The unsinkable church in Mavrovo

The local people say that, God and Saints don't allow to complete disappearance this church in the lake. The phenomenon of its constant emerging from the water, villagers explain by "impossibility of immersion and oblivion of a sacred place".

The church was built by villagers in 1850. However, when in 1953 the dam was built to create a water power station, was decided that the church will be flooded. The rivers of Mavrovo and Radika slowly started to fill the valley, after some time the ceiling collapsed, but the church still standed.

Curiously enought, in the winter 1956, the valley was covered by a huge avalanche, killing 52 workers constructing the power plant. In the last time, the level of water in the lake slightly decreased, so it's possible to enter inside the church, which was usually covered at least to 1/3 of its height.

Crn Kamen 2

These are the fruits of November ramble to Crn Kamen.

In the night the temperature fell below zero, so we found out a genial idea of taking to the tent a big, warm  stone from the fire...which was so hot, that started to burn the rag which was put around it and emit a suspicious stink. Because of that, we resigned from this way of heating and had to count on the warmth of our sleeping bags (btw. we also forgot to take carrimats). In the morning, the nature fully compensated nightly inconveniences and we could freely bask in the sun. 

The donkey race in Kavadarci

It’s been a long time since the wine festival took place in Kavadarci, but I’ve just found forgotten photos from there. Apart from tasting a wide range of wines (personally I was too busy of trying this beverage and imitating an expert from abroad, to focus on making more detailed photoreportage from this event…), one of the main attraction was the donkey-race contest. In the competition took part four contestants together with drovers. Before the race one of them hardly tried to call all the observers’ attention to him, screaming, threatening and trying to discourage his opponents. Finally, the victory achieved an another race participant – inconspicuous and modest, what humiliated the self-confident gentleman.

The monastery of Treskavec

The monastery in Treskavec is absolutely amazing place. Surrounded by mountains, cut off from the world by 2,5 hour climbing, the monastery is an ideal place for meditation and mental rest. 

If you add to this an option of waiting and watching the sunrise from the near peak - Zlatno Jabolko (Golden Apple), katharsis guaranteed.

In the complex right now live one monk and his helper, the business is guarded also by three awesome dogs.

In Treskavec takes place an action of the famous Milcho Manchevski movie - Before the Rain.

Duvalo - the last active volcano in the Balkans

Kosel, a Macedonian village located 7km north from Ohrid, inhabited with about 600 people. The place resembles dozens of villages in the region, but in the one respect is special. Here, there is the only one active volcano in the Balkans – Duvalo. Going there to check how this place looks like, I imagined a big crater releasing loads of smoke, but on the spot it turned out that this is only small hill and several small holes in the ground, 50 cm diameter and 30 cm deep. Nevertheless, it’s enough to guarantee unbelievable stench of rotten eggs. How the people can live there?

On the place I found a lot of dead animals – foxes, hedgehogs, birds and snakes. Well, it’s not a surprise because the stink is unbearable.

The last time when hot water was found here was in 1973 in the depth of 80 m - 35ºC, and 400 m deep - 95ºC. Volcanic fumes kill local animals but the volcano has simultaneously curing attributes. People suffering from various skin illnesses come here and apply mixture from sulphur and volcanic mud on the ill places on their bodies. However, staying next to one of the craters more than 15 minutes can end with suffocation.

Below, the material of Macedonian television and photoreportage.