Matka

Layers of rock on the side of the mountain at Matka.


A view along side the river.



Yesterday we decided to take advantage of the lovely weather once again and ventured out to try and find Lake Matka. Lake Matka is a man-made lake that was created to aid in the production of electric power and is located about 17km from Skopje. Supposedly, the lake has stunning views and is surrounded by a number of old churches and monasteries that are worth visiting. We probably should have asked someone how to find them before going, because we never made it any further than the HydroElectric Plant at the dam. Apparently, the lake is beyond there, but we weren't sure how to access it.

We did enjoy a lovely walk along the path to the dam, accompanied by some sweet little dogs who walked along side us. The mountains were beautiful and it was interesting to see all the layers of rock comprising the vertical formations. On the side on the mountain, we noticed a Macedonian woman walking with a herd of goats, presumably to the green pastures on the other side of the river. It was a really touching scene and she traversed the steep path as if she had done it thousands of times before. It was a nice stroll next to the babbling river and the air was fresh and clean!

Later in the evening I did some research on the area and found some specific directions to the lake and the churches, so we'll try again on another sunny day!