Skopje: A New Chapter of My Journey / From Mountain Stillness to the Balkan Mosaic

 

From Mountain Stillness to the Balkan Mosaic

Yesterday, I began a completely new stage of my retirement journey, leaving behind the peaceful, deep atmosphere of Vikend Naselje beneath Kopaonik.

The transition from a green, stable space and mountain stillness straight into the vivid, dynamic, and blended energy of the Balkans was immediately palpable.

The bus journey through Kosovo took around five hours. Kosovo is a small, landlocked area in the heart of the Balkans with an exceptionally turbulent and complex history, serving as an eternal meeting point of Serbian and Albanian cultures, as well as Western and Eastern influences. Travelling through this territory allowed me to touch a dense, multi-layered social fabric where traces of the past constantly mingle with the present.

From there, I entered Skopje – the capital of North Macedonia, situated along the strategic corridor of the River Vardar. For centuries, Skopje developed at the crossroads of trade routes under Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman rule. Today's city is a remarkable composite where Eastern traditions coexist with monumental architecture, giving a distinct feeling of an almost non-European atmosphere.

Today, I took on the role of an attentive, calm observer. I began with a slow walk through the City Park, enjoying the surrounding greenery. Then, I set off along the bank of the River Vardar, where monumental, well-maintained buildings and the distinctive silhouette of the Toše Proeski National Arena began to appear. Walking further along the avenue, I reached the very heart of the city – Macedonia Square.

The surroundings of the square and the grand, representative part of Skopje make a strong impression with their scale. All around, numerous monuments accentuating heroism and historical struggle create a unique theatre of forms. A vast ethnic diversity is visible on the streets – a significant portion of passers-by are people of Oriental, Turkish appearance, including many women in Muslim dresses with uncovered faces.

Despite such a complex, dense historical, ethnic, and energetic foundation, I feel a great sense of peace and safety here. This space cannot be framed within simple Western concepts, but moving through it without judgement and without entering into old narratives allows one to experience it with complete lightness.

After reaching the square, I returned on foot to the apartment to give myself time to recharge. Tomorrow, I plan to continue my walk.

Ginkgo & Gaia