Ohrid

Ohrid, Macedonia.
A 3 hour drive, 15 people, 2 vans, and an umptin amount of mountains on either side of us.
Thursday morning to Saturday night.

Ohrid is a city most Macedonians have visited. It's a vacation hot spot for natives and for tourists. In the hot summer time, the cool air and cool waters for the lake draw many a people to its' shores. We came a bit too early for the hot weather, so swimming in the frigid waters was not appealing to any of us. It was supposed to rain the entire weekend, but God answered our prayers and kept the rain away until right before we left.

We stayed in a beautiful home located right on the shore. My room was on the third floor with the most beautiful view. That view was worth the cold nights and steep flights of stairs. Is there any better way to spend a morning than sitting on the ledge of the window that overlooks the lake to do devotions? This house is located in Old Town. There is a whole other part to the city, but we stayed in the most gorgeous part of Ohrid. The roads were cobble stones and very steep. There were rocky paths made all the way up the hills. A castle called Samuel's Fortress sat uptop the highest point in Old Town. You can see the entire city, the whole lake, and even Albania from up there. The wind blows ever so gently from the top of the fortress's wall making you never want to climb down.

I also got to see several sites being excavated. A church is being uncovered, a plaza-like space is being dug up, and I can't help but think...one day long ago this place used to be a regular place, a site that the townspeople were used to seeing. Then, over time, it disappeared, and people forgot it's meaning, and all of the sudden it's being recovered and the memories are trying to resurface. Being amidst a history that goes back so far can only make one pensive.

Josh and Rachelle took us to several other places around town. We went to a monastery, a village on the water, and downtown to the festival for Cyril and Methodius Day--it was a first to be in a place where we weren't the largest group visiting. I guess there are perks to going to a tourist hotspot if you don't want to stick out as a tourist. But, if I must be completely honest, the scenery completely outdid the attractions Ohrid had to offer. Nothing could beat the view of the mountains, the contrast of the rich green land to the brick red terra cotta roofs, or the fog that crept down the mountain side, or the rippling of the lake as the various sail boats rocked back and forth.

A beautiful weekend, simply beautiful.