Rummaging from within

Hiking through the forest or taking the ropeway to the top of the Vodno mountain, is the usual getaway from the heated concrete jungle that is Skopje in summer. One sizzling hot August day ,in search for a breath of fresh air, I thought to myself:“Hey,you’ve heard so much about the church of St.Panteleimon, a couple of km from the city center on the west side of Vodno ,and you’ve never been there yourself,,
So I resolutely swerved from the accustomed trail and headed towards it.

Churches and monasteries are a big deal in Macedonia, as the rare, surviving architecture that is left to pass on the tales of their times .They’ve endured through hundreds of years of wars, conquests and natural disasters that ravished these parts, which have undoubtedly left a scared imprint of their own.

Tucked in the middle of the mountain and placed on a terasse - like section overlooking the city ,in just 30 minutes walking along the narrow road or a 10 minute drive, you slowly emerge from the forest arched road at a deserted parking lot just outside the walled complex that is St Panteleimon.
It has history and tradition written all over it. A true monument of its time.
At the very entrance,the year of construction is carved in the gate:1164.As you enter,go down the few steps and lay eyes upon the centuries old oak trees surrounding the church, you sense how tranquility and humbleness overcomes you. Built upon the request of prince Alexei from the Comnenus dynasty is this crucifix shaped and demure in it’s dimensions - byzantine pearl - built out of irregular stone blocks and brick embedded in thick layers of mortar.
During my visit,the colorful wall paintings that ornament the interior of the structure,were undergoing their 4th restoration .It was breathtaking to see how something made by the skillful artists ages ago could last so long, no matter what challenges (the unkind) father time made them undergo.

A voyage usually implies going somewhere far away from your everyday surroundings, discovering the different and unusual, expecting it will fulfill our wants . Sometimes, outlandish wonders that’ll fill out your very soul and lungs with excitement and freshness , do not require a pricey plane ticket and an all inclusive vacation. They might be in plain sight, waiting for people to dare to discover and explore them.