North Macedonia 🇲🇰 | Ohrid - A 4-Day Lakeside Fairytale
After escaping Tirana's 40°C scorching heat, arriving at Ohrid's 20°C lakeside breeze felt like paradise 🌊🍃. No AC needed—just cozy blankets at night and light sleeves in the morning. 💰 Money Matters Exchange rate: €1 = 60-61 MKD (local shops accept cards, but homestays & bazaars prefer cash) 🚌 Getting Around Bus station → Old Town: Taxis scam for €5 (it's walkable!) Protest move: Dragged my luggage uphill rather than pay €14 for a ride to my homestay 🧳💪 🏰 Old Town Vibe Activities: Eat, wander, climb stairs, swim, repeat 🍽️🏊♂️ Safety: 100% relaxed (unlike Rome's pickpocket alert!) Must-try: Juicy yellow peaches, grapes & sweet corn from the bazaar 🍑🌽 ⛪ Top Attractions St. John Church (best sunrise views) ☀️ St. Sophia Church (Byzantine frescoes) 🎨 St. Panteleimon Monastery (ancient Slavic vibes) Ancient Theatre (meh, but historic) 🏛️ Old Bazaar + 1000-year-old tree 🌳 🎉 Cultural Surprises Caught two traditional parades with Balkan folk dances 💃🕺 Ohrid’s secret: Its ice-cold spring water (perfect for chilling beer! 🍺❄️) 🚤 Boat Tour Highlights (€15) Bay of Bones – A 3000-year-old stilt village (original "water villas"!) St. Naum Monastery – Byzantine-Slavic fusion on a cliff 🏝️⛪ Swim stops in crystal-blue coves (yes, the water’s that clear) #Ohrid #NorthMacedonia #Balkans #HiddenGem #LakeLife