How can I complain?

When working in the Tourism sector it is very common to receive oral and written complaints as tourists often complain about some aspects of their holidays. In order to be prepared, let´s have a look at how you can complain in English in an oral or written form and also how you are supposed to answer complaints properly.

Written and Oral Complaints

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What is Tourizm?

Tourism is travel for recreational or leisure purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited".Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2007, there were over 903 million international tourist arrivals, with a growth of 6.6% as compared to 2006. International tourist receipts were USD 856 billion in 2007.

Despite the uncertainties in the global economy, international tourist arrivals during the first four months of 2008 followed a similar growth trend than the same period in 2007.However, as a result of the economic crisis of 2008, international travel demand suffered a strong slowdown beginning in June 2008, with growth in international tourism arrivals worldwide falling to 2% during the boreal summer months, while growth from January to April 2008 had reached an average 5.7% compared to its 2007 level.
Tourism is vital for many countries such as U.A.E, Egypt, Greece, Thailand and many island nations such as The Bahamas, Fiji, Maldives, Seychelles due to the large intake of money for businesses with their goods and services and the opportunity for employment in the service industries associated with tourism. These service industries include transportation services such as cruise ships and taxis, accommodation such as hotels and entertainment venues, and other hospitality industry services such as resorts.

Macedonia abounds in natural beauties and rarities. Many have named it "the pearl of the Balkans." Its numerous mountains, forests, rivers, and lakes represent a great tourist attraction. The country is rich in water resources. It is often called "the land of lakes" because of its numerous tectonic, glacial, and man-made lakes. There are about 50 large and small lakes, the most significant ones being the lakes of Ohrid, Prespa, and Dojran. The rivers form three basins, the largest one -- the Vardar River .
The high mountains present its impressive, spectacular landscapes. Because of the great variety of plant and animal species, some areas in the mountains have been proclaimed national parks: Mavrovo, Pelister, and Galicica.


The main administrative center of the country is Skopje , with a population of 467,257 inhabitants. It's a place where many roads and civilizations have met and mingled. Other major towns are: Bitola , Prilep, Kumanovo, Tetovo, Ohrid.
The town of Ohrid, situated on the shore of Lake Ohrid, with its natural beauties, historical and cultural heritage enjoys the protection of UNESCO. Ohrid abounds with a large number of historical and cultural monuments, lovely beaches, and accommodation facilities.

The second "pearl" of Lake Ohrid , the town of Struga is renowned for its old architecture, the river Black Drim, its fine beaches, excellent hotels, and campsites.
The basin of Lake Prespa is another popular tourist destination with its wild beauty. The lake offers peace in several various accommodation facilities on Otesevo and Pretor tourist centers.
Lake Dojran, the smallest of the tectonic lakes, due to its mild climate and warm water, is considered to have medicinal qualities. There are several hotels and campsites on the shore of this lake, too.

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Heraclea -Bitola

Famous for its dazzling mosaics, ancient theater and Roman baths, Heraclea is the most vividly preserved city from the Ancient Macedonian empire surviving in the country.

Founded in the 4^th century B.C.E. and conquered by the Romans two centuries later, it was built on the Via Egnatia and became one of the key stations on this trading route.

From the 4^th-6^th centuries C.E. Heraclea also had an Episcopal seat. The first excavations were done before the First World War, but only since then have the full glories of the ancient city been revealed. Beautiful Roman baths, the Episcopal church and baptistery, a Jewish temple, portico and a Roman theater now used for summer concerts and theater shows all survive in excellent condition.

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Stobi The ancient city of Stobi, lying in a fertile valley just a few minutes off the central north-south highway that connects Macedonia with Greece, was a vital trade route in its day. This crossroad of ancient civilizations has left a rich legacy of antique theaters, palace ruins, brightly-colored mosaics and religious relics for visitors today to enjoy. As a city, Stobi is first mentioned in documents from the 2nd century B.C.E. However, archaeologists believe that the town had been inhabited from at least 400 years earlier. Stobi became a rich and prosperous city due to its location on the crossroads of important trade routes. It experienced its biggest period of growth from the 3rd-4th centuries C.E. The archaeological site (located just 3 km or 1.8 miles from the Gradsko exit on Highway E-75) offers sweeping views of the central Macedonian plain and contains buildings such as the 2nd century amphitheatre, the Theodosia palace, and early Christian ruins with extensive and ornate mosaic floors.

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Markov Monastery - Skopje

Only 20 km (12 m) distant from the city, yet a world away in terms of atmosphere, Markov Monastery sits amidst flowering woods in the village of Markova Sushica. The construction of the church, dedicated to the martyr St Demetrius, began during the reign of King Volkashin (1346/47) but was painted and completed only some 30 years later. The church was built on a three-nave base with a vaulted dome on stone. Unlike many monasteries affected by Ottoman rule, Markov has retained its original structure and form.

The church has tremendous importance for Byzantine art, as it contains many examples of highly unique frescoes. Some seem to have arrived here out of the blue, as it were, while others of a known iconographic design underwent such dramatic stylistic changes that they came to form new iconographic entities in their own right.

During Byzantine times, the monastery had its own school and many manuscripts were written by the monks and priests. Among the most famous ones are the Prologue – a preface written by deacon Nikola (1370), and a letter (1362) by a monk known as Varlam.

The monastic complex today contains dormitories, dining room that are richly decorated with frescoes, a bell tower, an old mill, a wishing well full of cold spring water, and storerooms. The monastery still has an operating oven and a special stove for making rakija (a kind of brandy).

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Baba Mountain

Baba Mountain overlooks the city of Bitola in the Republic of Macedonia. Its highest peak is Pelister (2601 meters, or 8533 feet). Baba mountain is the third highest mountain in the Republic of Macedonia after Korab and Šar Mountain. Other peaks besides Pelister are Dva Groba (2514 meters), Veternica (2420 meters), Muza (2350 meters), Rzana (2334 meters), Shiroka (2218 meters), Kozji Kamen (2199 meters), Griva (2198 meters), Golema Chuka (2188 meters), Skrkovo (2140 meters), Babin Zab (1850 meters), and many more. The Baba massif splits up the rivers in the region, so that they either flow towards the Adriatic, or the Aegean sea.

Pelister National Park is filled with exquisite flora and fauna. Among flora elements, the presence is especially significant of the five-needle pine molica , Pinus peuce - a unique species of tertiary age being present on only a few mountains in the Balkan Peninsula. The beauty of the landscape is enhanced by the diversified wildlife: bears, roe deer, wolves, chamois, deer, wild boars, rabbits, several species of eagles, partridges, redbilled jackdaws, and the endemic Macedonian Pelagonia trout.

Pelister is the oldest and second largest national park in Republic of Macedonia after Mavrovo. It is one of the leading tourist areas in the country, since it is a well-known ski resort, along with Ohrid, Prespa, Dojran, Popova Shapka, and Krushevo.

From Pelister you can see the Pelagonia valley, Lake Prespa, mountains Nidzhe, Galichica, Jakupica, and the city of Bitola. Interestingly, Pelister is one of the most southern mountains in the Balkans that has an alpine character.

Pelister is also known for its two mountain lakes, which are called Pelister's Eyes. The Big lake is 2,218 meters above the sea level while the Small lake is 2,180 meters high. Here are the sources of many rivers. The climate in Pelister National Park is diverse.

On the peaks, there is snow even in July, and in some places the new snow meets the old from previous years.

On Pelister mountain, there is a TV transmitter using an additionally guyed lattice steel mast as antenna tower.

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Macedonian Cities -- Tetovo Mt.Sar

Mt. Sar is one of the three Alpine mountain ranges in Macedonia, the other two being Mt. Korab and Mt. Bistra. It is at an altitude between 1,600 and 2,531 m and can be reached from Tetovo either by road or by a cable car (6,589m long). The Mt. Sar range is 80km long and 12km wide, and it is covered with snow from November till March or April. The Popova Sapka Ski Center is one of the most attractive winter resorts in Macedonia, offering 20km-long ski runs, 14 ski lifts, and two cable cars with a capacity of 13,770 people per hour.

In the summer, Mt. Sar can be described as an ocean of grass and green fields, with numerous sheep flocks on its slopes, watched by shepherds and the special and rare dog type called Sharplaninec, and it offers a host of hiking trails. The range has a number of lakes, such as Golemo Ezero, Belo Ezero, Bogovinsko Ezero, and Crno Ezero, as well as rock climbing sections at Crnen Kamen, Kobilica, and below Mount Plat.

Mt. Sar is considered to be the largest compact area covered with pastures in Europe. The traditional Sar Championship takes place every year and is on the list of international FIS championships.

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Countryside & Spas

Macedonia’s Unexposed Beauty: Countryside and Spas

Local municipalities intend to promote the countryside for the purpose of attracting visitors and potential investors as one of the still unutilized ways of filling up their municipal budgets.

A number of municipalities are drafting projects for natural beauties and archeological sites presentation. Negotino is going to promote "a wine street" -- the mayor will get together the few existing mini-wineries, while opening some new ones, as well.

Our plan is to develop every village, because this area is specific and it abounds in grapes and archeological sites. The village of Bisan, for instance, hosts an archeological town with a fortress as big as Samoil's Fortress. We want to show this to the people, Negotino Mayor Gjorgji Kimov says.

The Delcevo villages of Razlovci, Bigla, and Dramce boast a special kind of architecture. US businessmen have paid a visit and are pleased with the idyll of the countryside.

Razlovci is known for the Razlovci Uprising and its very old church. We intend to open this not only to foreign tourists, but to our local tourists, as well. This region's future is not only in tourism, but also in agriculture and fruit growing, Delcevo Mayor Mirko Ivanov has said.

In cooperation with travel agencies, Ohrid Municipality will be organizing lunches for tourists in the Ohrid villages. Several old houses will be restored to show what life was like in the past.

Kocani is drafting a project for a spa center, aimed at exploiting its warm geothermal waters. Another plan envisages the construction of a dirt dam in the river basin area of Aramiska Cesma on Mt. Osogovo with a view to stimulating conventional and eco-tourism in the tourist area of Ponikva.

The environmentally clean nature, the man-made Lake Gratce, and one of the best hunting sites in Macedonia attract foreign visitors. Tourism based on natural resources offers a fresh chance for economic progress, Kocani Municipality representatives say.

The Wealth of Healing Waters in Macedonia

Macedonia spreads over a vast amount of geothermal waters. Inexhaustible underground lakes of this wealth of natural energy are located in Istibanja near Vinica, Kocani, Stip, Gevgelija, and Strumica, all the way to the Vardar River Valley.

Yet, except for Kocani, which has been exploiting its hot springs for as many as three decades, the other areas have barely done anything to make them work and only 0.3 percent of them are believed to be utilized. In Stip, for instance, the story of establishing a major European center for spa tourism, the main asset of which would be the healing waters of the famous Kezovica springs, has been heard for decades, but it is only this year that the local authorities are to do something concrete about it.

Stip is the most unexplored area in this respect, although the announcements of its potentials are exceptionally promising. Drilling at some 80 meters near the village of Krupiste has given way to geothermal waters, which now flow freely at a temperature of 42C. No one has done any research in that area ever since. In Istibanja near Vinica, hot waters flow on the surface of the Bregalnica and Osojnica rivers, but no one explores those sites, either. The potential of Bansko near Strumica and of the Gevgelija area have not been sufficiently investigated, either, although their potential is more modest.

It is only this year that Stip has drafted a main project for exploiting its hot springs in a spa and a recreational tourist center. These geothermal waters are a scientifically proven cure for over 20 ailments. The project envisions saunas, every type of pools, sports halls, jogging trails, restaurants, hotels, and so forth.

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Events in Macedonia - July

Blues & Soul Festival - Skopje

This festival, which was established in 1996 and is held 1-7 July every year, further reaffirms Skopje's appreciation for quality music. Some of its participants so far have included Michael Hills Blues Mob, David Honeyboy Edwards, Lucky Peterson, Louisiana Red, Eric Sardinas, Temptations, U.P. Wilson, Mick Taylor, C.J. Chenier & Louisiana Red Hot Band, Tony Vega Band, Phil Guy, Ronny Jordan, Mighty Sam McClain, Bernard Allison, Melvin Taylor & The Slack Band, Mick Taylor (ex-Rolling Stones), Todd Sharpville, and many more.

Balkan Festival - Ohrid

Traditionally for over 40 years, this festival takes place in the beginning of July and hosts vocal and instrumental bands and solo singers from Macedonia, the Balkans, and neighbouring countries, presenting their authentic folk creations and traditional culture through dances, songs, rites, traditional clothes, local costumes, traditional musical instruments, and handicrafts.

Ohrid Summer Festival - Ohrid

The Ohrid Summer Festival takes place 12 July-20 August every year. This is the event of the year in Ohrid. The festival gathers artists from all over the world, offering events for everyone’s taste. A number of concerts, theatre plays, poetry readings, and ballet performances are enjoyed in the most magical atmosphere in the antique town. First established in 1961, the festival became a member of the European Association of Festivals in 1994.

Galicnik Wedding

The “Galicka svadba” (Galicnik Wedding) is held on 12 July every year and has a century-old tradition. This is an event to commemorate the traditional wedding customs and pay tribute to the Macedonian cultural heritage. The bride and the groom, as well as the wedding guests, are adorned in the beautiful Galicnik folk costumes, famous for being one of the most luxuriously ornamented, as compared with other folk costumes in Macedonia, or even the Balkans. The wedding takes place in the village church of St. Peter and Paul.

Monodrama Theatre Festival - Bitola

Seven years ago Bitola's Cultural Center started a monodrama festival that has become an important source of theatrical activity. Located in the cross point of three borders -- Macedonia, Greece, and Albania -- the city of Bitola and the neighbouring Otesevo (with its international festival of small theatrical forms taking place at the same time in July) has become an attractive place for international exchanges for this region. The first festival of Macedonian monodrama was held in October 1999 with Macedonian participation only and had a non-competitive character. Today the five-day festival has gained an international character and takes place 7-11 July.

Beer Fest - Prilep
This is an international beer and grill festival. The festival takes place on the streets of Prilep, usually in the beginning of July. Many renowned beer producers from the Balkans and beyond participate in this event. Sausages and burgers, endless streams of beer, and great music to everyone's taste contribute to the merry atmosphere of this three-day festival.

Alarm Festival - Ljubanista, Ohrid
This festival takes place on the camping site of Ljubanista, located 25km on the southwest of Ohrid. Several stages offer music to everyone’s taste, such as rock and roll, techno, and underground.

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Macedonian Cities -- Struga Events

Struga Poetry Evenings

The idea of establishing the “Struga Poetry Evenings” was born in Struga on 15 July 1961. It all started with a series of readings by a number of Macedonian poets in honor of the two brothers, Konstantin and Dimitar Miladinov, great intellectuals, teachers, and writers, born in Struga in the beginning of the 19th century.
Since 1961 the event has been taking place every August and usually lasts three to five days. Each year, this poetry festival begins traditionally with the reading of Konstantin Miladinov's unforgettable poem "Longing for the South" ("T'ga za jug"). Inspired by the harsh Russian winters, Konstantin wrote this memorable poem during his student days in Moscow.
During its existence of over 45 years, the festival has hosted some 4,000 poets, translators, essayists, and literary critics from 95 countries worldwide. The most spectacular evening of the festival is certainly the one entitled “Bridges,” when the poets address the audience with their poetry from the bridge where the Crn Drim River exits the lake Ohrid. Each year the winner is awarded with a “Golden Wreath.”

Vevcani Carnival
The village of Vevcani is situated on the west side of the Debar-Struga highway, just 15km away from Struga and Lake Ohrid. On the night between 13-14 January every year the carnival of Vasilica (Macedonian Orthodox New Year) takes place in this village. This carnival is one of the most attractive events in Macedonia. The participants, with a realistic sense of humour, satire, and sarcasm, mark the events of everyday life and mainly mock the authorities and the power they represent. The carnival in this small village is 14 centuries old and is included in the world carnival list. Additionally, the beautiful waterfalls close to the village make it a desirable destination for tourists in the summer months.

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Macedonian Folklore

"We keep repeating those ancient, created-God-knows-when poems, riddles, proverbs, magic spells, curses and tales, and they appear before us in a new, unknown glamour, with untouched freshness, as if they were created today. And it shall remain so for as long as the Sun shines and the Earth moves, and as long as our magic tongue exists. As long as we relentlessly restore love, always differently and always faithfully to folk poetry."

Until the beginnings of Renaissance in Macedonia in the middle of the 19th century, there had hardly been any interest in collecting folk works due to the political and cultural circumstances in Ottoman-ruled Macedonia until that time. Even the first Macedonian writers, Kiril Pejcinovic and Joakim Krcoski, had a negative attitude towards folk poetry and considered its powerful effect and widespread use among the masses as damaging. This is hardly surprising if we know that they were clergymen, and like all religious personages, they insisted on promoting church literature as more virtuous than the livelier and more liberal folk poetry.

In the second half of the 19 th century, however, there was a sudden change of affairs. In their fight against foreign reign and assimilation, the most distinguished Macedonian intellectuals of the Renaissance focused their interest on the folk tradition and heritage as a powerful weapon for creating a national culture. The author of the first published collection of Macedonian folk poems, Stefan Verkovic, emphasised this in his work: "That this Slavonic branch never died out or got assimilated can only be ascribed to the fact that people spend most of their lives in their villages working in the fields, talking to others, telling stories and reciting their poems." Such and similar views were expressed by other collectors of folk literary works, like the Miladinov brothers, Kuzman Sapkarev, Marko Cepenkov , to mention but a few.

The 19 th century was the most fruitful period in creating and publishing folk collections, both in size and value. The best collections and isolated works published in various newspapers and magazines belong to Macedonians. However, Macedonian folk works were also collected by a host of Bulgarians, Serbs, and Russians. Surely, their collections are a valuable contribution to the rich heritage of the Macedonian folk treasure, although one could often come across misinterpretations regarding their national character, as well as linguistic and other interferences with certain political intentions.

The entire work of collecting and research in the field of the Macedonian folklore is classified into four periods. The first period covers the first signs of interest in the Macedonian folklore until the beginning of the Renaissance, i.e. until the publication of the first Collection of Macedonian Folk Poems in 1860. The second period coincides with the time up to World War I, the third period is up to World War II, and the fourth period covers the national liberation war, the liberation and the years after it until the present day.

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Macedonian Cities -- Stip Famous for

Makfest Festival
This festival has been the main event in Stip for 20 years and during this time it has developed and became the most popular pop festival in Macedonia. Held each year in October, the festival stage has hosted most of the Macedonian pop stars, as well as some international pop singers.

Pastrmajlii

Once in Stip, don’t miss the opportunity to taste its specialty called pastrmajlija. This pastry is made of pork, eggs, and lard, and is best if combined with strong red wine on a cold winter day.

Kezovica thermal water springs
The thermal springs with water temperature of 62C are located in the southeastern part of Stip. The water is of favorable chemical structure with medicinal qualities appropriate for curing a wide range of diseases, such as rheumatism, arthritis, diabetes, sterility, high blood pressure, etc.

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Macedonian Theatre

The beginnings of the play in theatre lie in the Dionysian Bacchanalia held throughout Ancient Macedonia. The god Dionysus, through play, came among the people disguised as a male goat or bull and freed them from their difficulties, concerns, and problems. Archaeological finds in Macedonia confirm the view that classical dramatic art, in all stages of its development, left traces of its presence in Macedonia, as well. The figurine of the goddess Maenad dating from the 6^th century B.C. discovered near Tetovo (hence the name of this archaeological find — Tetovo Maenad), the red-figured hydria from the 5^th century B.C. unearthed near Demir Kapija, the red-figured vessel (4^th century B.C.), on which Dionysus and a group of maenads are depicted, are all kept in the Archaeological Museum of Skopje as convincing evidence of the presence and wide acceptance of theatre play among the population of Ancient Macedonia. Four antique theatres have been discovered in Macedonia in Stobi, Heraclea, Ohrid, and Scupi.

The founder of Macedonian dramatic literature and theatrical activity in the Macedonian language was Jordan Hadzi Konstantinov-Dzinot. In the middle of the 19th century, this outstanding Macedonian revivalist created the possibility, through a number of dramolets (short plays), for a new spiritual expression of Macedonian — in other words, he created the Macedonian theatre. In December 1874, the first performance of the Veles Theatre Amateurs, A Failed Merchant or a Death Sentence was presented in Veles. A few months later, a drama section was formed in Veles within the framework of the Spark Association for National Education. Soon the second premiere was performed, this time the play The Most Suffering Genevieve, where, for the first time in the history of the Macedonian theatre, a role was played by a woman — T. A. Kolarova. Until then, female roles were played by men.

Bitola has had a regular theatrical life since 1918, when the Military Theatre of Tosa Jovanovic became the City Theatre of Bitola. Due to financial difficulties, the Bitola theatre's work was continually interrupted until August 1924, when, by an official act of the Ministry of Education, it was proclaimed a state institution under the name City Theatre. In April 1926, Skopje and Bitola theatres were united within a single theatre institution, under the common name the Skopje-Bitola National Theatre. Only a year later, the Skopje theatre separated from Bitola, and the theatrical group from the latter town was dismissed. In fact, Skopje artists were not in need of a theatre building any more — the new Skopje Theatre by the Vardar River had been completed. After many problems and obstacles from 1932 to 1937, the theatre in Bitola operated as Good Field Theatre. Its members included many fine artists, who remained devoted to the theatre, including Petar Veljanovski, Pavle Pavlovski, Boris Boslakovski, Petar Zezoski, and Vele Goco, as well as young Dimce and Aco Stefanovski.

In November 1944, immediately after the liberation of Skopje, the first professional theatre in Macedonia was established. The artists, mainly members of the military Koco Racin Cultural and Artistic Group, composed the ensemble of the new Macedonian National Theatre. These men and women included Petre Prlicko, Todor Nikolovski, Ilija Dzuvalekovski, Meri Boskova, Kiro Kjortosev, Todorka Kondova, Ilija Milcin, Krum Stojanov, Cvetanka Jakimovska, Toma Kirovski, Dobrila Puckova, Stojka Cekova, Boris Stefanovski, Vukan Dinevski, Darko Dameski, Dragi Kostovski, Dragi Krstevski, and Aco Jovanovski. The first manager of the theatre, Dimitar Kjostarov, and actors Petre Prlicko and Ilija Milcin were engaged as directors. Other theatres were staffed by the following artists [actors]: Bitola: Dusan Naumovski, Kosta Dzekoski, Aco and Dimce Stefanovski, Petar Veljanovski, Petar Stojkoski, Olga Naumovska, Ljubisa Trajkovski; Prilep: Mirko Stefanovski, Nada Gesovska, Dimitar Gesovski, Kiril Zezoski, Cane Nasoski, Rampo Koneski, Pravda Ilic; Stip: Aleko Protogerov, Ilija Arev, Ruza Ikonomova, and Toma Gagovski; Veles: Boris Beginov, Nikola Dimitrov, and Olivera Nikolova; Strumica: Stojan Gagov and Aleksandar Dumov; Kumanov Gjoko Nikolovski and Petar Tasevski; Tetov Panta Nikolic, Ace Cvetkovski, Pance Kamdzik, and Ubavka Slavuic; Turkish Drama Company of the Theatre of Nationalities: Erdan Maksut, Mustafa Yashar, Ekasa Kaso, and Atila Klince; Albanian Drama Company of the Theatre of Nationalities in Skopje: Mark Marku, Bajrush Mjaku, Sefedin Nuredini, Silvana Bajcinovci, Liman Nijazi, and Teuta Ajdini.

The number of non-professional and amateur theatre companies throughout the Republic is considerable. In the 1990-91 season, the Bitola theatre staged 13 plays with a total of 146 performances, attracting a combined audience of 56,500. During the same season, the Kumanovo theatre presented only four works with a total of 31 performances for a combined audience of 6,630. Five works were performed by the Prilep theatre 90 times, for the enjoyment of 23,330. In the same season, the Skopje theatres staged 60 plays and 531 performances before a grand total of 193,481 patrons of the arts. The Strumica theatre performed seven plays 61 times and attracted 17,621. The theatre in Titov Veles presented four plays for 85 performances before a total audience of 30,450. Finally, the Stip theatre had five premieres in that same season with 75 performances and a grand attendance of 19,450.

From 4th June to 10th June 1965, the First Festival of Professional Theatres of the Republic was held in Prilep, organised by the Association of the Drama Artists of Macedonia. The festival was named in honour of the founder of the drama and theatre life on this territory, Vojdan Cernodrinski. Since that day, the finest works of Macedonian theatres are presented each year at the festival in Prilep. The Vojdan Cernodrinski Theatre Festival played a crucial role in upgrading the quality of the Macedonian theatre, at the same time stimulating both contemporary Macedonian drama literature and the polyphony of the theatrical play.

In May 1976, a group of young enthusiasts founded the Open Youth Theatre Festival (MOT) in Skopje. More than 250 theatrical performances have been presented at this festival so far, most of them by alternative, experimental theatre groups engaging young writers and actors. In former Yugoslavia, the Open Youth Theatre was a festival in which every one wished to take part and to display their talent! For several years now, the Open Youth Theatre has been an international festival: to date, guest performances within its framework have been given in Skopje by groups from the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, the United States, France, the Soviet Union, Russia, Spain, Japan, Poland, Italy, the United Kingdom, India, and other countries. Recently, the Open Youth Theatre became a member of the Brussels Informal European Theatre Meeting (IETM), a network of 250 world theatre festivals, institutes, and companies. Within the framework of the Open Youth Theatre, a Macedonian National Centre of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) was established, and at the 25th ITT World Congress in Munich in 1993, it was received as a regular member of this theatre association.

Drama takes a notable role within the framework of the Ohrid Summer Music and Theatre Festival, with theatre projects specially prepared for this international event. Only three years after beginning the first musical performances at the Ohrid Summer Festival, in 1964, As You Like It by Shakespeare, directed by Dimitar Kjostarov, was peformed, soon followed by the collage Laughing Is Not a Sin produced by Ilija Milcin and Toma Kirovski. Both were performed by members of the Macedonian National Theatre.

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Millennium Cross in Skopje

The Millennium Cross (Macedonian: Милениумски крст, Latinic: Mileniumski krst) is a 66 metre-high cross situated on the top of the Vodno Mountain in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia and the biggest cross on Earth. The cross was constructed to commemorate 2,000 years of Christianity in Macedonia and the world.

Millennium Cross is one of the newest symbols of Skopje. It was build during 2002, and finished in August 2002. This Cross was build by Macedonian Orthodox Church in order to celebrate 2000 years of Christianity in the World and on Macedonian soil. It was constructed and placed on the highest point on Vodno mountain, a place that for centuries was known as place where Cross exists. Most of the time during Ottoman`s rule in Macedonia (14-20 century) there was a small cross on this place, so Turkish and local Macedonians called it "Krstovar" (place where there is a cross).

Millennium Cross was full of controverse, during the construction. Because Macedonian Orthodox Church was unable to collect all the money for the construction, Macedonian Government gave donation of almost 2 Million Euros and helped to build this Cross . True Orthodox Christians are proud of this Cross. It is a symbol of their faith in God and Christianism. At this moment (Spring 2003), the Cross is only thing that has been built. Our Orthodox Church is planing to build a small Orthodox monastery next to the Cross, and a proper fence that will surround that area, and will keep intruders away from the Cross. Hope we, Macedonian people and state, will collect funds to finish this project in near future.

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Thermal resorts

Macedonia Thermal Spas offer an effective medical treatment to all the country people. These spas mainly use local thermal waters for the purpose of treatment. In the eastern part of Macedonia there are several thermal waters springs. While talking about the Macedonia Thermal Spas, the name that comes in our mind is the Kezovica spa centre. The spa has a century old reputation in the field of medical care. The personnel working in this spa are highly qualified and efficient.

It is seen that there is series of thermal and mineral waters within the small territory of Macedonia. This is due to its varies topographical features and tectonic processes. The 7 spas that is still existing in Macedonia were built between the year 1960 and 1980.

It is assumed that the primary reason behind the popularity of those Macedonian spas are their advantageous geographic location. Some of the most popular spas in Macedonia include the following:

• Katlanovo Spa
• Kosovraska Spa
• Negorecka Spa
• Debar Spa
  

Katlanovo Spa is the oldest spa of this country and is running its operation since the Greek era. It is also one among the best known Macedonian spas. Southeastern part of the Macedonia has a high potential for Spa tourism development.

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About Macedonia

Demographics

The Republic of Macedonia has an estimated population of 2,055,915[32] citizens, according to the last population census in 2002 with 58% of the population living in urban areas. he largest ethnic group in the country are the ethnic Macedonians.

According to the 2002 census,[28] 1,297,981 inhabitants declared themselves to be Macedonians, representing 64.18% of the total population. Approximately 500,000 inhabitants are declared as Albanians, representing 25.2% of the population.[29] Smaller ethnic minorities include Turks (77,959 or 3.85%), Roma (53,879 or 2.66%), Serbs (35,939 or 1.78%), Bosniaks (17,018 or 0.84%), Vlachs (9,695 or 0.48%), and other (20,993 or 1.04%). The Macedonian national census records most ethnic groups, but the smaller ones, such as Bulgarians and Greeks, are not enumerated separately in the final report.

Language

A wide variety of languages are spoken in the Republic of Macedonia, reflecting its ethnic diversity. The official and most widely spoken language is Macedonian, which belongs to the Eastern branch of the South Slavic language group. Its current form was codified after World War II and has accumulated a thriving literary tradition.
Other languages including Albanian, Bulgarian, Romani, Turkish, Serbian, Vlach (Aromanian and Megleno-Romanian), Circassian, Greek and others are spoken roughly in proportion with their associated ethnic groups.
Macedonian is the only language explicitly designated as an official national language in the constitution. It also provides however that languages spoken by over 20% of the total population are also official - at present, only Albanian fulfills this requirement. Additionally, in municipalities where at least 20% of the population is from other ethnic minorities, their individual languages are used for official purposes in local government.

Religion

The majority (64.7%) of the population belongs to the Macedonian Orthodox Church (which declared autocephaly in 1968, that is still not recognised by the Serbian and other Eastern Orthodox Churches, although the Archbishop's Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with Decision No. 06/1959, has recognised the autonomy of the Macedonian Orthodox Church [35][unreliable source?]). Muslims comprise 33.3% of the population and other Christian denominations comprise 0.37%. The remainder (1.63%) is recorded as "unspecified" in the 2002 national census [36]. Most of the native Albanians, Turks and Bosniaks are Muslims, as are a minority of the country's ethnic Macedonian population, known as Macedonian Muslims. Altogether, there are more than 1200 churches and 400 mosques in the country. The Orthodox and Islamic religious communities have secondary religion schools in Skopje. There is an Orthodox theological college in the capital. Macedonia has the largest proportion of Muslims of any country in Europe after Turkey, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

History

The lands governed by the Republic of Macedonia were previously the southernmost part of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. Its current borders were fixed shortly after World War II when the Anti-Fascist Assembly for the National Liberation of Macedonia declared the People's Republic of Macedonia as a separate nation within Yugoslavia.
Over the centuries the territory which today forms the Republic of Macedonia was ruled by a number of different states and former empires.

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Professional designer luggage

There are many travel bags and gift bags produced by some companies. you can buy bags that you want and gift bags at the nearest store.

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Last minute accommodation flights and Hotels

Australia is considered as one of the best destination for tourism, he has all the aspects that are best for the culture and people good for your holidays many beauty beaches, including accommodation. Perhaps somewhere you do not have time to prepare for your holiday plans, but for a place that you want to visit in Australia, it is difficult to find last minute accommodation , if you travel in the holiday season is almost fully booked, not even this holiday season was quite difficult for the last minute Hotels find that offers the price and place.

When the problem of accommodation is the problem be solved next flight, if you hurry, or as I write the above, you do not have a place unless you want to visit, and you need a last minute flights, you can choose the Australian airlines virgin blue, Qantas international flight or a company such as Singapore airlines, there are a cheap flights , jetstar and good service airlines in the world, so if you're from another country, you can use the flight, this service offers a very good and has been proven over many years.

Accommodation with the many things that can make you confuse you can visit the site last minute, they have the best solution for a holiday trip, in this site you can manage your flight with the Australian airlines Jetstar, virgin blue, Qantas , Singapore Air flight line or other services, they can provide cheap flights to save fares, at this site you also select a date from the hotel check-in, check out the date or you may want to plan a vacation at the school site.

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Lake Matka

Except for natural lakes in Macedonia, there are a great number of artificial lakes. These include Matka (near Skopje), as well as Mavrovo, Tikvesh, Kalimanci, and Streshevo.

The Matka Canyon

The Treska canyon is vertically cut into the massive of Suva Mountain. The geological features of the park reflect in the hard carst ground in the area. The different carst formations in the canyon, such as the karrens, flutes, valleys, cracks, crevices and caves, have been formed by long term impact of the mountan rivers, as well as great temperature oscillations. In the surroundings of the Treska Canyon one can find dozens of caves. The most beautiful ones are the caves Vrelo (The Spring), Krshtalna (The Baptistery), and Ubava (The Beautiful One). Some of the caves are illuminated, and visiting is organized by an official guide. The diversity of dripstone adornments has been captured by well deployed illumination. The caves are filled with numerous stalagmites, stalactites, stalagmates and dripstone pillars. Kayaking on the river Treska The Treska Canyon is the most important alpine-climbing center near Skopje. The major climbing season in Matka begins in spring, somewhere around the Easter holidays when visitors come from the countries all over Europe. The season continues over summer and fall until the end of November. At the same time, the Treska Canyon is open for wild water kayaking. St. Andrew's Monastery is located on Lake Matka, 17 km away from Skopje.
This monastery was built 1389 and is filled with frescos of a great artistic importance. Near Andrew's is the St. Nikola Shishovski Monastery, situated on top of the cliff above Lake Matka, thus giving the visitor a spectacular view of the lake and its surroundings. While there is no information when this monastery was built, it is first mentioned in the 17th century. Unfortunately, the monastery was abandoned during the 18th century, only to be resettled the following century. It is interesting to point that there are three layers of frescos in St. Nikola's. The church of St. Andrew on Matka Lake Close to both Andrew's and St. Nikola's is Matka Monastery from the 14th century. The monastery is located on the left side of river Treska, about 12 km from Skopje. The frescos of this monastery date from the 15th century, but they don't match those of Andrew's.

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Stone Town Kuklica

The “stone town”, is situated by the Kuklica village in the Kratovo area. According to the sources, the stone figures that are called Dolls by the local population are 10 million years old. There are many legends and myths about their existence, but the most famous is the one according to which the stone figures are wedding guests that were cursed by a forsaken bride, and turned into rocks. There are 120 stone figures, one next to another, up to 10 meters high.

The legend has it that once upon a time, one boy from the village of Kuklica (that is above the stone town) who couldn’t decide which girl to marry, asked two girls to be his brides. The wedding with the both of them was planned in a single day. There used to be a tradition that there mustn’t be two weddings in one day, because the brides must not see each other during their wedding - that was considered bad luck. One of the brides, not knowing about this tradition saw that there is another wedding in the same day and ran out of her house to see who is getting married. When she saw her boyfriend with another girl, she cursed all of them: "Let God turns all of you into rocks, even me" and all people turned into rocks.


According to another legend, the existence of the stone figures is very different. There used to be a forest in this area, but due to wars it was burned down. Soon the area became a wasteland. The temperatures were very low and when the army passed through the wasteland, all of the soldiers turned into rocks.

But the scientists do not agree with the legends. According to them, the stone figures were formed 10 million years ago, by tectonic erosion, from minerals that dissolve in water. As the time passed, nature created masterpieces. The local population says that every 5-6 years new figures appear.

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Veljusa-Monestery

If you happened to set forth from Strumica by car half an hour before sunrise, after having driven some ten kilometres to the northwest of the city, you already climb up the winding narrow road above the Village of Veljusa, and there... you find yourself in front of the monastery gate. Around you there is the rural atmosphere of a Macedonian village that slowly wakes up. Dogs barking and roosters; smell of country yards and hen-houses, of chimneys and firewood that bring to mind images of breakfast being prepared. The area does not abound in vegetation. Nothing that would especially attract a new-comer's attention at his first visit here. You are much too close to the monastery as to see it. Knowing not what is on the other side, you cautiously step in through the gate... and then everything changes.

All you hear is the echo of your footsteps on the stony path and the wind in the crowns of the trees, while in amazement you feel the gentle eastern light and the peace this place breathes with as they tame you. An oasis... of silence. Greenery bordered with flower-beds and roses. Recently planted trees. With great care and love laid out park, in which dominate the ancient church and several newly built monastery facilities in the characteristic Macedonian-Byzantine style of construction – dressed stone and brick. An elevated sight. The monastery complex is situated on a rocky plateau above Veljusa and the Strumica Valley .

Behind the mountain ridges of Ogražden the sun rises. The clock tower shows the time that passes down there in the world, and here – it stops, in a 'momentum towards Eternity'. And while you wonder if you were all alone in this celestial sight, quietly opens the gate of the monastic part and several nuns soundlessly go down the steps toward the entrance into the church. Spontaneously you follow them and you are already inside... It is time for Liturgy.

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Vodica-St.Leontius' Monastery

At the exit of the village of Vodoča, only four kilometres northwest of Strumica, loom up stately the renovated cupolas of the church of Saint Leontius, in silent testimony to the magnificence of the ancient seat of Strumica metropolitans. At night the sight is yet more majestic. The whole complex is lightened from various angles. Amid the surrounding darkness the chance traveller gets the feeling as if the monastery were pending, in descent from the heavens.

There are two ways in. One of them leads to the large church of St. Leontius and the guest quarters. The second, through the main gate, leads to the monastic part, where the small newly built church is situated – dedicated to St. Gregory Palamas and to the venerable Elder Joseph the Spilaioti – with the belfry, opposite the monastic residential quarters (konak). In the vicinity, by the young plane trees, along the path behind the monastery walls, hidden from the eyes of the visitors, on a hillock above the monastery, with an open view to the whole valley, the small church dedicated to St. Triphon is located, within the new skete at the monastery vineyard.

To tear off a piece of Heaven and to bring it down here, for consolation and salvation of people, to turn an arid wild area into a garden of the Spirit, to be a witness to the Heavenly Kingdom in the world... is a cross-and-resurrection struggle, worth man's life. Few of them are there called to bear witness in the place of Christ. Such a witness is the episcope. About this holy, martyric struggle of the hierarchs, about the visible and the invisible war against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places, which the ascetics wage, about love towards enemies, Vodoča has much to tell... without words. For the ones who know how to listen in humility, to see... with the eye of the soul.
From History

Grace of martyrdom and illumination. Of this on many occasions and in various epochs historical facts and the lives of the saints have spoken until present-day. With the struggle of the Fifteen Holy Hieromartyrs of Tiberiopolis, the martyric ethos took roots on this sacred site. In this area the mission of the Holy brothers Methodius and Cyril started. Later, their disciple St. Clement of Ohrid carried out his activity in this area as episcope of Velika and Dremvica. Here the fourteen thousand soldiers of Samuel were blinded after the battle at Belasica. Here St. Constantine Cabasilas was episcope.

The Vodoča monastery is mentioned for the first time in the charters of the Byzantine emperor Basil II, in 1018, at the time when Samuel's state was destroyed. It appears again in the documentation of a Hilandar act of 1376, when the Vodoča episcope Daniel and the Bansko episcope Gregory settled their disputes with the local secular authorities over the borders of the Hilandar estates in the Strumica area.

The present outward appearance of the church of St. Leontius depicts the former splendour. Still, the interior setting with the multitude of frescoes, the marble iconostasis, the large-scale throne icons, the opulent sacred vessels, the procession banners with precious adornments, the church furniture and the liturgical utensils... have been lost for ever. There are no exact historical data on the church construction. In fact, it is a complex of Vodoča churches with three construction phases. The oldest church is in the eastern side. Only a small fragment of it remained in the present altar space. The second phase is when the original basilica was ruined and in the first half of the 11th century to the west side a church was built in the form of an inscribed cross, dedicated to the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos. From then date the only frescoes preserved until today – those of St. Euplus and St. Isaurius, which indicate analogies with the fresco painting in the Ohrid Holy Sophia and with the one in the Holy Healers' church in Kostur. In the 12th century an extension was carried out, during which the large eastern cruciform church was built, which has monumental fresco painting. To the west part of the church, in the second half of the 14th century, the narthex was built, painted in that period. When the uncovered porch in the southern part was built, it is not known.

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The Monastery St. Panteleimon in Skopje

The 12th century church of St. Panteleimon contemplates Macedonia’s capital city in untroubled serenity from the tiny village of Gorno Nerezi, high on the forested slopes of Mt. Vodno. Only a 15 minute drive from downtown Skopje, the church, which is one of the oldest and most important in Macedonia, was built and painted in 1164 under patronage of Byzantine prince Alexios Komnenos, whose name is immortalized in marble above the entrance to the church. It was dedicated to St. Panteleimon, the protector of health.

The monastery is most famous for its exceptional fresco paintings, which convey dramatic facial expression and emotions not commonly found in Byzantine art. In 1555 the main dome collapsed, but within a short time the monastery was renewed and repainted. Fragments of old frescoes were incorporated into the new ones. An example of a combination of a new and old painting is the fresco portrayal of The Communion of the Apostles. Among other well-known fresco themes are the Transfiguration, the Raising of Lazarus, the Birth of the Mother of God, and the Presentation of the Mother of God to the Temple, The Entry into Jerusalem, and The Descent from the Cross.
The most impressive fresco in St Panteleimon, created under the influence of apocryphal religious literature, is The Lamentation of Christ. Art historians consider it a masterpiece, as it displays traits associated with renaissance art at a much earlier date than the blossoming of the Italian Renaissance.

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Plaosnik

Located in Ohrid’s old town, Plaosnik is an utterly unique phenomenon: it was recently reconstructed, with loving attention to detail, precisely in the style of a Byzantine church, right down to the red bricks and mortar.

An early Christian sacral building dating from the 5th century was discovered here, built over the remains of an older antique building whose cistern was found in the atrium of the newly built temple.
St. Clement built the monastery in 893 A.D. and dedicated it to St. Pantelejmon, the protector of health. During the Ottoman Empire the church was destroyed and Sultan Mohamed’s Mosque built on the remains of the church, which eventually did not survive on Macedonian soil. In 2000, the construction of today’s church began and was finished and consecrated on August 11, 2002.
During the construction, the tomb of St. Clement was also restored, which is the tomb that St. Clement designated for himself and where he was buried in 916 A.D. In the centre of one of the friezes there is an image of a lion, which is unique to mosaics in Macedonia.
Today, Plaosnik is one of the most exhilarating Byzantine-style churches in Macedonia. Its floor is covered with mosaics of twenty wave-shaped tassel interspersed with the figures of flowers, birds and animals. The very fact of its reconstruction is evidence of the strong affection Macedonians still feel for their Byzantine heritage.

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