So.. it is fun to write this blog, but sometimes it does feel a little bit like homework as well, and yesterday I was allowed a day off, the reason being that it was my birthday - my 30th even! I will therefore catch up on both yesterday and today.
Earlier this year we talked about what we should do for my birthday and I wasn't particularly keen on the idea of having a big party.I liked the idea of going away a lot more and celebrating with only the closest family around me under the sun - and so we ended op in The Balkans again.
The day started with me being woken up by Kristian and Saya singing a birthday song for me.. or rather Kristian sang whilst Saya hid behind his back. She doesn't like being in the spotlight.. ever!
We then had breakfast consisting of something that reminded of Danish bread rolls from the bakers downstairs, nice cheese that wasn't feta cheese, jam and Nutella - it was almost like being back home, and it made a nice change from the breakfasts that we have had for the past couple of weeks.
We meant to go out for just a short walk and then come back to the flat before I was due to have a massage as a birthday treat, but as we started walking, it was all so nice and we ended up seeing another fortress, markets and a big part of the old town. By a coincidence we stumbled upon a really lovely stony beach with a nice restaurant and bar. It was a pretty small place with trees overhanging the water and perhaps 30 sun beds. From the bar played lovely Latin music and there was generally a feeling of it being on a beach somewhere tropical. We liked it so much, that we decided to have our lunch there. After lunch and a few cocktails Saya really wanted to go for a swim in the lake so we took off all her clothes and she played happily in the water for a couple of hours. It was like a little oasis after travelling for many hours the day before and generally travelling through dusty Albania. Late in the afternoon we headed back to find the place where I was due to have a massage. We found the building pretty easily, but from there it became a bit more difficult. The sign led up some stairs that were completely black as the light switch we tried didn't work. It all seemed a bit shady to say the least and I all of a sudden wasn't sure if I wanted that massage anyway. We decided to ask at the downstairs restaurant who called to ask someone. He then found the right switch and we went upstairs, at this point I still wasn't quite sure whether I wanted the massage - if it would be a different kind of massage than I was hoping for. It however turned out that I had no reason to doubt. The woman doing the massage was a qualified physiotherapist and really good at her job. It could certainly feel the strain from having carried Saya in the chair and from lying in really bad beds for the bet part of two weeks. I came out feeling refreshed and looking very shining from all the oil!
Saya and Kristian greeted me outside carrying two presents carefully picked out by Saya. She proudly presented me two very pink and big butterfly earrings and a Winnie the Poo teddy holding a heart! I also got a really sweet card. Saya was beaming from proudness and I had to hold back a little grateful tear whilst smiling from ear to ear. Kristian also brought a present that our hosts had left for me in the flat - a pair of beautiful Ohrid pearl earrings! Such a nice gesture!!
After a quick shower to get rid of at least some of the oil, so that I wouldn't slip off my chair, we went to have dinner at a restaurant recommended by our hosts. The food was average, nothing special, but the wine was nice and I felt very fortunate to be spending my 30th with the two most important people in my life. It had been a pretty perfect day - a great combination of seeing interesting things, chilling out at a great beach and total relaxation and refreshment from the massage. I went back to the flat feeling very happy and tired and after regretfully finishing my book I went to sleep with a smile on my lips.
This morning we had an extremely slow start to the day. We weren't out of bed till eight, but were all feeling rather lazy so didn't get out of the flat till 11. The time was spent watching cartoons, reading, washing, eating breakfast and generally just chilling out.
We purposely hadn't planned anything else other than going to the beach we went to yesterday today. We wanted to let Saya play and we wanted one day of beach time since we didn't really manage to get any as we had planned in Albania.
And that was really all we did today. Saya loved the water and all the stones and spent a long time playing - and well Kristian did too. He spent most of an hour trying to build a dam to catch fish in without much luck. To his dismay a little girl managed to catch one later on by feeding the fish cheese pops!
After a long play Saya fell asleep on the sun bed and we had some time to relax with a book. When Saya woke we went back to town to have some dinner - a meal that turned out to be the worst meal of the trip so far! We left the restaurant feeling very disappointed and still very hungry after barely having touched our food.
We had arranged to meet up with our hosts at a coffee bar and spent about 1.5 hours chatting to them about Macedonia, travelling and life in general. They were really nice people who promised to show us the good places around Ohrid next time we visit. I think we will definitely keep in touch with them!
Back at the flat and we are ready to go to sleep. Tomorrow we are off to Skopje and the last part of our trip. I'm sad to see it end, but glad that we have had an amazing trip - The Balkans never disappoints, it just gets better and better each time you visit!