See the hot spots around The Balkans In 60 Days – Stop 24 Ohrid, North Macedonia

13/9/2020. After hanging around Skopje for a day, I ventured out on a day trip to Ohrid, a lakeside town about three hours away.

This was not just another pretty postcard face. It had crystal clear water, friendly hills at an intimate distance, and rich history illustrated by the many old churches in the old town. This time of the season, most of the gregarious and noisy tourists have departed. It was a town very much lived-in; I felt like I was strolling into a nearby friendly neighborhood on the shore of a cute pretty lake.

The lake wanted to come further ashore but resisted valiantly by the hills, which has been punched in the face into a low vertical cliff face. I skimmed over the surface of the glittering lake, on the boardwalk that bent close to the cliff faces. I could touch the pristine water that has remained so for generations, I could touch the cliff faces that have endured pounding for thousands of years; I thoroughly enjoyed the timelessness close-up.

After seeing the lake close up, I followed the discreet paths up the hills overlooking the lake. In a glance, I captured it all. At the top of the cliff edge, where the view of the lake was the most expansive, the stunning St. John- Kaneo Orthodox Church awaited. If there is anywhere, anything worthy of viewing after walking1000 miles, this would be it. Every time I think of a warm endearing lake, I think of Orrid. And if I do not remember anything of Ohrid, I remember this image, of St. John- Kaneo Church looking out over the serene Lake Ohrid below.

13/9/2020 在首都斯科普里溜达一天后，第二天我搭上大巴到三小时外的奥赫里德。的确是个名副其实的湖光山色，湖水清澈，四面环山，悬崖如一堵墙逼到水前，堵其前路。但这不只是张美丽名片；湖周围留下古老教堂，卵石老街道和老房子。湖边逛后我就往靠湖的斜坡上走，居民房一栋一栋的别墅往山上造，居高临下，有靠山，有前景。在超市餐厅街上碰到的，无一不带笑容，常被问 “你需要帮助吗?”

人们多少世代在这里依山旁水生活，没改变其自然面貌，更没破坏；留得青山，保着绿水，今日山水依旧。