A 10 Turtle Day...

Sunday, June 30 -- It was another hiking day with the hiking club in Kaçanik.  We started the hike today from near the old mosque at 8:30 am and hiked to Guri i Shpum.  I learned from our language teacher that shpum means a "hole".  The area was named Guri i Shpum as there was a tunnel for traveling to and from Kaçanik in the hillside and it was at one time the only way to Skopje from Kaçanik.  The tunnel was closed during one of the wars to protect the city (I think).  The group was smaller today with only two female hikers -- me and Arbnora.

Thom and I have walked out to the area several times, but we have never climbed up the unfinished stairs as it is a work zone and there are warning signs.  With the hiking group, we hiked up the stairway and headed up to the top where there is a new UÇK sign that is lit up at night.  It was a bit of a hike up, but not too bad to the sign.  We also encountered our first turtle (breshke) of the day on our way to the sign.  We took a break at the sign and got plenty of photos as the views of Kaçanik were really nice.  The police droved up while we were there.  I think they were just making sure that we were not causing any problems (I am not sure though.)   The one police officer said "hi" in English and asked me how I liked it.

The photo of the group before starting the trail

Walking up the unfinished steps

The tools are left at the site

The trail beyond the steps

Looking back at the work being done

The red UÇK sign

The view of Mount Ljuboten from the top of Guri i Shpum

The view of Kaçanik 

Mt. Ljuboten

Photo under the sign

Here we are with Kaçanik as a backdrop

The group photo near the sign

The UÇK sign is up on the hill from the other night when we walked along the river

After the break at the sign, we headed back down the road leading from the sign and then found a trail that to us to the park at Guri i Shpum.  I saw a posting on facebook about the park and I wanted to see it.  The views here were even better and we could see Ferizaj in the distance as it was a really clear day.  We had a coffee break at the park, before heading on again.  This time we took a trail that lead along some Ottoman ruins.  At one point we were actually walking on the top of a wall from the ruins. 

Another awesome view of Kaçanik

Ferizaj is the city in the distance

The view as we hike

The sign for the park on the top of Guri i Shpum

The sign pointing in the right directions

Mining on the hillside across the way

We are walking by the Ottoman wall

Along the way, we occasionally see another turtle or two.  I looked the type of turtle up and they were Hermann's tortoise.  They look similar to a box turtle, but are much bigger.  As the trail came to a junction with a rustic road, we came upon another picnic area.  It was time for another break with a snack of all kinds of nuts (Brazil, hazel, walnuts, and almonds).  There were two turtles by the picnic area.  At the area, there was water that comes from a spring, that you can refill your water supply.

A Hermann Tortoise out for a stroll

The picnic area with the spring

Yet another view of Mt. Ljuboten

After a break, we started walking again.  We were going towards a river, where it was possible to swim in clean refreshing water.  The hike itself was through wooded areas.  In the shade of the trees, it was nice and comfortable.  When we were in the sun, it was very hot and a little sticky.  Thom and I went with Fatmire and Ekrem on a short side hike, while the others took a break.  They wanted to show us a portion of an old Roman Road.  It was determined that it is a Roman road, because it matches the prescribed measurements.  Much of the stones were removed and used in other building, but portions still remain.

The remains of a Roman road

We walked for a bit and then the group split up.  I not sure why, but I think we went the best way.  We finally came to a spot where we could sit not far from the river near a little, old mill.  Some of the guys went and dammed up the river with rocks to make a pool of water and they splash around for a bit.  We had lunch by the mill. 

 

The mill stone and grinder

The little old mill

Fatmirë was checking out the mill and saw a bat.  I went to see it and it started flying around.  I don't think it liked being disturbed.  After lunch, we started heading back.  We retraced our steps with lots of breaks back to the picnic area with the spring.  Then we headed back to Kaçanik along the road.  I counted 10 turtles on our hike today, so it was a 10 turtle day.  

As always, we enjoyed the hike with the hiking group.  There are always so kind and generous.  They always make us feel welcomed.

Out and about...

Yesterday, I did a Covid Test even though it is not required now and I was negative.  CDC guidelines no longer require a negative test, just 5 days of masking as long as you are not running a fever.  I felt it was better to know for sure and to feel comfortable about be out and about. 

We did a big shopping trip to replenish supplies.  On the way back, we ran into Annie (the other Peace Corps volunteer near us) and then went to the cafe with her.  She is getting ready to leave on a trip to Ireland and Scotland, so it was nice to talk with her before she left.  A student from one of the classes I was in, was our waiter at the cafe.  He remembered my name, but I am not sure which class he was from. I was in so many different classes.

After the cafe, we walked a little way with Annie as she was heading back to her village of Kovaçec.   Thom and I decided to stop at an NGO called Bonevet.  There was a Bonevet in Kamenice as well and I knew some girls that took computer programming courses there.  When we went in, we didn't see anyone at first, but we could hear some kids.  We were getting ready to leave when one of the employees saw us and started talking with us.  Her name was Elisa and she is a mentor at Bonevet.  We also met Rolan another employee.  He works primarily with the MakerSpace at Bonevet and the laser wood cutting lab.   

The kids we heard were around 5 or 6 and were learning to program MakeBlock Panda Robots.  The facility was really nice with computer labs, 3D printers, laser cutters, various robots and creative things.  They teach camps, courses and programs to all ages including some adult programs in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM).  They are also working on curriculum for a course in sustainability.  They use a lot of activities that I am familiar with and some of the same resources that I used with my students in middle school.  I was really impressed with the facility and what they are doing there.  I hope I will be able to volunteer at their summer camps starting in July.

On our after dinner walk, we went by the newly almost finished community square.  There were lots of people gathered there and  Albanian flags displayed around the seating area.  There was a big screen in the square and something was being projected there.  We realized as we walked past that they were going to be showing a soccer (futbol) game between Spain and Albania.  The community was out in force to cheer on Albanian in the UEFA Euro Competition.  We continued our walk as the match did start for a half hour, but we did stop on our way back and the seating area was full.  We watched the beginning of the match which Albania eventually lost 0 - 1 and then we headed back home.

The square as we walked by the first time

The seating area when we got back right as the game was about to start

It was a nice day out and about.  

Covid Catches Up...

After four years of avoiding Covid, it finally caught up to us.  Thom started feeling a little under the weather while we were in training, but he thought it was a cold or allergies.  We got back from Prishtina on Friday evening and then did the hike on Saturday with the hiking group.

The hike was to "Liqeni i Livadhit (Gjoli)" or Meadow Lake once again in the Sharr Mountains.  We actually rode in the van to Brezovicë Ski Area to start our hike.  The hike was around 8 to 9 miles, but there were some steep climbs and always seems longer.  It was a beautiful day with perfect temperatures for hiking.  The lake was very pretty, but there was a dead fish smell as we walked along the one shore.  We decided to have lunch on the overlook to the lake that was well away from the dead fish smell.  There was still melting snow as we reached the area around the lake.  We found out today, that one of the guys in the group has a son who lives in Wisconsin and that he had worked for a while in a Walmart in Georgia.

Waiting for the van to cool

Ski Resort Area of Brezoviça

The lift chairs at the start of our hike

The resort in the background as we hike away

Wildlife in the Sharr Mountain -- we haven't see much

Different flowers in bloom from the previous trip

Snowmelt waterfall

The resort way below and the mountain peaks around

More beautiful flowers and cloud covered peaks

The last of the snow is slowly melting

Liqeni i Livadhit

A frog near a stream going into the lake

Daisy like flower along the way

Yellow flowers dot the meadow

Row after row of beautiful mountain peaks

It was a small group as it was a holiday weekend, Bajram i Vogel.  This means little Bajram and is one of the official holidays of the Muslim religion.  Sunday was Bajram i Vogel, so the hike was moved to Saturday and not many attended.  

Sunday, I woke up with a terrible headache.  My head was clogged and the pressure was creating the headache.  I was also very tired and I slept most of the day.  I didn't even feel like eating and I am usually pretty hungry the day after a long hike.  After talking with Matt Sunday evening and upon his suggestion, Thom took a Covid test and tested positive.  Thom used our last Covid Test, but Peace Corps sent a driver with additional tests out to us on Monday.  And mine was positive as well.  Sunday, was a hard day, but Monday, I felt better.  Tuesday I felt pretty good.  The new CDC guidelines say that you can go out with a mask as long as you are not running a fever and we don't have fevers.  We went for a walk along the river Monday night.  We walked where there were very few people and did not need to wear a mask accept in the apartment hallway.

Not as many people, but one really big bull on our walk

A new lit up "UCK" sign on the hillside.  UCK = Kosovo Liberation Army

Fortunately, I have nothing on the schedule this week except to get better, so the time was good for me.  Sadly, we missed Bajram i Vogel.  We had many visitors ring our doorbell, but Thom can't hear the doorbell ring and I was barely functioning.  He did answer it one time and it was a group of kids wishing Urime Bajram.  We even had visitors on Monday as well.  Thom greeted them from the doorway, but I was still not functioning well.  I was sorry to have missed the celebration.