Wanderings: Ohrid, North Macedonia

March 9, 2019

After an overnight in Vienna, I took the morning flight to Ohrid (1) in North Macedonia (2). We flew south of the city, and descended over the full length of Lake Ohrid before landing. The weather was unseasonably warm, with temperatures in the high 60s, almost 20 degrees warmer than usual for this time of year.

The old walled city hugs the lake on a penninsula near the north end of the lake. I went for a walk up through the woods to the Fortress of Tsar (3) Samuil, which afforded sweeping views of the Lake and Albania on the Western shore.

Descending via the reconstructed Greek amphitheater, I walked along the rickety boardwalk over the Lake to the southwest point of the penninsula and the Church of St John the Theologian (St John Kaneo, or St John on the Rocks). If you have ever seen a picture of Ohrid (or even of Macedonia), it was probably this iconic church.

Given the unexpectedly warm weather, a lot of locals were visiting and walking about, and we greeted each other with a cheerful "dobra den" (good afternoon). A man with a boat offered to take me out for views of the Lake and Church. His dog, "Admiral Max," seemed quite pleased to be out on the water. Lupcho (the captain) was happy for the early-season business. We puttered about in his boat while he regaled me with the history of the town and of the lake (4).

I lingered on the bluffs overlooking the lake to watch the sunset over the snow-capped mountains of Albania as I listened to the small waves lapping against the shore.

I was staying at a combined hotel/winery and stopped in to sample the wine. There were quite a few people and a gentle din in the wine bar. Judging by what I could read of a sign in the wall, I happened upon the opening of a photo exhibit by a local artist, who was there with friends and family. The hostess offered me another glass of wine (5). I declined. "One's my limit, I have a long walk home" I said (my room was two doors down). She smiled and offered to "call a cab" or take me "on piggyback."

(1) Actually, the only flight from Vienna (or anywhere else) to Ohrid today.

(2) This was a brand new country name less than a month ago. The country was officially known as "The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (b) until February 12, 2019. They had already changed the sign at the airport to welcome us to North Macedonia.

(b) As the previous name suggests, this was one of the republics that became independent upon the dissolution of Yugoslavia. The Greeks objected to the name "Macedonia" for historic reasons (i) and because they expressed concern that the name implied territorial claims by Macedonia on the adjoining Greek province of the same name. Being a member of NATO and the EU, Greece was prepared to veto Macedonia accession to either of these groups (ii) The Greek and Macedonian Prime ministers negotiated the name change, which was passed by the Parliaments of the respective countries over objections in both places (iii).

(i) The Greeks assert that Philip of Macedon and Alexander the Great were ethnically Greek. Slavic peoples moved into the area over 1,000 years ago, and the area was incorporated into Yugoslavia (^) after the First World War.

(^) "Yugoslavia" means land of the southern Slavs.

(ii) North Macedonia is now NATO's newest member.

(iii) Greek nationalists objected to any use of "Macedonia," while Macedonian nationalists objected to any modifier to Macedonia (*).

(*) There are credible reports that Russia supported a boycott of the referendum on the name change in Macedonia in an attempt to torpedo Macedonia's bid to join NATO.

(3) Like Russian rulers, the leaders of Bulgaria (of which Macedonia was a part many centuries ago) used the title "Tsar," which is derived from the Roman word Caesar.

(4) Lupcho said there was a large storm last March that generated waves big enough to destroy some lake-front buildings.

(5) When I went to pay, I was told the wine was "on the house," presumably to celebrate the photo exhibit.