Goodbye Macedonia Hello Macedonia

In this edition we say goodbye to the Republic of Macedonia and it's drying tobacco leaves, funny loos  and pretty flag and cross the border into, wait for it, Macedonia.

Mrs N is taken very much by the drying 'baccy as we head for the border on dangerous roads

Sit for a while in the wrong queue to enter Macedonia Province of the Hellenic Republic (MPOTHR) - free left hand European citizen lane spotted eventually

Man with big spear

Could we be reminded of the Trent valley by the power generation capability of the plains of northern Greece?

Via Egnatia - we head west towards Rome where all roads lead.  We divert to Ioannina lakeside University town of beauty as our rendevous with a carpenter at Igoumenitsa is disrupted.

Greece welcomes careful cat feeders

Ioannna hotel of delight with parking for our efficient pageant

Castro of Ioannina

Ouzeri within castro

Aviary within castro, Otoman was here

Beautiful lake view of Ioannina

Byzantine church, where is the synagogue?

It's sunset and time to find a traditional non-tourist Greek restauarnt

Not for the average tourist - σαλάτα παντζάρι

Hello hello hello....

στο δεκάρα καταστήματα και σταθμούς λεωφορείων άνθρωποι μιλούν πάνω από situations, τρώνε παντζάρια από το πιάτο γεμάτο και σκατά όλη τη νύχτα στις τουαλέτες (sorry B. Dylan)

Musical interlude

Next episode - I want to break free....

Република Македонија

FYROM, that's what the hysterical Greeks call it hysterically -   "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia".  Rather than me trotting out stuff, read about the Republic of Macedonia here ----> CLICK ON ME.

Anyhow, we spent a weekend in this pleasant country mostly eating raw vegetables and here are some piccies:

We have lunch at a trout farm near Gostivar...

Plenty of fresh vegetation'''

fresh pitta bread

and salmon with 7 chips.

After their notable success in Greece with Essex brand washing powder the guys at Reckit and Coleman have been doing their market reserach in Macedonia too.

Sanitary arrangments type A

Sanitary arrangements type B with tickler device

The next day we head towards the Albanian border.

Coffee stop at Kitchik Towers lakeside hotel

Apparently on Sundays the local traffic police dress up in pantomine gear

Lake Mavrovo

More traffic police

Ohrid, the town of 364 churches sits on  Lake Ohrid and borders Albania.

There is a definite Otoman style in this town except for the restaurant names

I can't say that it's all Greek to me because it's serbianic

Plan of Lake Ohrid showing Albanian border

Weeping willow and rain drops.

We decided to take a short boat trip in the rain..

and Mrs N takes control of the tiller man.

Ohrid is a bike rally destination and here is the pretty Macedonian flag.

This is a pleasant place especially when the rain stops.