A Balkan Recap

So how does one sum of 1600 plus (1,652.3 to be exact) miles through six countries over the course of fourteen days?   

A Balkan overview

 

Upon learning about our summer plans some people told us we were crazy while others were simply intrigued.  (I mean, who goes to Bulgaria and Romania for their summer vacation?)  I have to admit, I was thinking that we were a bit of both.  Just by looking at the map I could tell that the trip would entail a lot of driving and I hoped our poor little Honda would be up for the challenge.  And there weren't a lot of roads where we were going.  Sure once we were out of Albania our Tom Tom was able to map out a route for us but we weren't so sure about it all.  With a three and a half year old any road trip is always an iffy proposition; just how many hours is he willing to be strapped into a car seat before demanding to be set free?  And I knew it would be hot.  Very hot.  After all, the residents of the places on our itinerary flee the area in July and August to escape the heat.  So why were these crazy Americans actually going into the depths of the heat?  For the adventure and to be able to say we did it.  (And we are glad we did).  So here's a recap of the highlights and commentary about the trip.

 

Greece:

 

• The monasteries of Meteora are amazing and if you ever have a chance to visit, do it.  Yes it was hot but because of the heat it was "off season" for the area so we had much of the place to ourselves.  It was breathtaking to take in the sweeping views from the mountain peaks and with an occasional breeze, the heat wasn't so bad.  And at night I loved sitting on our hotel balcony and looking back up at the looming hills.  I can completely understand why the monks settled here.

• We didn't love Thessaloniki.  We wanted to but we just couldn't.  With the exception of a few hidden gems and the fabulous view from our hotel room, we found the city to be dirty, graffiti covered, and down trodden.  Venturing outside of Thessaloniki was better and afforded us the opportunity to explore ancient ruins and take in a waterfall or two.  

• The vast area in between our two stops in Greece was flat, dry, and seemingly endless.  We witnessed firsthand how the depressed economy has effected northern Greece.  The bright spot along this stretch of road was the road itself.  Maybe I have been in Albania too long but I found the road, or divided highway as it was in most places, to be well maintained.  (Greeks love their signage as well.  I quickly lost track of the number of signs we saw warning us of the presence of bears or cows).  The main highway was obviously new and in places, still under construction.  You just don't realize how important the quality road is to a place until you live in a place that doesn't have them!

Romania:

• We absolutely loved Bucharest.  This up and coming city felt grungy yet hip.  It appears that the city is slowly awakening from a dark past and being renovated without becoming completely gentrified.  From churches and cafes to public parks and large scale apartment buildings, everything seemed to be under going a slow renovation. (I say slow since our Romanian friends say that they work just isn't being done fast enough).  And Bucharest has plenty of true pedestrian only areas.  I love being able to meander through these areas without the fear of being run down by speeding mopeds.

• You only have to walk down a Bucharest street or two to witness Romania's Communist past first hand.  During Ceauseascu's reign, entire neighborhoods had been demolished leaving areas devoid of character yet so many of the churches dating to the Byzantine Empire had been left untouched.  Combine this with architectural influences from both western Europe and the Ottoman Empire and Bucharest is nothing if not eclectic.  All of this made for a interesting city where we never knew what we would discover around the corner.  

 

Bulgaria:

• Who knew that Bulgaria is expected to produce 1.4 million tons of sunflowers in 2013 and 2014.  I didn't and it wasn't until we spent hours driving through field after field of sunflowers that I began to understand the extent of Bulgaria's sunflower oil production.  Bulgaria also produces corn and corn oil and we saw our share of these crops as well.  Having driven a large portion of the country my impression of Bulgaria is that of a largely rural and agricultural nation.  These rolling fields, mountains, and deep gorges were beautiful and my favorite part of Bulgaria.

• Customs and passport control in and out of Bulgaria is tough.  We had our required visas but even (or perhaps) of our diplomatic passports and Albanian license plates border crossings were long and a bit tedious.  Crossing from Greece into Bulgaria resulted in our (and Russian plated cars) being pulled over on the side of the road for close to a full hour as other cars zipped past.  Crossing into Bulgaria from Romania was slightly easier.

• Signs of Bulgaria's Communist past were readily evident whenever we entered a city or urban area.  Blocky concrete high rises ominously filled the skylines reminding me of how harsh living conditions had been for so many people.  This was particularly evident in the city of Ruse which is located across the Danube River from Romania.  Here kilometer after kilometer of depressing and dilapidated buildings lined the highway reminding me of many of America's public housing projects.  The fact that they are still occupied by hundreds of families reminded me how poverty stricken this part of the world really is.

• We covered a lot of miles here but spent our time in two Bulgarian cities, the historic city of Veliko Tarnovo and the capitol city of Sofia.  In between were hundreds of miles of narrow but paved roads and unexplained detours.  (Well, maybe they were explained but in Cyrillic only).  Veliko Tarnovo was hot and interesting but not my favorite stop along our journey.  In many respects Sofia felt like a smaller version of Bucharest.  It was both historic and modern.  It may be because we ate better food there, but I just might have liked Sofia better.  

 

Macedonia:

 

•  Macedonia produced the biggest surprise of our entire vacation.  Skopje proved to be a small vibrant city filled with a surprisingly high level of buildings and reconstruction going on.  Not only is the city investing in new municipal buildings but the building boom includes a large number of monuments, statues, and fountains.  Our brief Skopje stop was the perfect way to end our trip.  So much so that we are trying to find a time to go back.

 

We then passed through Kosovo on our way back to Albania.  We've been there before and in many respects the country feels like a slightly more developed version of Albania.  We were greeted by Albanian flags at the Macedonian-Kosovo border where our passports received only the slightest glance by the Albanian speaking customs official.  Crossing into Albania was even less stringent with a mere wave of the hand before we sped off.  But we didn't go too far too fast; a herd of cows was standing in the middle of the divided highway.  Yes, at this point we definitely knew we were back in Albania!  (And unlike Greece, there were no signs warning us beforehand).  

 

So this was our summer vacation.  It was a far cry from our much more relaxing Scandinavian adventure of last year.  This year we returned home weary and travel worn but so glad we had undertaken this endeavor.  We saw places we had only heard about and experienced a culture that is so unlike what we are used to.  From the Cyrillic language to the local cultures we were pushed outside of our comfort zone but for me, that is what travel is all about.  So if you want clean and pristine, go to northern Europe; if edgy and up and coming is more your style, then come visit the Balkans.  It won't always be easy or comfortable but it will be an adventure.  

Taking In A Statue (Or Two) In Skopje

A city being rebuilt: the
bronze dome of the new
 municipal water
building

Skopje, Macedonia, a.k.a. FYROM, was the final stop on our Balkan road trip. We pulled into Skopje on day 13 of our journey hot and a bit travel weary but excited about what we would find.  Friends who had lived or spent time in Skopje had told us that it was a wonderful city that was undergoing a grand renewal so we were ready to see this for ourselves.  After all, each of the other Balkan capitols we had visited had pleasantly surprised us so we expected more of the same here.

I had been told that Skopje was a city full of statues but until I saw it for myself, I didn't fully comprehend what this actually meant.  Seeing as Skopje is a city in a former Communist country, I fully expected to see my share of statues portraying stern looking men armed with weapons.  After all, these nationalistic statues had graced every city and town and many of the roadsides we had traveled through over the past two weeks so it would make sense that Skopje would have more of the same.  But what I saw in Skopje was different.  Very different.  Sure they still had their share of Cold War era monuments but new modern looking statues, monuments, and fountains were being built throughout the city at a scale unlike anything I had ever seen before.  Additionally, new municipal buildings, museums, theaters, and hotels were being constructed along the renovated riverfront.  Yes, we found Skopje to be a city under construction and it was all very exciting.

The Stone Bridge at night; a renovated original

Skopje is a city of contrasts. We wandered through the cobblestone streets of the old Turkish bazaar filled with its non-descript cafes, stores selling everything from gowns and precious metals to housewares and tourist trinkets, and abandoned buildings.  We climbed up to the Skopje Kale, or fortress, which dates back to the Ottoman Empire.  The grounds and fortress itself were in turn rebuilt, over grown, and somewhere in between.  In true Balkan form, resident dogs held court over the paths making me look twice before turning each corner.  The original walls had been refortified and from the top we took in the sweeping view of the city below us and the Millennium Cross perched atop the looking Vondo Mountain.  But the most interesting part of our experience in the city was the statues and monuments that appeared on so many street corners and public squares.  Upon returning home I did a little researched and discovered what this public art building craze was all about.

One of 15 equestrian statues

Under the moniker of Skopje 2014:  The New Face of Macedonia, Skopje aims to revamp its image by constructing twenty new public buildings, 15 equestrian statues, and a memorial dedicated to fallen heroes.  The center piece of the project is a grand, 22 meter high bronze statue of Alexander the Great that sits in the city's main square. (A corresponding one of his father Philip of Macedon sits on an opposing square).  During our visit on a very hot August night hundreds of people were in the square taking in the sights.  Children and adults, couples, singles, and teens alike splashed in the fountain as they took in the multi-colored water and light show that accompanied the classical music that was pumped into the square. The whole experience was simultaneously impressive, surreal, and over the top.  It was unlike anything I have ever seen before.  (Many of the other fountains also had light shows with both the lights and the music lasting well into the early morning hours).









Because words can't adequately describe the experience here are a few pictures to give you a better idea of what I am talking about:

Alexander the Great in all his greatness

Close up of the water display

Another magical display- all part of the Alexander the
Great monument

And there were other statues and monuments as well:

Saints

and heroes

This fountain (below) located immediately outside of our hotel was perhaps the sweetest of them all.  As series of mother figures flanked its perimeter.  Each mother held a child at a different stage of their childhood.  It was touching and unlike any of the other statues we saw.  And Sidney, of course, was more interested in the water than the touching significance of the figures.

I called this the mother-child fountain; all of the figures
portray mothers with children

Celebrating music

and theater

And then there were the public buildings.  A new municipal water building was being constructed with a shiny bronze dome.  (Who does this these days?).  It would only make sense that a new national theater, which itself celebrates arts and culture, located in a city celebrating public art on such a grand scale, would have its own statues.  Although much smaller in scale than the grand ones flanking the main square, the statues surrounding the still under construction national theater were the first ones we noticed as we made our way to the hotel.  In true new Skopje fashion, the theater building has statues flanking its entry ways and its grand veranda overlooking the river.  These were whimsical and a welcome change from the warriors perched on horseback.

Naturally, any project of this scale is going to have its critics.  People are unhappy with everything from the concept and costs to the architectural designs.  The contracting of public projects is big business all over the globe and as is often the case, accusations of a lack of transparency abound.  One year into the project officials are reporting that to date,  208 million Euro has been spent while critics place the number at a figure closer to between 500 million to one billion Euro.  (Either way, during these fragile economic times, that is a lot of money to spend).  Some claim such a project detracts from the larger issues that are pressing to many Macedonians.  High unemployment rates, potential NATO membership, and the ongoing name controversy that is hindering the country's entry into the European Union are issues that many feel need to be addressed before erecting new monuments.

Being neither Macedonian nor living there I have a different perspective.  As a tourist I was entranced by the spectacle that is the "new" Skopje.  We found the city to be a pleasant place to visit and one we would readily return to.  If the city's goal is to attract foreign tourism and we are any indication, they seem to be succeeding on this front.  As an urban planner I was pleased to see a level of thought and development that I have found lacking in most of the other Balkan countries and cities I have visited.   Having sat on both sides of the public project table I can only imagine the talking, planning, and negotiations that have gone into the implementation of this project to date and the amount of work that has yet to be done.  But having been involved in the implementation of large scale public projects, I am well aware of how much these endeavors cost.  During our short visit I repeatedly found myself wondering how the project was being funded.  Tax dollars?  Private investment?  A combination of both?  During lean economic times I wonder whether this is truly the best use of public dollars.  I do hope that the work is completed before the money and public will dry up.  Too often projects that begin as a good idea never reach fruition leaving a community no better off than they were before they began.  This I have seen throughout the Balkans.  For Skopje, only time will tell.  Regardless of it all, Skopje was a grand way to conclude our Balkan adventure.

The Other Greece In The Other Macedonia

Graffiti

There are two Greeces and two Macedonias.  The first Greece is the aquamarine island covered one filled with small fishing villages, fresh seafood and boats carrying sun-kissed  tourists.  The other Greece is the breadbasket of the country; rural, rugged, and decidedly untouristy.  The first Macedonia is the a fore mentioned northern most region of Greece; the second Macedonia is technically the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), an independent country north of the Greek border that is recognized by most of the world yet whose name is disputed by its southern neighbors.

While the FYROM will be the last leg on our Balkan adventure we visited the Greek Macedonia early in our trip.  We had returned to Greece again with the goal of exploring the central and eastern environs of the country.  We clambered over the hills and monasteries in Meteora before setting out for Thessaloniki and the Aegean Sea in the east.  I'm not sure what we were expecting to see along the way--perhaps the sun drenched coast and quaint fishing villages that beg tourists to visit.  Instead, our drive took us through the flat and dusty plains of central Greece.  The roads were mostly in good condition alternating between freshly rehabilitated and still under construction leaving us to rely on common sense rather than our GPS.  The land was alternately rugged and somewhat fertile with farm tractors far outnumbering private vehicles.  We drove through one small town after another with each looking more forlorn than the last.  Greece's economy has been on a downward spiral for some time and this was so apparent as we drove through kilometer after kilometer of the countryside.  Even in the middle of the week businesses appeared to be shuttered--with the exception being places selling farm equipment.   We had lunch one day in the mountain village of Edessa where the highlight of our visit was their giant waterfalls.  (Well, the highlight of Sidney's day was watching a graffiti covered train come through the station while we were eating lunch nearby).  The waterfalls were a pleasant surprise but their beauty was marred by the obvious neglect that surrounded them.  Grass and shrubs were overgrown and then there was the graffiti. Graffiti seems to be the national signage of Greece with everything from road signs and buildings to trees and even vehicles being covered with the colorful artwork (?), vandalism (?) symbols of free expression (?).  There was just graffiti everywhere.

Standing under the waterfalls of Edessa

Taking a break from exploring the Bey Hamam in Thessaloniki

And yet more graffiti

Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city after its capitol Athens, wasn't quite what we had been expecting either.  With the city sitting on the edge of the Thermaic Gulf I had visions of crystal waters and fresh fish gracing every menu.  Instead I was disappointed to hear that because of the rampant pollution the water was neither clean nor the source of the fish on restaurant menus.  The streets were filled with people but they appeared mostly to be disenfranchised youth lounging at cafes or hanging around the waterfront.  Again, the amount of graffiti here was unbelievable. Maybe it is because I have worked in inner cities for so long but the sight of that much graffiti had me wondering about the levels of crime and personal safety of the area.

Thessaloniki is a city with a long history so we were excited to visit her most famous landmarks.  Despite the intense July heat we dutifully set out to explore the area.  The Bey Hamam didn't disappoint.  Having visited a functioning hamam in Istanbul we knew what to expect and enjoyed following Sidney through one chamber after another exploring each nook and cranny.  The Roman Agora in the heart of Thessaloniki was another surprise.  It still amazes me that in this ancient part of the world one minute you can be in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the modern city and in the next you are standing in the middle of ancient ruins.  Now that is cool.  What wasn't so cool however; were the boarded up graffiti covered store fronts that circled the ruins.  The juxtaposition between the preserved old and the neglected new was ironic.  There were other sites we had hoped to visit but upon arriving at them we found them shuttered.  (I don't think it was the day of the week we were visiting either because by the looks of the overgrown grass these sites hadn't been opened to the public for some time).  What we did find were restaurants that were open for business and knew how to treat customers right.  While none of them were full all were eager to serve us and staying away from fish, we were treated to some of the simplest but tastiest food we had eaten in a long time.  It wasn't fancy but it was served with a smile and as Sidney said, "made his tummy happy".  Now it really doesn't get much better than that.

A beautiful view of a not so clean bay

I wanted to like Thessaloniki and the Macedonia region of Greece; I really did.  It is Greece after all!  So many people had raved about the region that I was excited to visit. Perhaps I had set my expectations too high.  Or as Glenn said, after all of the traveling we have been doing in the past couple of years, it was time we experienced a dud.  I can honestly say that Thessaloniki and the Macedonia region of Greece is an area I won't be rushing back to.  Perhaps we missed out on the real treasures but I left there feeling a bit depressed and wanting a bit more.  Or perhaps I need to stick to visiting Greece's islands.  I wanted the area to be cleaner, brighter, and better cared for.   As a first time visitor I'm not sure if the conditions we saw are a direct reflection on Greece's fragile economy or if that is the way the city has always looked.  I hope it is the former since that gives me hope that it can turn around when the economy rebounds.  I do love this region's wine though, and am pretty sure I will be able to find it at home.  That will be my Thessaloniki / Macedonia / Greek souvenir.

Ancient ruins right in the middle of the city

Yugos and Donkeys and Furgons, Oh My (Part I)

In the Land of Yugos

Being escorted through Southeastern Albania

This past weekend we took at road trip through southeastern Albania to Lake Ohrid, Macedonia.  Under the auspices of an Albanian cultural trip, we travelled as part of a nine vehicle caravan with other attaches posted in Albania.  Logic would have dictated that we stay within the confines of Albania's borders but the desire for a brief reprieve from the country had us spending one night on the Macedonian side of Lake Ohrid.

Albania may be a small country, roughly the size of Maryland, but due to its varied geography and abysmal road conditions we spent a large portion of the weekend in our cars.  I don't know how many of you have tried to drive for 400 plus miles as part of a large caravan but visually it is akin to herding cats- mostly by pure miracle we all managed to get from one location to another without getting lost.  Strategically planned coffee stops helped us regroup and power on to our onward destinations.  (When I complained about the stops to Glenn he reminded me that this was a cultural trip and drinking coffee is very much a part of the Albanian experience).

Old Yugoslavian cars

The more we travel in Europe the more amazed I am at how topography, architecture, and culture can be so varied by simply crossing an international border.  Crossing from Albania into Macedonia- or the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) as the country is officially known, was literally like crossing into another world.  Streets were litter free, infrastructure was modern, Ottoman influenced buildings were well maintained, and traffic laws were obeyed.  Instead of the diesel spewing Mercedes that are ubiquitous throughout Albania, the narrow streets were filled with well preserved cars from the days when the country was known as Yugoslavia.

Plaosnik

We spent our first night along the shores of Lake Ohrid in the village of Ohrid.  The small lakeside village is a tourist destination with its historic district protected by its UNESCO status.  The village was filled with the usual tourist attractions you would find at any beach side community- trinket shops, cheap hotels, and fast food restaurants (there was even a McDonald's but for some reason they didn't serve French fries which lead Glenn to proclaim that it really wasn't a McDonald's).  Away from this commercialized strip, however, we wandered through cobblestone streets lined with ancient Ottoman buildings.  Dodging the raindrops we explored churches and an amphitheater, took in the views of the lake and the distant Albanian shore from the ruins of the castle, and sipped Macedonian wine from a waterfront restaurant.

Our brief trip to Macedonia got even better when we left Ohrid on the second day.  Traveling along narrow but meticulously maintained roads (we definitely weren't in Albania any more) we drove high above the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid and into Galicica National Park.  Through a collaboration with the German government, a series of linked hiking trails has been established throughout the park.  Roadside pull offs at trail heads made for easy access for those who are brave enough to hike the sheer cliffs.  The cloudy weather obstructed some of our views but that sheer raw beauty of the area was still apparent.  The feeling of driving above the clouds and looking down onto the villages and lake below was amazing.  We felt as though we were a world away from civilization, and in many respects we were.

We visited two other Macedonian sites that day, the Bay of Bones Museum, a prehistoric development along the shores of Lake Ohrid and the 16th Century Sveti Naum monastery.   Despite the intermittent rain, both of these sites were teeming with other visitors.  While I found both museums interesting, what struck me the most was how well developed and maintained they were.  From the neatly labeled signage- in both Macedonian and English- to the clean restrooms and restaurants, the area is obviously catering to tourists.  The Macedonian government has clearly figured out how to market its assets- both natural and manmade- and they are reaping in the financial benefits.

The Albanian government talks about wanting to attract foreign tourists, but Macedonia has figured out how to make this vision a reality.  Separated but a few miles and two large lakes, the two countries and their approach to tourism could not be more different.  This realization makes me both sad and hopeful at the same time.  I'm hopeful because Albania does have a natural beauty, friendly people, and historic sites that people would travel miles to see.  Under the right circumstances tourists could infuse desperately needed money into the local economy.  Simultaneously, I am saddened by the current reality that the country is so mired in corruption that it can't fully take advantage of the opportunities that exist.

I don't know what the solution is; if it was easy it would have already been done.  What I do know is that the stark contrast between the two countries is nakedly apparent.  It would become even more apparent as we continued our trip back across the border into Albania.

High above Lake Ohrid in Galicica National Park