The Balkans

Mountains.102

On our first day in Tirana last month, Steve & I took the cable car up to Mt Dajti National Park to enjoy the views. Lovely, eh?

The Source.22

Here you’ve got it as vapor in the sky, solid on the ground and liquid down in the lake. Pretty amazing, H2O, really. And a correction: the whole mountain is Galicica. The peak behind me in the photo above is what’s called Magaro, a subset of Galicica. And in the gallery below, you’ll be seeing some of Lake Prespa as well as good ol’ Ohrid which we got to know better.

Image

Skylights.32


Signs of the City.142

Yes, there’s some kind of sign in each of these drizzly-morning photos from Ohrid town.

Windows.42

These all caught my eye at Sveti Naum Monastery on Lake Ohrid.

Urban Garden.252

The garden and grounds of Albania’s former dictatorial ruler, Enver Hoxha, are now a lovely museum and oasis open to the public in the heart of the busy city.

Small Wonders.291

An assortment of the many stunning wildflower and abundant beds of purple irises that we saw just on our first full day in Trpejca :-).

Urban Entrances.181

A sampling of Tirana entrances.

Image

Signs of the City.141


Bridges.51


Windows.41

Tirana has lots of modern and new, and also some ‘needing repair.’

Countryside.21

Only two ways to get to the Zahumska (or Zaum) monastery: by boat or foot over a fairly narrow footpath across steep terrain with stretches of lakeshore that are very narrow when the water is high – which it was when we talked the path two weeks ago, our first morning there.

Urban Canals.221

Tirana

Country Canals.121

Though it’s beautiful and peaceful, this bit of water is actually carrying quite a bit of water downhill, from Lake Prespa on the south side of Mt Magaro, over to Lake Ohrid on the north side of Mt Magaro, via natural underground springs or rivers which emerge above ground in the place where you see this lovely chapel, first photo in the galler below. The others photos are all of the short (one km?) canal – lake – river that connects from the chapel to Lake Ohrid itself.

Found Objects.1

Saw this item along the steep trail Steve & I walked precisely three weeks ago to view our first (of many) monastery in Macedonia. Decided I’d see if it can start a new series :-).