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LAKE OHRID, THE JEWEL OF MACEDONIA, IS LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE COUNTRY.
TWO THIRDS OF THE LAKE LIE WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF MACEDONIA AND ONE THIRD LIES WITHIN ALBANIA.
IT IS A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE COVERING 138 SQUARE MILES AND IS TOUTED TO BE THE OLDEST
AND DEEPEST LAKE IN EUROPE. LAKE OHRID PROVIDES THE LIFEBLOOD FOR THE FERTILE VALLEYS THAT
EXTEND BEYOND ITS SHORES. MILES FROM THE LAKE YOU CAN DIG A WELL AND STRIKE WATER WITHIN FIVE FEET.
FAIRYLAND
TROUT BOATS
(THE ENDANGERED OHRID TROUT IS AN EXPENSIVE DELICACY)
LAKE OHRID IS A TOURIST MAGNET THAT BOOSTS THE ECONOMY OF THE AREA WELL BEYOND THE REST OF
MACEDONIA. HOTEL CONSTRUCTION IN AND AROUND THE CITIES OF OHRID AND STRUGA IS GOING BONKERS.
OHRID
THE CITY OF OHRID (POP. 42,000) IS ON THE NORTHEAST SHORE OF THE LAKE. ITS TOURISM IS VERY
DEVELOPED AND THE CITY IS KEPT PRISTINE. OHRID DATES BACK TO BIBLICAL TIMES AND HAS MANY
RESTORED ORTHODOX CHURCHES AND A LARGE FLOURISHING OLDTOWN DISTRICT. INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS
FILL ITS MANY HOTELS. IT IS THE PRIME REAL ESTATE OF MACEDONIA.
GLORIOUS OHRID!
OHRID HAS INTERESTING ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES, A VIVID NIGHTLIFE, AND DAILY TOURIST ACTIVITIES.
ANCIENT AMPHITHEATRE IN OHRID
PARADE FOR THE TOURISTS
(THE GOAT-BAG PIPER WAS A FRIEND OF NIKOLCE’S)
BACK STREETS OF OHRID
OHRID IS FIRST ON THE LIST OF PLACES TO SEE IN MACEDONIA. THE HOTELS IN TOWN ARE EXPENSIVE BUT NOT
ON THE OUTSKIRTS. ON MY FIRST VISIT I STAYED AT THE
HOTEL SUN GATE WHICH I
HIGHLY RECOMMEND--EXCELLENT
ROOMS AND SERVICE, GREAT FOOD, BEAUTIFUL VIEW, AND VERY REASONABLY PRICED.
IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF OHRID HERE IS A YOUTUBE SLIDESHOW:
Slideshow
STRUGA
THE CITY OF STRUGA (POP. 20,000) IS ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE LAKE 15 KM WEST OF OHRID.
THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION IN AND AROUND STRUGA IS ALBANIAN. (IN OHRID THE POPULATION IS
OVERWHELMINGLY MACEDONIAN.) ITS MAIN INDUSTRY IS INTERNAL TOURISM. MACEDONIANS ON A LIMITED
BUDGET AND ALBANIANS FROM KOSOVO FLOCK TO STRUGA IN JULY AND AUGUST TO LIE ON THE BEACHES AND
DRINK BEER IN THE CLUBS.
THE BEST FEATURE OF STRUGA IS THE RIVER DRIM (BLACK RIVER) WHICH FLOWS SLOWLY OUT OF CONTROLLED
LOCKS RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF TOWN AND IS LINED WITH OUTDOOR CAFES. IN THE SUMMER PEOPLE
JUMP OFF THE BRIDGES INTO THE CLEAR WATER.
THE RIVER BEGINS
THE CENTER FOR SOCIAL ACTIVITY IN STRUGA IS THE OLD-TOWN DISTRICT. ITS ONE COBBLE STREET IS
CLOSED TO TRAFFIC MAKING IT THE HAPPENING SCENE FOR LOCALS, TOURISTS, SHOPPERS, BEGGARS, STROLLERS,
POSERS, AND COFFEE-DRINKERS. SINCE MOST MACEDONIANS HAVE LITTLE DISPOSABLE INCOME HANGING OUT AT
THE CENTER IS A CHEAP SOURCE OF ENTERTAINMENT.
STRUGA OLDTOWN
MAIN INTERSECTION IN STRUGA
STRUGA HOTEL ROOM
(CHECK OUT THE NAME--ALBANIANS LOVE CLINTON AND BUSH BECAUSE THEY KEPT THE SERBS IN CHECK IN KOSOVO)
STRUGA HOSTS AN INTERNATIONAL POETRY FESTIVAL IN AUGUST IN THE TOWN PARK WHERE PLAQUES ARE DEDICATED
TO YEARLY RECIPIENTS OF THE GOLDEN WREATH AWARD.
YEAH!! U.S.A. RULES!!
UNLIKE OHRID STRUGA IS LITTERED AND OFTEN SMELLS LIKE BURNING GARBAGE, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT WHEN
THEY ACTUALLY DO BURN GARBAGE. STRUGA HAS MUCH TO OFFER BUT THERE IS NO IMAGINATION FROM EITHER
THE LEADERSHIP OR THE PEOPLE. ALL THE BUSINESSES LAMENTED THE LACK OF TOURISTS IN 2007 BUT THE
REASON IS OBVIOUS. IF THEY DO NOT CLEAN THE PLACE UP TOURISTS ARE EVEN LESS LIKELY TO COME IN
THE FUTURE.
TO THEIR CREDIT STRUGA PAYS SOMEONE TO PICK UP GARBAGE AT THE BEACHES
HERE ARE TWO VIDEOS OF STRUGA:
Video 1
Video 2
NEITHER OHRID NOR STRUGA TYPIFIES MACEDONIAN LIFE, WHICH IS MOSTLY RURAL HAND-TO-MOUTH EXISTENCE.
BECAUSE OF THE LAKE THE TOURIST INDUSTRY PROVIDES SOME ECONOMIC STABILITY BUT ALSO A SENSE OF
UNREALNESS. THIS IS DEMONSTRATED BY THE FACT THAT MANY PEOPLE SPEAK GERMAN OR ENGLISH AS A
SECOND LANGUAGE. IT WAS EASY FOR ME TO BE AROUND MACEDONIANS THAT SPOKE ENGLISH AND AS A
RESULT I ONLY LEARNED A FEW WORDS AND PHRASES IN MACEDONIAN.
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