In Ohrid, North Macedonia, the Marinov family has been fashioning utilitarian and decorative objects out of copper and brass for one hundred years. Shawn and I happened upon the third and fourth-generation artists’ small studio one afternoon, while exploring Ohrid’s UNESCO-registered Old Town, which is replete with hundreds of Eastern Orthodox churches. The Marinov shopContinue reading “A Mask-Maker in Ohrid, North Macedonia”
Category Archives: North Macedonia
Mingling Over Macedonian Wines: A Wine Tasting & Lecture in Skopje
North Macedonia’s legacy of winemaking goes back to the 13th Century BCE, and today the southeast European nation’s industry is witnessing a rebirth. On our first night in the country’s capital, Skopje, we were lucky to be taken under the wing of Ivana Simjanovska, one of the country’s foremost wine experts, as we attended a wineContinue reading “Mingling Over Macedonian Wines: A Wine Tasting & Lecture in Skopje”
The Perfect Skopje Excursion: Exploring North Macedonia’s Matka Canyon
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” William Shakespeare Though I love the energy and cultural offerings characteristic of large cities, I’m most at home in natural settings. During my childhood, I’d go “on safari” in my backyard, passing away hours hiking and hunting for fossils and critters. It comes as no surprise then,Continue reading “The Perfect Skopje Excursion: Exploring North Macedonia’s Matka Canyon”
Orthodox Easter Celebrations in Ohrid, North Macedonia
This spring, we’ve had the fortune of observing Easter celebrations not once, but twice. In Croatia, where Catholicism predominates, we celebrated Easter in late March. This past weekend, we also got to participate in Orthodox Easter festivities in North Macedonia. Given its spiritual ties and the fact that it once had more than 365 churches,Continue reading “Orthodox Easter Celebrations in Ohrid, North Macedonia”
Photo du Jour: St. John Orthodox Church at Sunset – Ohrid, North Macedonia
A boat glides across the golden, shimmering surface of Lake Ohrid on the eve of Orthodox Easter. A silhouetted version of Saint John at Kaneo stands guard in the background. Archaeologists think that the church was built before the rise of the Ottoman Empire, perhaps in the 13th century. Frescoes adorn Saint John’s dome; they were discovered in the 1960s.
Travels With Tricia 