The Big O

Friday, June 22, 2018
Ohrid, Municipality of Ohrid, Macedonia
We were up early this morning, had breakfast, and boarded the 9am bus for the three-hour ride to Ohrid, because it wouldn't be a Jones trip without several hours with our butts on public transit.
As we headed south, the terrain gradually changed to greener and hillier, and miles of vineyards lined the roads as we passed. Around 12pm we arrived in Ohrid, known as the Jewel In Macedonia's Crown for its lakeside beauty. We walked through Old Town to find our guesthouse....and walked up...and up....and discovered that when our guesthouse calls itself "Stone House," they weren't screwing around. Stone House is literally carved out of a stone hillside- the rooms are floor-to-ceiling rock.  Even the bathroom is cavelike, much like our cave hotel in Turkey. And every room opens onto a terrace with jaw-dropping views of Lake Ohrid. Frankly, Ohrid felt familiar, and I realized why: The lake and terrain are doppelgangers for Lake Chelan, Washington.  Between the gorgeous surroundings, and the charm of the twisty Old Town, we couldn't have been more happy to take the room keys.  Well, at least not until the owner gave us a liter of local wine to "welcome" us, which then dialed our happiness all the way up to 11.
We decided to get lunch, then explore the town. We found a little outdoor cafe, right near the lakeside in an Old Town alley. We had Greek salad and Turkish kebabs and wine and it was all so good and so cheap that we ended up sitting there in wine-addled bliss for several hours in the sunshine. 
When we finally decided to roll our full selves out of there, we took a walk along the lakeside promenade. I should note here that "promenade" is the word Ohrid chooses to use. That word makes me think of grand boulevards filled with pedestrians and cyclists and street vendors. In Ohrid, I think "slightly rickety wooden boardwalk that will definitely force you to walk through water" is far more accurate. But it's an incredibly charming walk, which leads past tiny lakeside cafes with the tide pooling up to the chair legs, little jettys,  and "beaches" consisting of concrete pads over deep swimming holes. The entire promenade was backed up right against the sheer stone face of Ohrid. I loved it.
The promenade ended at Ohrid's most famous sight, Saint Jovan Kaneo Church. It's perched atop a hill, overlooking Lake Ohrid, and the views are stunning. We reached Saint Jovan around 6pm, just as a storm was brewing over the lake. Matt took some pretty amazing pictures while I dangled my feet over the ramparts and watched the lake change colors with the storm. 
One thing I love about Ohrid is its laid back vibe. We relaxed in our lovely stone room, watching the lake from the terrace, and went out for a late night pizza at a restaurant that was literally a hole in the wall- it was accessible through a hole in the Old Town fortress wall. We seemed to be the only ones who found this amusing, however.
So we have two more days in Ohrid, and several liters of wine in the fridge. This is my kind of weekend. 

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2025-02-09

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