Ohrid

The next stop on our Macedonian journey was Ohrid (pronounced okh-REED), the lakeside resort town located in the southwesternmost part of the country. The bus drive there was a story in itself - a heartstoppingly beautiful drive through the mountainous countryside of a country itself completely covered in mountains. Small mosques and picturesque little churches were visible everywhere in each of the small villages we passed, standing side by side. The villages themselves seemed, to passers by, very well developed and well kept, and I would very much like to come back and explore more of this beautiful region.

After about 3 hours we arrived at Ohrid's bus station, and a few minutes later, we were greeted by the sunny shores of the town's namesake, Lake Ohrid. A small port lies at the center of town, providing a great view of the old part of town. Built on the cliffs lining the northern part of the lake.


Shortly after checking in to our hostel (which, like most places in town, provided a great view of the lake), we headed out to explore the town. Legend has it that 365 churches were built around Lake Ohrid, one for every day of the year. I believe it. Small churches turn up in the most unexpected of places - a back alley, by a remote little dock, in the side of a cliff - they are everywhere here, giving the town a very unique feel, as if the town really hadn't experienced some of the most brutal of regimes, first the Ottomans, then the communists.

One of the most impressive of these is the Cathedral of St. Kliment Ohridski. Kliment was perhaps Ohrid's most famous citizen, and statues of him adorn many cities around the area, including my own site, Preslav. He was a follower of Kiril and Metodi (the inventors of the Cyrillic alphabet), and was largely responsible for its spread throughout the region and its legitimacy as a real form of language for the Slavic people. Interestingly enough, Kliment later moved to the region in which I now live, setting up shop in Pliska, the first Bulgarian capital, about 30 minutes from Preslav.

Today, the cathedral has been restored to its former glory atop the ruins of the old one, overlooking the lake at one of its most beautiful points. His remains are interred inside the walls of the newly restored building, and Slavic-speaking people from all over come to pay their respects to the man who helped give them a voice. As such, the old monastery is considered one of the most sacred places to the Bulgarian people, and indeed all speakers of languages derived from the old Slavonic language.



Also of note to Bulgarian history, the Monastery of Saint Naum is located just a short distance from town. Saint Naum, later known as Saint Naum of Preslav, was a founder and major contributor to the Preslav Literary School, also known for helping to develop and popularize the Cyrillic alphabet. Some of the ruins of this important academy are located not 10 minutes from my house. This was a very special connection for me, and gave me a very personal appreciation of the history of Ohrid.

Like Skopje, Ohrid is dominated by a large fortress atop the tallest hill within the city limits. The fortress provides visitors with the best views in town, and from within its walls one can see all of Ohrid, and all the way across the huge lake into Albania.


On the edge of town, around the cliffs and accessible only by a small boardwalk or boat is the beautiful Church of St. John at Kaneo, built directly on the side of the mountain and looking down into the depths of the lake. Dating back to the 14th century, this small but picturesque church rewards the faithful (or adventurous) with a very unique experience. Removed just a small distance from the noise of the city, the spot seems worlds away, a place where one can experience the same beauty and isolation as monks of old must have sought.


Ohrid has moved into one of the top spots to visit in the region, providing so much history and beauty that it could not accurately be summed up in one small blog post. I could have spent an indefinite time in this amazing city by the lake. Though it is a relatively large city, the scale is diminished when contrasted to the landscape and the history surrounding it. After 3 days I was not prepared to leave, but we had to, and I can only hope that I can make it back to this amazing place.

The Macedonia Question

Macedonia is a region that lies roughly west of Bulgaria, north of Greece, east of Albania, and south of Serbia. In 1991, the place declared it's own statehood, and the topic has been subject to endless debate since. The problem arises from the fact that all of these places call the people known as "Macedonians" as members of their own ethnicity:

-Serbia declares Macedonians as Serbs, since Macedonia was one of the parts of the former Yugoslavia during the times of communism. Even today the constitution of Macedonia says that any future reunion of Yugoslavia must include Macedonia.
-Greeks declare that Macedonia is an integral part of the Greek land, having owned it for much of the region's history. They refuse to acknowledge the country as "Macedonia" as this opens the door to Macedonians declaring rights on the Greek portion of Macedonia, which shares the same name but is Greek-speaking. They only recognize the state as the "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia," and will block any attempts by the Macedonian government to join the EU until the name situation is resolved.
-Albanians declare rights to several areas of Macedonia. For example, the capital of Macedonia, Skopje, was once an Albanian city. Albanians make up one of the largest minorities in the country.
-Finally, Bulgarians officially declare Macedonian people as "ethno-politically disoriented Bulgarians," since the language is so close to Bulgarian, and the 2 nations share much of the same culture and history. Bulgarian nationalists declare that there are "over 2 million Bulgarians trapped abroad," in reference to the population of Macedonia.

All of the nations raise questions as to whether or not Macedonia is a "real country." This has presented a major problem for this country in the middle of a geopolitical crossroads, and is the foundation of the debate known as "the Macedonia Question."

Yet somehow, the Macedonians have clung to the idea that they are a distinct people, and are fiercely proud of their country and the things they have contributed to the world throughout history. Some important figures who hailed from the region are Alexander of Macedon (aka Alexander the Great), Kiril and Metodi (inventors of the Cyrillic alphabet), and more recently Mother Teresa (born in Skopje). Whether or not these people are "Macedonians" is really beside the point. Macedonia declared itself an independent country in 1991, declared Macedonian it's official language, and immediately began the long process of trying to prove its statehood to the world.

I spent my last bit of vacation here in Peace Corps on a quick trip down to the source of all this confusion, and quickly found out that Macedonia is, in fact, a real country. It contains real people and has a real culture, that after mixing together aspects of all the different surrounding nations, becomes something all its own.

We started our trip in the capital city of Skopje, just 5 hours away from Sofia by bus. The city was very walkable and for a capital city, very small and manageable. The main attraction here is the Kale Fortress (which is somewhat redundant, "Kale" is Macedonian for "fortress"), which towers over the Vardar River in the middle of the city. The fortress walls have been restored, and the huge Macedonian flags adorning it's parapets are visible all over town. The view from the fortress is unparalleled, giving the visitor a view of the whole city below it.


The center of town boasts the recently constructed Memorial House of Mother Teresa, built in the style of a traditional home, and then decorated with fanciful murals depicting symbols of peace. Atop this structure stands the Memorial Chapel, a very modern structure devoted to the ideals of Mother Teresa and her quest for world peace. Light streams in everywhere, giving the building a very special feel. The building also houses a museum with relics such as her Bible, various notes, and displays chronicling the life of one of the most famous citizens of Skopje.



Near the center, and across the river lies the Old Town. The way the streets wind around little mosques here reminded me of my visit to Turkey, and indeed the whole place has a more Eastern vibe to it, a very nice change of pace from the largely Eastern European feel of the town. Shopkeepers can be seen outside plying their wares and haggling with customers just as they would in a place like Istanbul. Duner Kebabs and Turkish tea are found readily and abundantly...

The Turkish influence can be felt all over this side of town. Again, Macedonia was once part of another nation - the Turkish Ottoman Empire, which once controlled the majority of the Balkans. However, unlike Bulgaria which seems to have repressed much of its Turkish influence, Macedonia seems to have embraced it (at least a bit), and mosques can be seen all over, dotting the countryside and peeking out in the middle of cities. The cuisine is a bit more Turkish influenced as well.


In the middle of town lies the Old Stone Bridge, one of the oldest structures in town, and still basically in tact after about 500 years. This bridge has seen many owners - the Turks, the Albanians, the Serbs, etc. - and seems to be a symbol of Macedonia itself. The bridge connects the new center to the Old Town and the fortress, and in this way connects all aspects of its history right in the most central part of the city. As the waters of time pass under the bridge, the structure stands, unchanged from empire to empire as a testament to not only the perseverance but also the very identity of the Macedonian people, a people who have taken aspects of each previous culture and have pieced them together to create something all their own.

Kazanluk Rose Festival

This weekend I was able to take a day trip over to the city of Kazanluk, a nice town in the middle of the country, to take in the annual Festival of the Roses. Kazanluk is located in what is called the Valley of the Roses, so called because of the vast swaths of roses grown there. This tiny region of the country accounts for about 60% of the world's production of rose oil, which is then used to make products such as perfume and other things sold for their aroma. As such, the rose has become something of a national symbol for Bulgaria.

The area is also known as the Valley of the Thracian Kings, being home to several dozen ancient Thracian tombs, including one preserved as a UNESCO heritage site. Another site, the ancient city of Sevtopolis, was completely covered in water when the communist government brilliantly built a dam right next to it. There are plans in the works to resurface the ruins of the ancient city, but those are just theoretical right now. Other attractions in the area include Shipka and it's amazing golden domed cathedral, the place in which Bulgarians repelled the Turks with Russian help, and Buzludja, the strange UFO shaped building that used to house the headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party.

On this day, however, we just stayed in Kazanluk for a bit and enjoyed the festivities. The day opened at the rose fields outside of town, where plenty of people dressed in traditional costumes invited us to go out into the muddy fields and pick roses for ourselves.


The view from the valley below is incredible, and the blooming roses fill the whole area with their fragrance. It's a bit overpowering at first, but makes for a very unique experience.


Later, we watched as traditional musicians and dancers put on a presentation near the fields. This performance was attended by the President of Bulgaria, as well as tons of ambassadors (as well as their amazing cars with their national flags on them). After that it was picture time for the tourists. There were people from pretty much everywhere in attendance, all being showered with rose petals by little children in traditional costumes. Meanwhile the old men continued playing their music...


Walking back from the fields, we stopped at the national Rose Museum, located at the Institute of Roses and Other Aromatic Plants. I had no idea there was such an institute previously, but here it was - containing specimens of basically every color rose possible, as well as specimens of lavender, lilac, and other flowers. The garden was all very picturesque, though the museum was anything but interesting.


Before catching the bus at 3, there was another dance session at the square, which today was lined with all sorts of vendors selling traditional pottery and various rose-containing products. It seemed like much of the town had converged on the square as live horo music blasted away. All the people came from a huge parade featuring what seemed to be every single group in the city and surrounding area. This made for a huge party-like atmosphere, bringing together all the different groups in one big festive dance.


I had to get back to my town, so the visit was cut a bit short, but overall I really enjoyed this festival. I think with that, I've attended almost every major festival in Bulgaria (this one is one of the big ones). There's one last one in August that takes place only every 5 years, and so it will be a treat to go experience that. The Rose Festival was a great time though, and a good taste of Bulgarian culture for everyone involved.

Madara Rider

Located about 15 minutes away from Preslav is one of Bulgaria’s most iconic symbols, and consequently one of the country’s most important sites. Standing high above the small, unassuming village of Madara is the Madara Horseman – a relief in the cliffs dating back to around the year 700. The sculpture includes rider mounted atop a horse, spearing a lion below and followed by a dog, apparently symbolic of victory. If the fact that creating something like this back then wasn’t hard enough, the entire thing is located about 50 feet off of the ground on a sheer rock face.



Of course, it’s not as if some guy back in the day saw a cliff and thought it would be a good idea to carve a sculpture into it. The entire area is said to have a certain spiritual energy – so much so that one of the founding fathers of Bulgaria, Han Asperux, built a fortress here to tap into the mystical forces held within. You can climb up from the site of the rider to the top of the mountain using a huge path of stairs winding through rocks on the side of the mountain. Nearby Pliska, Bulgaria’s first capital, was purposely built within close proximity to this place in order to both protect the mountain, and for the mountain to supply the capital with strength.


When you explore the nearby caves, it’s easy to see how the ancient Bulgarians thought this was a special place. There is a set of ruins located under a giant half dome in the side of the mountain. Overlooking this site is a giant rock about 100 feet tall, delicately held up by a collection of smaller rocks underneath. A small chapel was then built into those rocks, making for a beautiful little cave sanctuary.


While I was there, a small group of religious pilgrims from elsewhere in Bulgaria was worshipping at the chapel, still tapping into the “spiritual vibrations” that the rocks gave off, just as the first Bulgarians did. I had a fascinating (if somewhat odd) conversation with one of the pilgrims, who told me that if I stood a certain way while touching the rocks, my third eye would be opened. They also told me that Madara was one of 4 places in Bulgaria with special magical powers (the other being Belogradchik, the Trigrad Gorge, and a place in the southeast that I wasn’t familiar with). Unfortunately, I didn’t really sense that myself, but everyone else seemed really into it.


Taken as a whole, the area was a great day trip. With so much to see and experience in such a small area, it’s understandable to see that the whole place was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. This year the village is celebrating 30 years of having the Horseman on this distinguished list. Even more impressive, in my opinion, is the fact that the place is relatively untouched and uncrowded.

The Rider is also celebrated as the “Global Symbol of Bulgaria.” I know this because a giant sign at the entrance to the site proclaimed it as such. But it is indeed a powerful symbol and a great source of national pride. The image is inscribed on the reverse of most of the stotinki (coins) here. Recently, the Bulgarian people also voted to have the Horseman inscribed on their own Euro coins when they switch over from the lev in the coming years.


This shows that the site is still as important in the minds of the people here as it was so long ago. And with a good reason… The day spent there was one of my most fulfilling in all my travels around Bulgaria.

Until next time…

Got a Big Ego...

Yesterday I went over to Shumen to tackle something I’ve wanted to do ever since I got to this area. Now, going to Shumen is something I do all the time, being the major hub city near me. I feel like I’ve done much of what the city has to offer, including walking the long pedestrian stretch, visiting the Tombul Mosque (biggest mosque in the Balkans), eating at both Chinese food restaurants and all duner stands, and hitting up the Kaufland countless times. However, there’s one thing I’ve never done in the year I’ve been here… until now.

Standing high above the city is one of the most ridiculous, Communistastic, gigantic monuments in existence. This hulking amalgamation of concrete is the Creators of the Bulgarian State Monument, also known as the Monument to 1300 Years of Bulgaria. As both names suggest, the monument honors the founders of Bulgaria by commemorating a big milestone in the country’s history. Pretty innocent enough until you get to this fun little nugget of info: The monument is the only one in the world to depict the entire history of a country... something so pretentious, so over the top that it actually becomes awesome.


They accomplish this feat by putting together several different factors. Firstly, there is a huge set of stairs leading up to the monument itself from the center of town. There are (supposedly) 1300 stairs in all leading up the mountain, one for each year of Bulgaria’s history. I didn’t take the time to count each individual stair, but I think it’s safe to say that the figure is at least close to that mark…

This picture was taken close to halfway up...

When you reach the top of the stairs, you are greeted by some of the most bizarre sculptures I have ever seen. Many of the volunteers affectionately refer to them as “the Transformers.” These robotic-looking piles of concrete set into the bigger hunk of concrete are supposed to be representations of some of Bulgaria’s greatest heroes. The dream team is all there: Tsar Simeon (king of Preslav), Omurtag, Isperix… powerfully staring down at all visitors with all the force of a lego man (the tough one with the frown). Another wall is completely covered in mosaics depicting great moments in Bulgarian history, such as important battles, people building famous landmarks… there’s probably a few hammer-and-sickles and something about the Turks in there as well.


The entire monument is crowned with a gigantic concrete lion, the symbol of Bulgaria, watching over the city and (of course) guarding the entire country. From this spot, on a clear day, one can theoretically see 3 very important Bulgarian places: Pliska (first capital of Bulgaria), Veliki Preslav (second capital), and Madara (home to one of Bulgaria’s most iconic symbols, the rock relief of the Madara horseman – a UNESCO world heritage site and depicted on all Bulgarian coins). The site of the monument is also significant in that, according to legend, the first king of Bulgaria climbed to the spot, looked around at the valley below and declared for the first time that this land would be Bulgaria. I don’t know if there’s any way to verify that legend, but it does actually make for some pretty powerful views at the top.

So that’s another vital Bulgarian experience off my list of things to do in this country. It’s also the cause of my extreme soreness today, but I think it was all worth it, if not for the entertainment value alone.

Until next time…