We came to Skopje, Macedonia to visit a friend and check out the city before heading towards Pristina, Kosovo. Macedonia is a beautifully green country by what we could see. The roads are paved and travel is much easier than Albania. Upon arriving in Skopje, you're hard pressed not to notice the extremely abundant and extravagant statues and fountains that occupy the center. It is truly remarkable, and maybe just a little over the top. We'll let you be the judge. (Of course, we didn't go around taking pictures of 'every' statue in Skopje, that would be ridiculous. These are just a few that we passed by more than once.)
Macedonia claims Alexandre the Great, which the Macedonians of northern Greece seem to discredit. However, they do have the statue!
Mother Teresa was born in Macedonia.
The bus ride into Kosovo was lush and green, with snow on the mountain tops even at the end of May.
The Newborn Monument represents Kosovo's independence from Serbia, to which all the supporting countries flags are now painted.
FYI: The people from Kosovo love the American people, with a statue of Bill Clinton and a boulevard named after him as tribute.
There is no real transport to get to the airport (besides paying for a taxi). So, we received good advice to catch a bus to the nearest town and walk. The first time we've hiked to an airport, possibly not the last. :)
...and now, Italy.
Milan railway metro station
It has now been over a year since we left the soil of our home country. For most of our time, to our astonishment and amusement, we've been in the Balkans (except for Turkey and Cyprus). We've enjoyed the simplicity of our lifestyle over the past year, getting back to the basics in more ways than one. We have gained a further appreciation for what we've had, and learned about what we didn't. The time has flown by as we remember our paths. All of which come with remarkable memories. Thank you to everyone who opened their homes and shared the journey with us. This wouldn't be possible without you. As we leave eastern Europe and head west, we look forward to the path of endless possibilities that await us.
Ciao!
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