th September we climbed the mountain from the Greek side and it was an easy walk, definitely if you compared it to Triglav in Slovenia, which I climbed two weeks before. From Triglav I have travelled all the way to here, on almost the most southern edge of former Yugoslavia.

If mountains could speak, then Nidže/Kajmakčalan for sure could tell you a lot of stories. Between the 12th and 30th September 1916, during the First World War, the Battle of Kajmakcalan between Serbian and Bulgarian troops took place here: there were around 10.000 Serbian casualties, but I could not figure out how many Bulgarians died here. The Serbs (part of the Allies) won, but they payed a very high price.

Exactly 95 years later I took this picture:

And burned a candle for those who died here….
I cannot describe my exact emotions when I was there,but yes, there were tears. Tears of sadness for those who died here, but also tears of happiness that I made it that day to here, Macedonia, all the way from Triglav (Slovenia), in good shape, health, being with my friends and be in peace, 95 years later…..

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Makedonija / Macedonia

September 16th, 2011

I did it: yesterday evening I reached Macedonia and saw a first glimpse of the Vardar river.

I travelled in two weeks  through ex-Yugoslavia: from the (almost) most Northern point (Jessenice-Slovenia) to Sveti Naum (Macedonia), which is almost the most Southern point.

I am very happy I did and made it in good shape and health. It is not over yet: Sunday I hope I will make it to the top of Nidze/Kajmakčalan , which is 2521 meters above sea level and on the Greek-Macedonian border.

On the top of  that mountain there is a Serbian chapel in remembrance of a battle during First World War battle between Serbs and Bulgarians.

For today I spent a wonderful time in Ohrid and a couple of hours in Albania and I enjoyed it of course a lot….I made some good pictures, here just a little selection. Macedonia is as always amazing.


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Srbija/Serbia

September 16th, 2011

On Saturday the 10th September it was time to cross the chain of mountains which forms the backbone of mountains of former Yugoslavia. I went from Budva (Montenegro) to my next destination of my trip through ex-Yugoslavia which was Kraljevo in Serbia.
About Serbia I have written already a lot and for me Serbia stays like an undiscovered flower. A flower which I have discovered already many times, but which I re-discover always when I am there.
I spent a nice time with my Serbian friends, which welcome me always very hospitable and very friendly. I was more then halfway of my trip “Od Triglava do pa Vardara, it was hot in Serbia and I was a bit tired, because of all the travelling, so I spent some relaxing days in Kraljevo.

On Wednesday (14th September) I was again honoured to be invited to join the celebration of the day of “the family saint” (in this case Sveti Simeon) of the family from my friends. In Serbian this celebration is called “Slava” and it is a beautiful celebration with a lot of foods and drinks. Again I felt special to be part of this “Slava”, a big thanks to my Serbian friends again.

After celebrating “Slava” I had to hit the road again, because it was time to see the Vardar in Macedonia…..

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Crna Gora / Montenegro

September 12th, 2011

On friday 9th September I went from Dubrovnik (Croatia) to Budva which is in Montenegro (Crna Gora). The bus ride was not that long, so I could spent the afternoon and evening in Budva which was really nice.

We took the ferry to cross the bay of Kotor, the only fjord in Southern-Europe and (wikipedia article) it is very beautiful as you can see below on the panorama picture I made.

Budva seemed to me like “Lloret de Mar” in Spain (altough I have never been there), but then for the Balkans and Russia. I spent a nice time in Budva, but the Vardar was waiting for me so after a nice afternoon and evening the next morning I had to be ready for a 9 hours bus ride to my next stop Kraljevo in Serbia :-)

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