Between borders

Searching for Serenity

elenanikolovska — Tue, 26 May 2015 22:40:16 GMT

A beach and a blue sea are my favorite minutes on Earth for as long as I can remember. That relaxing feeling and not a worry in this World is priceless to me.

And ever since I was a very young girl I kept imagining myself lying on a wild beach with not a person in sight and my feet submerged in the clear blue sea. As I grew up I realized that serenity is an endangered feeling and so in all my travels I was desperately trying to find it.

Then one day while vacationing on the Chalkidiki Peninsula in Greece, near the very ordinary small village of Sarti, and after 30 years of searching, I accidentally found my piece of pure serenity.

Originally I went looking for Portokali Beach some 7km from Sarti, after I saw pictures of the place showing the unreal blue colored water. But after arriving at the overcrowded evergreen forest parking space I decided to head for the opposite direction. So instead of going right to where a wooden sign pointed to Portokali, I decided I was going to go left inside the forest and see where it takes me.

And it took me to a narrow steep and rocky hiking trail with thorny bushes and big roots in the middle the trail. Somewhere half down the trail, I really thought about going back, but then this view unfolded before my eyes. I just stood there like a deer in headlights, my whole body refusing to move an inch. Down there through the bright green evergreen forest there was a small beach with the bluest blue sea I have ever seen.

You know that feeling when it’s so perfect from afar you don’t want to move in closer from fear that your might interrupt your own imagination!? That was it! When I finally got the courage, I headed down to the beach. The minute I put my feet on the warm sandy shore I forgot everything else. All I could think about was how blue was that color and how incredible this place was. And while the breeze from the evergreen forest above moved through my hair, I just sat down and gave in, searching for serenity was over…and I could finally rest.

Photos: Passport & Plate - Grandma’s Chocolate Cream

elenanikolovska — Thu, 5 Mar 2015 20:46:00 GMT

Ingredients: 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder 2 teaspoons of sugar 1 teaspoon sunflower oil couple of fresh or dried geranium leaves How to prepare this recipe: Grind up the sugar and geranium together in a morter so you get a geranium smelling sugar, then add the cocoa powder and sunflower oil and mix it all together. Spread on bread and enjoy the taste. Trust me, it’s much better than any other commercial chocolate spread, healthier too (no matter how difficult this is to believe). The story behind this recipe When I was a child I spent all my summers at my grandmother’s house in the country side. We were poor then and had a simple life, but I grew up in a yard filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, so I guess we had a lot more than other people. Back then whenever we wanted something sweet, my grandma made us her own version of chocolate cream. To this day I still eat this, it takes me back to my childhood and reminds me how lucky I was growing up amongst all those natural free products the earth gave us. And I strongly believe you should always find a way to awaken the child within once in awhile. It’s a very personal memory, but I gladly share it with the world, like my great grandmother did with my grandma, and my grandma with my mum and all her grandchildren.

Photos: Louvre on the outside

elenanikolovska — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 21:45:00 GMT

The collection of Art and Artifacts inside the Louvre is truly amazing. But, Louvre on the outside can be equally beautiful...

Photos: The Talking Lake

elenanikolovska — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 21:44:00 GMT

I have always been a writer, and the love for all things nature is intertwined with all the other areas of my life. So I became an environmental activist. My law degree serves me just fine in the fight to protect all those things I cannot live without. But, it seems people need more convincing and they react a lot better to visual things. So, I decided that photos of nature and its living beings best tell a story of what we stand to loose if we don't start treating nature's ecosystems with more respect. I write a sentence everytime I take a picture. Places can tell entire stories... The Amazon is one big set of lungs for the Planet, it's also very disturbing to see it threatened by human actions. I want to learn how to best capture that amazing nature so that one photo will speak so loud that it makes people react and do something to stop this destruction of nature. I will be very happy if the only action my photos provoke is a tear and a feeling of compassion, because we seem to have lost this today.

A history of worship

elenanikolovska — Wed, 14 May 2014 23:55:34 GMT

We walked the streets of Rome for the entire day, looking at all those magnificent creations. The night was still young when we passed Piazza Navona and I thought there could be nothing more beautiful than that big fountain in the middle of the square.

I have never in my life seen such real movements captured forever in stone. The 4 statues of the Fiumi Fountain looked like they were going to come alive and finish the movement they have started centuries ago.

But then we crossed the street and this Pantheon revealed itself and time just stopped at its base. I felt so small in its shadow. Hours passed by me, but I couldn’t leave.

There was a story being told over and over beneath the huge columns of The Pantheon, it was about the history of mankind’s need to worship and be worshiped. And there is no greater monument of human worships that The Pantheon, first a place where gods were worshiped and later emperors and queens. But I guess making people feel small was its purpose.

History though us well I thought, the political Pantheons of today are still serving the same purpose, making people feel small and insignificant infront of those they should worship. And yet, I still stood there infront of The Pantheon, silently worshiping for hours…

Photos: My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

elenanikolovska — Mon, 8 Jul 2013 01:22:00 GMT

I am a law graduate with the discipline and organization skills of a lawyer, a poet who notices small things in life and then writes about them, an amateur photographer that likes to take pictures from all the beautiful things around, and at least an environmental activist that strives to keep those beautiful sights the way they are.

Photos: Between Borders

elenanikolovska — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:43:00 GMT

Hiking up Korab is magical...

Catching a Moment - Between Borders

elenanikolovska — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:33:31 GMT

Each year for Independence Day there is a traditional hike to the highest peak in Macedonia. Last year despite all the warnings I decided to go.

The bus left us at the army watch tower in the base of the mountain. Adventure filled the air as soon as I exited the bus. Just sunshine and a big rocky mountain standing between you and the peak.

I filled my water bottles and started the long hike up. The first thing I saw was a fresh spring traveling it’s way down the mountain, sparkling in the sunlight. Then came this lush green forest with trees reaching the incredibly blue skies, and roots so old they had their own life down on the forest floor.

Old sheepfolds on the road to the peak, reminded me of past times when Macedonian people depended on fresh milk and wool, the smell of freshly made cheese filled the air and I could taste it.

The hike was so difficult I wanted to quit so many times but then a butterfly or a beautiful meadow would show itself and I’d quickly change my mind. Close to the peak the view from above was like nothing I’ve ever seen in my life. Blue and yellow and green all mixed together, and the smell of fresh blueberries and wild herbs growing right there beneath the peak.

Reaching the peak was a shear state of serenity and confusion. It was only then I noticed that the entire road up is a border that cuts between Macedonia and Albania, the peak is a place in between. Muslim and Christian, always at war and yet this beautiful place is the only border standing between them. I stood there for an hour looking down bellow, thinking how the challenges I’ve just passed relate to the past and wonderful history of the people living in these two countries. There between borders I saw how insignificant we are to the mountain…

The sugary sweet

elenanikolovska — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 01:32:00 GMT

My destination was the city of Lisbon in beautiful Portugal.Upon arrival to Lisbon, you get overwhelmed.This place is beautiful,no matter where you decide to head for a walk.After seeing the entire city,one morning I got up really early and I decided to go for a walk down this narrow,ugly looking street just around the corner from my hotel.At both sides of the street there were traditional old buildings,but then I saw something that looked just like a shop from the 18th century,from the age of kings and queens.Untouched by time.I came closer,it was a candy shop.I went inside and this older Portuguese man greeted me.The place was not just a candy shop,it was where local people eat their breakfast.Ola!,Bom Dia.Bom dia,I replied.He asked me how I found the place and said not many tourists find their way here.I told him I was just walking.He sat me down at a wooden table and said destiny brought me there.Elena was the name of his ancestor who started the candy shop,she was very respected by the king of Portugal.Elena was my name.The local people gathered and told me stories about each of the candies in the shop.With each new taste I got a new story,and as time passed,it felt as if I was sitting in the candy shop somewhere in the 18th century,when old Elena was the owner.The place smelled like sugar and almonds and cocoa.I saw Portugal as if I lived there for centuries.I drank the same wine that was on the king’s table at his wedding and ate the very same almond cake and it felt like home.It was my own personal fairy tale told before my eyes and I never wanted to leave.When all was said, the old candy shop owner,hugged me as I smiled and said goodbye,he looked at me and said-My Elena,never forget that kings fell beneath your feet and trembled at the taste of your cakes.I could never forget what he said,I could never forget my time spent in that candy shop,and ever since,almond cake forever tastes like Portugal.