Escape to myself

It surprises me continuously that there are so many unexpected and hidden beauties in what at first sight appear to be nondescript countries. Ohrid is one such. Macedonia, mountainous and often overlooked suddenly reveals a totally different character here. Sunny, expressive, glittering. This morning I went out early, both to escape the crowds and the heat of the sun.

I walked up into the hills behind the town to explore the interiors of some of the churches which were closed yesterday but which contained treasures of Byzantine art. I sat outside St Clement’s church which has breathtaking views of lake Ohrid looking towards Albania. Lizards climbed the walls to find warmth, birds sang and morning mist arose from the water. Inside the priest intoned mass.

This church is built on the site of a Roman basilica and contains some wonderful frescoes.

Ohrid is supposed to have 365 churches … there are certainly many, often tiny buildings hiding in side streets and alleys. It was the seat of Orthodox archbishops under the Byzantines and of the Ottoman government before Constantinople fell to them. It obviously has an chequered and significant history and in the tenth century was home to a short- lived university founded by St Clement.

This is a beautiful town. Only 40,000 citizens but an obvious cultural and recreational hub for the region. the views are surprising; the cobbled alleys a delight with secretive views to the lake, the surrounding countryside exquisite and it caters for tourists extremely well.

This is a wonderful place … please don’t come! It’s a UNESCO site for its cultural heritage and biodiversity.