To SE Asia and China

For our next trip we fly to Bali, Indonesia on Jan 7, 2015. After making our way through Indonesia to Singapore and up the Malay Peninsula to northern Thailand, we fly to China for a March 21 family wedding in Shanghai. Then after 7 weeks in China including a trip north to the Great Wall we return to the US on May 6, spending a week in California visiting family before returning to Raleigh. 

The Long Journey Home

And we're back (home). Still waiting for our bags. They did not make the transition from Turkish Airlines to US Airways in Toronto. We barely made it ourselves. According to US Air online status, they are "processed for delivery" so we hope to unpack later today (12 JUN).

Toronto?  Yep. Our planned flights home: Skopje to Istanbul to Toronto to Charlotte to Raleigh. The first two segments on Turkish Airlines, the last two on US Air. However, the Toronto to Charlotte flight was diverted - euphemism for emergency landing? - to Pittsburgh with a possible a fuel gauge indicator light problem. Even though US Air flew in a replacement plane, we arrived in Charlotte too late to catch our connecting flight to Raleigh. So we spent the night on the carpet near Departures, taking the 7:39 AM flight to RDU.

Dawn comes early in Skopje in June, about 4:30 am so we had no trouble getting up at 6:10 for final packing. An easy 5 minute walk to the bus station. The airport bus arrived on time at 7:10 and we were at the airport at 7:40 with plenty of time to check-in for our 9:05 flight to Istanbul. At first glance, it was a very long line to check-in, but as normal in this part of the world, there were many more folks there to "see off" than to travel. So less than twenty minutes later we had a fist full of boarding passes, our bags were checked all the way to RDU, immigration and security were behind us, and we were at the gate awaiting our flight.

We liked Turkish Airlines. Check-in was easy and we did not have to arrive 2 hours before departure. The planes were new and the vegetarian meals tasty. And on the personal In-flight Entertainment, one can view the feed from the two cameras mounted on the front of the plane PiP, and watch tons of movies. We both thought Nebraska was poor and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty good. Not to mention that on the Istanbul to Toronto leg we had some incredible views of southern Greenland.

The transfer from Turkish Airlines to US Air at Person Airport in Toronto was not straight forward. As international transit passengers we expected a leisurely walk from our arrival gate to our departure gate but since the US Air gates and Turkish Air gates are in different terminals, we unexpectedly had to enter Canada, pass Customs, claim our bags and recheck them, and exit Canada. In addition, US Immigration and Customs takes place in Canada, not in Charlotte. The result: due to poor directions and  information along with a short layover, we made it on to the Charlotte bound flight but our bags did not.

A few more thoughts:  Without going into details, we are not happy with how US Airlines handled our diversion and sleepover. However George the baggage claim guy at RDU was super. Thanks! And thanks to the two men who let me borrow their mobile phones to update our airport pickup person - Thanks Joel! - on our delays.

REAL-TIME UPDATE: Just got a call from the folks who will deliver our bags in two hours. Woohoo!

Istanbul Ataturk Airport

Hot Skopje

Skopje is hot, as in warm.  We are having our first days in the 80's F, thankfully only days.  I now look forward to going home and vegetating in AC.  All together we have had only a handful days in the 70s.

Because of the weather, for the first time we had to scale back our hiking ambitions at Lake Makta.  Calling Matka a lake is really short-selling it.  It is really a canyon, very scenic.  Deservedly popular on a Sunday, our return bus was 35 minutes late, mired in gridlock.

Skopje itself is very remarkable.  Its old Ottoman Quarter is the biggest and most authentic for our  whole of Balkan trip.  Compared to Skopje, Sarajevo seemed to have been the boondocks.

The controversy about Skopje is the new town that the city is feverishly building - called Skopje 2014

John: It's like Disney (not that we have been or ever plan to go).
Sun-Ling: This must be what Las Vegas looks like (not that we have been or ever plan to go).
Sun-Ling:  They think they are in China (where kitsch neo-classical architecture is much favored).
John: It's like all the building projects put together from 10 different Chinese cities.
John: Maybe Rome was like this.
Sun-Ling: Maybe ancient Athens, Delphi were like this.

Maybe Skopje can pull it off.  We wish them well.

The old bazaars are still atmospheric and active - Cafe Culture.






At one point on a pedestrian bridge in the Ottoman Quarter Sun-Ling counted 8 minarets - there are many mosques. The mosque in this photo (Sultan Murad) has an old clock tower on its grounds.








And there are several Orthodox churches in the Old Quarter.


One of the old hans (inns) is now a restaurant and Islamic School for girls.


Looking towards the Old Ottoman Quarter and its Bazaar.


The Warrior (and friends).


Alexander the Great! With fortuitous horse and carriage.


Matka Canyon walk. A hot but scenic 12 kms.




Looking back to the dam.






Clear waters near Vrelo Cave.


This part of the trail was a bit of a leg trembler.


Some new shopping venues and hotels in city center. 


Buying tomatoes at Vero.


Vero Mall.


Lots of "stuff" for sale at JUMBO, a Greece-based chain.




More than several pics of Skopje 2014 at night.












Street Performers Festival.




Sunset view from our hotel balcony.


Skopje is also know for its brutalist (exposed concrete) architecture.

Lake Ohrid

Lake Ohrid in Macedonia had us mesmerized for four days. We landed a room with a balcony, kitchen and 270 degree lake view and found it hard to abandon our balcony other than to buy food and stroll the waterfront. Well we did see few nearby churches. But even when walking a few kilometers south on the promenade we found it hard not to just find a comfy spot, sit, and admire the lake.

We mentioned her ripe cherries and the owner of a nearby hotel said "eat all you want".


Another pic in the series "Sun-Ling is a Giant".


Setting up the Ancient Theater for the summer festival season.


Sunset Day 1.


Hello Kitty and Spiderman instant soup.


The outdoor fruit and vegetable market.


Our hotel is top center.


Some shots from our afternoon walk on the northern waterfront promenade and boardwalk.










St Jovan's.


Water and Sky.


Fortress Gate.


Old Town and New Town.


Dinner on the balcony: Shopska Salad and cold radlers.


Breakfast.


The penthouse.




A walk south.






Afternoon coffee.




Blogging.


Sunset.






Another walk south. Tour boat.


Beach.




Looking west to Albania.




The Leaper.



From the balcony - also looking to Albania.


This was some wedding shoot, complete with boat, musicians, steady-cam, and helicopter drone camera.


Evening beer.


Bonus Video.