Crazy Greek drivers

A few weeks ago, Chris decided to take a week's vacation to coincide with the girls' fall break. We thought it would be a good time to travel around the region, but unfortunately, Christopher still had to attend school. Instead of pulling him out of too many classes, we opted for a quick one-day trip to Thessaloniki, Greece. It was about a 3 and a half hour trip each way, with some interesting and very frustrating occurrences.

We started out very early in the morning and I was a bit apprehensive about the driving, but it actually was a very nice ride. The roads were fairly empty, and aside from a few precarious mountain passes, easy to navigate. There was a lot of bridgework going on, which caused some delays, but nothing to complain about. We were pleasantly surprised to find very little congestion at the border and after a short argument with some rude pedestrians, we were in Greece. That is where things got odd. Apparently, it is customary to drive on the shoulder on two lane roads in Greece, something which I was unaware of. After being berated by a Bulgarian with a lead foot for not driving onto the shoulder, I realized that all the cars were doing it. It was the strangest sight!! Everyone drove halfway off the pavement in order to let faster vehicles pass them--even when there weren't any other cars anywhere near them. It just looked very crazy to me. I decided to drive normally and cede to the shoulder only for passers.

We arrived in Thess safely and found the Cosmos shopping mall with no problem. We wandered around a bit until TGI Fridays opened, then we enjoyed a great American meal!! I love that they had Jack Daniels Bourbon Salmon, which you cannot even get in the US anymore. The kids were happy. Then we went upstairs to the German grocery store, bought about 20 pounds of cheddar cheese, and headed home again!

On the way back, we were followed closely by another Embassy family who was also shopping a bit in Thess. The kids had fun waving to each other as we sped along. We arrived home just after dark and settled in for the night. It was an unexciting, yet productive and memorable trip. I hope that next time the weather is a little clearer so we can get a better view of the Mediterranean Sea. At least I'll be better prepared to deal with those crazy shoulder-driving Greeks next time!

T-Ball

We were happy to hear that an eager group of volunteers established a baseball league prior to our arrival in Skopje. Six weeks ago they put out the call for volunteers for the fall season and Chris willingly responded. He and a colleague were given the opportunity to coach the T-ball team and he proudly accepted the challenge. The team consisted of 9 kids(4 girls and 5 boys)of American, Belgian, Croatian, and Macedonian descent. It was a great group! Alina was very excited to participate and Chris Jr. played on the highest level. Even Collier gained some valuable experience and learned that throwing balls is fun! He throws everything now, and with great force!! I always loved watching our kids play t-ball, it is so cute to watch them experience new things and this was no exception. Alina did amazingly well, and she developed quite a strong swing. The entire family enjoyed our 6 weeks of Saturday morning, and until it started getting too dark too early, Tuesday evening practices. The season wrapped up the first week in November and to celebrate the kids' success, we created certificates for each of them and provided a tasty treat. It is so nice to have the opportunity to have fun,healthy, multi-ethnic activities for the kids. As Amarik(our Belgian player)'s dad said "It's so great to be able to do something so traditionally American in the heart of Macedonia!" We are all looking forward to March when the spring season kicks off!

Halloween Photos

Halloween was a busy, yet fun time for the entire family. We were pleased to have the opportunity to participate in some Halloween themed activities, including school parties, an Embassy party, and trick or treating at both the Embassy and in a small village outside Skopje. Here are some photos of the holiday fun!

Mt. Vodno

A lot has been going on since my last posting, hence the delay in posting! I'll try to write a few short posts to catch you up, starting with our recent hike up to Mt. Vodno. Mt. Vodno rises majestically 1066m. to the southwest of the city of Skopje,(a medium sized mountain by Macedonian standards) and perched atop the summit is the Millennium Cross. It is an enormous structure composed of steel beams that watches over the city and serves as the ultimate landmark. You can see it for miles and it is comforting to know that as it gets bigger, you are getting closer to home. In the evenings, the cross is lighted and almost appears to float as the mountain disappears into the darkness. We can see the Cross quite clearly from our home, but a couple weeks ago, we decided to try and get a closer look.

Hiking Mt. Vodno seems to be a necessity for all tourists and a regular activity for most Macedonians. It offers the opportunity to escape the concrete jungle below and enjoy the fresh air and exquisite views. A fifteen minute drive up the winding road is somewhat harrowing due to the stunning, yet scary views as you quickly ascend the high peak. I tried very hard not to become fixated on the scenery and just focus on the road ahead of me. We were quite surprised by how crowded the mountain was...lots of hikers, many cyclists, and tons of cars. You are able to drive most of the way up and park for the final climb. The path is paved and curves slowly up the mountain towards the summit and the Millennium Cross. We were pleased to find it very stroller friendly, and the girls were excited. As we walked, I kept looking for the huge structure above us and was very confused when I couldn't locate it. After hiking for nearly 40 minutes, we realized that we were probably only halfway there, and we finally found it above us in the distance! There were tiny little figures meandering about beside the Cross, and they looked like ants. That was an indication of how far we had yet to travel. Though we were willing to continue, the girls were starting to have a bit of trouble proceeding. Especially Arianna, as the thinner air started to aggravate her asthma and we decided to turn back. It was quite a breathtaking experience, both literally and visually. The mountain is absolutely beautiful, the views are amazing, and we really enjoyed the hike. Chris and I hope to try again without the kids someday.

I have attached a couple photos, but they are not very good. Next time I will take the better camera. In the meantime, you can find some lovely photos of Vodno as well as Skopje in general at this website, if you are interested. http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/image/80217692