Tag: North Macedonia

Thessaloniki, Greece to Demir Kapija, North Macedonia

Today started the last phase of our trip. For the next month we will be traveling in North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria and Romania.

We almost always have breakfast included in our hotel stays but we didn’t in Thessaloniki because in big cities it is fun to find a bakery locally. This morning we found a wonderful one. They make their own croissants!

Bakery ΚΟΥΚΟΣ

At 11 we checked out of our hotel and stored our bags. Next we planned to visit the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle. On the way there I saw a shop selling silk shawls like one I have and love. I bought a new one for €10. The shop also had a lot of what looked like decorated sticks. I couldn’t figure out what they were. The shop owner explained that on Easter children carry decorated candles to church.

Decorated Easter candles

Finally we took a taxi to the train station and caught our bus. At the border the bus driver took all the passengers’ passports to be processed. We were the only ones who had to get off and be questioned. My theory was that that was because they couldn’t quite figure out where we had entered the E.U. (It was a few weeks ago in Africa where we entered the Spanish enclave of Melilla from Morocco). Anyway we showed them our flight details to enter Greece and we were on our way.

We also bought Duke new sunglasses at H&M and then walked to the museum. It was an excellent Museum. All the exhibit explanations had English translations and it provided us with some much needed context for the Macedonian region of Greece that we have been traveling in.

Entrance to the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle
A Macedonian I met inside the museum

Our bus was scheduled to leave at 3:30 so we found a place for coffee and then killed an hour or so in the lobby of the hotel.

Coffee

Not far from the border we got off the bus and got a taxi to Winery Popova Kula in Demir Kapija where we are tonight.

On the bus at the border
Winery Poova Kula

Bitola, North Macedonia to Thessaloniki, Greece

The view from our window at Ciflik winery this morning was beautiful. Fall has definitely arrived in Macedonia.

Today was a travel day. We relaxed at Ciflik Winery until checkout time when we had a taxi ordered. As we were waiting for the taxi we had a conversation with the owner of the winery, Filip. He had fond memories of his time as an exchange student in Enid, Oklahoma. I would recommend Ciflik Winery to anyone who wants to visit Macedonia

Filip, the owner of Ciflik winery and us before we left

Our bill at Ciflik for two nights inclusing breakfast, two dinners including a bottle of wine each night plus olive bread and wine each afternoon was just $244. What a great bargain.

Our taxi took us across the border into Greece to the train station in Florine. The distance was about 22 miles and cost us $45. We waited about 3 hours for the train that took us to Thessaloniki. It was a lovely day so sitting, reading and knitting was quite relaxing.

Knitting, listening to a book and waiting for the train
Our train

We arrived in Thessaloniki about 7 and took a cab to our hotel which overlooks the water.

The view from our balcony

For dinner we had moussaka, sardines and ouzo at a table overlooking the water and people strolling along the waterfront.

Ouzo
Moussaka
Sardines

Ciflik Winery, Bitola, North Macedonia

Today was a lovely rest day. For breakfast we had an omelette and pancakes outside in the sun.

Breakfast. We shared an omelette and pancakes

Later we went for a walk.

Out walking

Dinner was great too.

A burger with cheese
Pork with berries

It’s been a nice break here at Ciflik winery. Tomorrow we head to Greece.

Ohrid to Bitola, North Macedonia

The place we stayed in Ohrid, Villa Sofija, was the first place we have stayed that didn’t include breakfast. But it was a really nice place to stay and it was cheap. We paid $54 Euros. It is really fun to walk around a town to find a place for breakfast. We ended up at the same place we ate last night. It is a family run restaurant right on the lake shore. We had a great breakfast.

Duke at breakfast

On the menu the English translation of my breakfast was fried bread. It turned out to be what we call french toast. And it came with a cup of jam and a cup of tapenade.

French toast/ fried bread

At 11 we checked out of our room and walked down to the central square to find a taxi to take us to the bus station. As we got out of the taxi at the bus station another taxi driver offered to take us to Bitola for the same price as a bus fare. We agreed and got in. There was another passenger in the front seat. A bit down the road our driver stopped at a bus stop and recruited more passengers. I moved to the center seat in back and another guy got in the back, basically the trunk.

In the cab

We were headed to Ciflik Winery which the taxi driver said was very nice. The distance from Ohrid to Ciflik winery in Bitola was about 45 miles. It took us about an hour and 15 minutes and cost us about $14.

We are staying at Ciflik for two nights to have a vacation from our vacation. The place was packed with people enjoying a Saturday lunch when we arrived. They have grass and playground equipment and children were running everywhere. And there were lots of parents running after toddlers. Some things are universal.

We had a snack mid afternoon and a great dinner after most of the crowds had left.

Where we are staying
Olive bread and a glass of wine