Ohrid, Macedonia

Although its name may sound like an ancient kingdom out of a Terry Pratchell novel, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia undoubtedly boasts one of Europe’s richest areas of breath-taking natural beauty, that of Lake Ohrid and its array of surrounding settlements and national parks.

As is often the case I was alerted to this semi-hidden gem whilst browsing a Lonely Planet article detailing 2017’s must visit locations.

A quick Google search was enough to convince me that I needed to get to Ohrid, especially as my list of European countries that I had yet to visit was quickly diminishing and within the space of a few weeks the trip was booked.

Touching down at the minuscule Ohrid Airport I didn’t have a great deal of idea what to expect, other than excellent photographic vantage points from which to capture the grandeur and beauty of the lake which measures 34 kilometres in length and at certain points, 300 feet in depth and is home to tonnes of species of fish and other water-based creatures.

Known for being the home to many beautiful churches which number well into the hundreds, Ohrid town itself is a charming collection of cobbled streets and an atmospheric old quarter which cascades gently down the side of a hill.

From our base at the charming Villa St. Sofija we were able to comfortably navigate the sites of the UNESCO listed old town on foot, taking in the spectacular views from St Clement Church and towering Tzar Samoil’s Fortress which looks over the town, as well as checking out the old amphitheatre and scores of medieval buildings, many of which are still homes to locals ensuring that the town still has a lived-in feel.

The boardwalk to Kaneo allows for easy access to the fishing village packed with restaurants and small beaches and following the boardwalk further is an absolute must, as it leads to The Church of St Jovan of Kaneo, a medium sized place of worship (by Ohrid standards) with behind it an excellent vantage point allowing visitors to capture that postcard Ohrid image of the church overlooking the pristine waters of the lake.

As is the case with all of the previous former Yugoslav states I have visited, the locals were exceedingly welcoming and intrigued by us with an excellent command of the English language.

Naturally Ohrid does welcome its fair share of international visitors (mainly Dutch), but is still just about worthy of being dubbed a ‘hidden gem’, with crowds not yet becoming overwhelming.

A range of traditional and international bars and restaurants line the waterfront dotted with local captains offering boat tours of the lake and the nighttime scene keeps kicking into the early hours, particularly at the weekends.

With an average wage of around 250 euros a month, western visitors can enjoy excellent value with a bottle of beer pricing around a £1 and a good feed available for less than £5 a head.

No trip to Ohrid is complete without a dip in the crystal clear lake itself, and as difficult as it may sound, try not to be put off by the chilly early summer water and the snakes which can be seen pouncing on some of the unsuspecting smaller fish.

Once we’d spent a day exploring the old town, we decided to take a tour to the ancient Orthodox monastery of St Naum, stopping on the way at Trepejca, the St Tropez of the Balkans, a small village which comes alive during the summer months and again offers yet another great spot to try and snap a photo which does justice to the lake’s incredible beauty.

A little further afield between Ohrid and the capital Skopje, but absolutely undoubtedly worth the two hour drive is Macedonia’s (interestingly the only state to leave Yugoslavia without a war) biggest national park, Mavrovo.

As well as being the home to bears and lynxes, Mavrovo offers crisp air and stunning views (again) of Macedonia's highest peak, Mount Korab, which reaches 2,764 metres above sea level.

After a stop at the Albanian feeling town of Debar, we enjoyed a look around Sveti Jovan Bigorski, probably the best situated monastery in the world, perched high up a valley, interestingly right across from a mosque meaning that at times both the monastery’s bells and the mosque’s call to prayer can be heard at the same time.

Mavrovo also offers skiing during winter months and is also the site of a number of small traditional mountain villages with an authentic feel of remoteness and detachment from the real world. Scruffy shepherds herding their flock along potholed roads are a reminder that life in the national park area for many, remains unchanged by the evolving world going on around them.

The catch with Mavrovo and indeed Ohrid being, that if you're anything like me, you'll fall in love with any one of a number of the stray dogs, all of whom did though seem to be friendly and well-fed.

As a sucker for Yugoslav history and travel (Kosovo is now the only state I haven’t yet visited), it was perhaps inevitable that I would end up visiting Ohrid when travelling to Macedonia, but I’ve also heard rave reviews of the capital of Skopje, said to be a cultural melting pot complete with bustling bazaars and markets.

Ohrid and its surrounding areas are certainly must-visit spots for nature lovers, culture junkies and religious folk and visiting you cannot help but be swept away and marvel at the picturesque setting, with every turn unearthing a new view that will have you reaching for your camera yet again.

Following last year’s introduction of flights from London Luton it is undoubtedly only a matter of time before more Brits clock on and follow the lead of the Dutch and pack up and head off in their masses to take up a spot on the shores of the placid lake. So my advice would be get to Ohrid and do so quickly before the crowds grow to the intolerable levels seen in the likes of Dubrovnik and prices begin to rise to match.

Timisoara March 2017

It doesn’t feel quite right putting together any kind of review for a city in which I spent less than 24 hours but I thought I would try and at least throw some words together about the Romanian city of Timisoara, and just let the pictures do the rest.

Our arrival into the city couldn’t have been any more stressful and we would have probably been kicked off a train into the bleak Romanian countryside for not purchasing our tickets correctly had it not been for the intervention of a kind young couple.

We eventually arrived nonetheless and eventually navigated our way from the city’s main train station into the city centre which more than 300,000 call home.

After a much-needed catch-up sleep we hit the streets and enjoyed a few hours browsing the student city dominated by the Timisoara Orthodox Cathedral and smaller St George’s Cathedral.

Timisoara is spotlessly clean and feels like a pretty relaxing place to call home with its slow pace of life.

Students sit around chatting and sipping coffee while locals casually go about their day to day lives.

The city is strikingly beautiful with lots of wide open spaces and is the historic capital of the region of Banat. Much like Belgrade, where we had come from, it was refreshingly cheap.

We enjoyed a few hours sitting and strolling in the sun and the time in Timisoara, a former European Capital of Culture, almost felt like a city detox after Belgrade’s high octane hustle and bustle.

Timisoara has also played an important part politically having in the late 1980s seen the birth of a country-wide demonstration which led to the overthrow of dictator Nicolae Ceausescue, and again recently been the scene of gatherings protesting about government corruption.

In an ideal world we would have had a little more time to look around, but I still think myself lucky to have had the chance to at least briefly sample life in Romania’s third city which I can only imagine is a world away from the capital of Bucharest and considerably more picturesque.  

Belgrade February/March 2017

A nation often dubbed as the bad guys in the Western media following the brutal conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo, it (as usual) came as a surprise to many when my friends and I announced that the Serbian capital of Belgrade would be our choice of destination for early 2017.

Having visited Bosnia and heard first-hand about some of the atrocities committed by Serb forces as they strained to hold a rapidly disintegrating Yugoslavia together, I was a little apprehensive (though not judgemental as massacres were routinely carried out on both sides), about the reception we would be greeted with by the Serbs.

I need not have worried.

What awaited us was a city that truly never sleeps, where the locals go out drinking and having a good time until beyond the early hours with not even a second’s thought about what time their alarms will sound in the morning.

The party mentality is said to have derived from Nato’s questionable and highly destructive bombing campaign in the city in the late 1990s, where locals would seize any temporary breaks in the shelling to go out and let their hair down.

Although not the most beautiful of cities (Belgrade is quite grey and has plenty of stereotypical high-rise socialist housing as well as the odd building still lying in ruins) the city’s fortress is well worth a few hours and consists of the old citadel and Kalemegdan Park on the confluence of the River Sava and Danube.

The fortress offers some panoramic views of the city which stretches as far as the eye can see despite having a population of just over a million.

But for me, what really makes the city of Belgrade stand out is the people who live there.

We spent a lot of time around the Republic Square area where there are plentiful bars and restaurants 

to keep visitors and locals fed and watered.

The prices offer exceptional value with beer around a pound and a tasty main meal costing under £4, and that gets even cheaper if you head away from the centre of town.

With the exception of the odd miserable taxi driver, everyone greeted us with a friendly smile and quick chat and we enjoyed nights spent drinking at a Serbian folk club and in local bars and clubs with our newly-made friends.

Our hostel (Hostel Bongo) was both spotless and convenient, just a couple of minutes away from Republic Square and the team of staff were always on hand to guide us.

The train journey out of the city and towards the border town of Vrsac was also fascinating, seeing civilisation gradually slip away towards a more traditional and rural way of life.

I’m not sure whether or not it’s a reputation that stems from past conflicts that stops English people heading to the former administrative capital of Yugoslavia or a fear of the unknown, but with such exceptional value and a population of people who are genuinely happy to see you and show off their city, I’d be very surprised if Belgrade doesn’t begin to feature on the radar of more Brits.

Just make sure you check out the Balkan special cevapi (grilled mincemeat) and watch out for the local Rakija, a fruit brandy style drink which will knock you for six if you’re not careful.

Crvena Zvezda v Partizan March 2017

Now I have to admit that I'm not usually one to get scared *beats chest* but as we made the considerable walk from our hostel nestled in the centre of Belgrade, into the suburbs towards Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade's) Rajko Mitić Stadium, my heart was beating like a drum.

Even in the city centre (a full two or three miles away) stern faced riot police and soldiers lined every corner ahead of what is known worldwide as The Eternal Derby.

Our journey to the match started two days earlier when we traveled to the stadium otherwise known as the Marakana in the hope of scoring tickets.

The 55,538 arena is certainly showing its age having been first opened in 1963, and if you walk around the perimeter of the bowl you will find graffiti daubed by Red Star's most fanatic supporters The Delije (Heroes), piles of rubble and even the odd dead rat.

A short five minute walk away is Partizan Belgrade's 32,710 ground and between the two bitter rivals, they boast 53 national championships (Red Star's 27 to Partizan's 26), 37 national cups (13 for Partizan and 24 for Red Star) and a European Cup won by Red Star in 1991.

As a result of the unrivaled riches of the EFL and La Liga, Eastern European football is somewhat in the doldrums with neither Red Star or Partizan having qualified for the Champions League group stages since 2010.

Teams are made up of journeyman from all corners of the globe, local players who couldn't quite cut it abroad and exciting youngsters who use Red Star and Partizan as a stepping stone west.

The fixture is famed for the intense hatred between the two sets of supporters which regularly spills over into violent scenes and spectacular pyrotechnic displays.

The tension as we walked to the game was palpable and we briskly strode in a deafening silence surrounded by the eagle-eyed authorities.

We tried not to draw any attention to ourselves and ensured we dressed for the occasion, not  evidently wearing the colours of either team.

As we entered the vast bowl of the Marakana we found our seats and sat watching the Delije and Grobari (Partizan's firm The Grave Diggers) assemble, but nothing could prepare us for what to follow.

At kick off the ground was near enough full, barring rows of seats left unattended in an effort to deter any potential troublemakers from attacking rival fans.

Both sets off supporters took it in turns to produce breath-taking displays and hurl deafeningly loud abuse at each other.

Particular highlights were Red Star's sparkler and choreography display and Partizan fans setting off of some sort of giant smoke cloud which held the game up for several minutes whilst the smoke cleared.

Flares were set off at regular intervals and the displays produced an incredible sight, all this despite police seizing more than 1,000 before kick off.

I can't even begin to think how many flares would have been held aloft had police not discovered them hidden in the stadium beforehand and it's also worth considering that I struggle to even get a bottle top into grounds in the UK.

The game itself was ok, sporadic moments of quality coupled with slap-stick play acting and both teams had a number of bright youngsters on show, many of whom I fully expect to one day see in the EPL or Serie A.

Red Star looked to be heading towards a victory which would have taken them nine points clear of their rivals but Partizan's late equaliser prompted incredible scenes behind the goal and meant that the title race goes on for the time being at least.

Both sets of fans chanted non-stop for 90 minutes and the noise was like a tidal wave reverberating around the stadium.

I found myself spending more time watching the action off the pitch than on it and have never experienced such an intense and simply loud atmosphere in all my years.

After the game we joined the thousands and made our way back to the city centre on foot and despite being borderline petrified on the way to the game, we made our way home safely without a nasty word said in our direction.

So, if there's anybody out there (like me), who is bored of the sanitised atmosphere of the EPL and is willing to sacrifice quality on the pitch for unrivaled passion off it, then look no further than the Belgrade Derby.

From Anfield Road to Home Park: A Cornish Plymouth Argyle fan's epic tale

Yesterday evening I was one of 17,048 people lucky enough to get a ticket to the FA Cup Third Round replay between Plymouth Argyle and Liverpool Football Club.

Ever since fan-favourite Graham Carey converted an extra-time penalty late into a grim December evening in Newport to confirm that it would be The Pilgrims who would face the five-time European champions, much of the South West has suddenly started to take notice of us once again.

As an Argyle fan since 1998, I have experienced the full range of emotions. The ecstasy of two promotions (Argyle beating Queens Park Rangers 2-0 on a sunny April afternoon in 2004 is still one of the best days of my life), to the two straight relegations down to League 2, a period spent flirting with the abyss of the non-league football and even coming within hours of not having a club at all.

I have seen great players come and go, many sadly leaving for a fraction of the value due to the club's perilous financial situation at the time, and some players seemingly little better than many of those lacing up their boots to play in the local leagues of any given Saturday afternoon.


Last year Argyle came within a whisker of promotion, eventually folding to AFC Wimbledon after more than 30,000 supporters travelled to London and helped paint Wembley green for the play-off final - a game set up following one of the moments that make us love football so much, a last minute-winner against one of our rivals, in this case Portsmouth.


However, to his eternal credit, manager Derek Adams has ensured both players and fans have all but gotten over the Wembley heartbreak by making a number of shrewd signings such as centre back Sonny Bradley and experienced former Premier League midfielder David Fox and once again steering Argyle to the upper reaches of the League 2.

The Greens currently sit six points into the automatic promotion places with a game in hand but it has been the FA Cup run that has really got the South West talking.

Waking up at 3:30am to make the trip to Liverpool, I simply hoped to enjoy a few beers with my friends and prayed that Argyle would be able to keep the score down to anything respectable below 4-0.

The motorway was a sea of green on the way up and there was a carnival atmosphere in and around the away end with The Green Army in fine voice even in the pubs beforehand.

More than 8,600 Argyle fans packed into Anfield's away end, a fantastic sight, and comfortably out sung the Anfield faithful from the first whistle to the last.

Naturally, Liverpool's stars (and there were a few of them present) moved the ball around at ease but lacked the penetration to really test Luke McCormick.

As the minutes ticked by and ball after ball was cleared, the chances of Argyle earning a lucrative replay became more and more real.

The scoreboard timer ticked in slow motion and despite a few scares, Argyle held firm and as referee Paul Tierney sounded his whistle the away end exploded. An incredibly proud day to be a fan of Plymouth Argyle Football Club, I couldn't stop smiling for days.

Earning a replay has earned Argyle an estimated million pounds and while this is nothing for a club like Liverpool, the figure can make all the difference for a League 2 outfit.

An online search shows that Liverpool's brilliant Brazilian Coutinho earns an estimated £100,000 a week. 

Although I have no official figures to verify this, ever trusty Football Manager tells me that no Argyle player earns more than £2,000 a week.

Predictably the replay sparked a frantic scramble for tickets and I was contacted by several Liverpool fans asking if I can get them a seat for the visit of one of European Football's true giants.

Needless to say, I told them that the day was a reward for all the loyal Argyle fans who have witnessed defeats at home to teams such as Morecambe and Crawley or traipsed to towns and cities such as Hartlepool and Carlisle, often enduring eight hour journeys home with little or no footballing reward. I wasn't going to help any Liverpool fans get tickets in the home end and detract from the atmosphere.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Argyle's support can only be rivalled by Portsmouth at this level and they have the benefit of being a former Premier League side and FA Cup winners.

The Green Army regularly numbers more than 1,000 at away games, sometimes amounting to a third of the crowd on the day.

As the cameras rolled into Home Park, the media circus began and the club tried its best to reward loyal supporters, although it's fair to say there were more than a few teething problems which results in some genuine fans missing out on the game altogether.

So Wednesday eventually rolled around and every second at work felt like an hour (sorry to whichever of my bosses is reading this).

I hit the road at 4pm and from the second I stepped out my car in Plymouth I felt like the club was alive again and the city cared. Nothing irritates me more than watching a game in a Devon or Cornwall pub and being surrounded by Manchester United fans who probably have never been to the city or couldn't even point it out on a map.

Vendors around Home Park pedalled those hideous half and half scarves on every corner and the Britannia pub was one in, one out. Police officers marshalled the sell-out crowd and with the installation of temporary seating on the Mayflower Terrace, Home Park felt like a proper football ground again.

The anticipation was palpable in the build-up to kick-off and as soon as Semper Fidelis drew to a close, The Green Army started belting the way through its repertoire and how great it was to hear the noise coming from not just the Devonport End but the Mayflower and Lyndhurst too?

The Liverpool fans, despite numbering well over 2,000 were disappointingly quiet but last night wasn't about them, it was about Plymouth Argyle Football Club.

Unlike at Anfield, Argyle pushed forward when possible creating a number of opportunities but it was veteran Lucas Levia who headed Liverpool in front, heading in from a corner and finally breaking Argyle's brave resistance.

The Green Army continued to sing and loud. I especially enjoyed the song directed at the extremely irritating ex-red Steve McManaman who has given Argyle grief whilst commentating on the two ties, not realising that if we attacked at Anfield we would have been taken apart at will and probably on the wrong end of a severe hammering. How on earth he is allowed to commentate on either Liverpool or Real Madrid games when he displays such blatant bias towards his former clubs in beyond me. In my book, sports commentary should be unbiased and insightful.

Into the second half and Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge departed having had a minimal impact on proceedings and the Home Park faithful collectively held its breath when Jake Jervis came within an inch of forcing extra time when his acrobatic effort rebounded off the post.

McCormick saved a late penalty from Divock Origi but Argyle failed to fashion anymore clear opportunities and as the final whistle sounded, The Green Army stood to applaud the efforts of the players who fought gallantly and did what many Premier League sides have failed to do, restrict Liverpool to just one goal over 120 minutes.

Internationals Adam Lallana, Coutinho, Emre Can, Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi and young starlet Ben Woodburn all tried and failed and it was a player who hadn't scored since 2010 who eventually proved the difference between the sides.

As I walked away from Home Park last night and proceeded to get stuck in road works on the A38, I couldn't help but reflect on how the feel-good factor is finally returning to Home Park and how the South West and the footballing world is once again taking notice.

The atmosphere last night was absolutely electric and if Argyle perform as they did over the two games against Liverpool in the remaining League 2 fixtures, we'll finally be out of that wretched league at a canter.

With all due respect we deserve better than to be playing clubs some of the clubs in League 2 who average as few as 3,000 fans for each home game.

The demand for tickets for the Liverpool games shows that if the players and manager are doing the business on the pitch, the people of Cornwall and Devon, and those exiled around the country, will soon jump back on the band wagon.

Things are definitely looking up and for the first time in years, it's exciting to be an Argyle fan and the feel-good factor is most definitely back.

The Liverpool games have created some incredible memories that will stay with me for life but it is absolutely vital that the team really kicks on and secures promotion. Any less than that and despite the Anfield heroics, the season will be seen as a failure, especially given the gap that currently exists between the automatic promotion places and play-off spots.

We have the right manager, a good squad even if a little depleted through injury at present, and people steering the club with Argyle's best interest at heart, as is evident with Simon Hallet's multi-million investment to redevelop the Mayflower Stand.

I'll be at Cheltenham on Saturday singing my heart out for The Greens. We're Plymouth Argyle and we're most certainly on our way back.

Montenegro - September 2016

The Bay of Kotor

The Bay of Kotor

Kotor

Budva

Chilling in Kotor

Budva old town

It may have only been a standalone country since 2006, but what Montenegro lacks in age it more than makes up for in beauty and charm.

Previously a part of Yugoslavia and then Serbia and Montengro, the small country of under 650,000 boasts some of the most beautiful coastal towns in all of the Adriatic Sea area.

Lonely Planet has recently ranked the fortified town of Kotor as its top destination to visit in 2016 and it’s easy to see why.

Kotor is situated in a fjord like bay with the towering limestone cliffs of Mount Lovćen looming all around, providing a stunning backdrop to be absorbed from the various settlements dotted along the water’s edge.

The compact old town area wows visitors with its quaint, cobbled streets, ancient churches and array of quirky boutiques.

Although Montenegro receives a far smaller number of visitors than its illustrious neighbour Croatia, the bargain prices and breath taking scenery make it every bit as appealing.

We were fortunate enough to join an organised tour and spend a morning taking in the bay in all its glory.

We enjoyed a hearty lunch and leisurely stroll around Kotor before moving onto the slightly more developed and marginally less picturesque Budva.

Budva’s walled old town is smaller than that of Kotor and its surroundings are somewhat marred by hotels and development built to cater for its annual influx of primarily Russian citizens.

That said, Budva still possesses a charm and visitors are able to bathe or swim on sandy coastline that backs on to the crumbling old town walls, allowing for some incredible ocean views.

The Montenegrin economy may still be finding its feet but its mini tourism boom bodes well for the future. With thousands of visitors unable to resist its awe-inspiring scenery and cheap prices, the country should well end up cropping up on more and more travel itineraries over the next few years. 

Croatia round two - September 2016

Twelve months ago I was blown away by the heart shaped peninsula of Istria in Northern Croatia.

Its stunning sunsets and old fishing ports such as Rovinj and Pula captivated our minds during a weeklong visit.

However, mention Croatia and most people initially think of Dubrovnik so I thought it only right to go back and see what the fuss is about, and tick off Bosnia and Montenego whilst there.

Dubrovnik is famed for its beautiful terracotta roof dominated old town, ringed by large stone walls erected for defence purposed in the 16^th century.

The city was once an independent republic and was also the scene of a seven month siege by Serbian forces following the declaration of Croatian independence in 1991.

It was also the setting for hit TV series Game of Thrones and welcomes thousands of people each year, making it the most visited place in Croatia.

Unfortunately along with these visitors come the most expensive prices in the country and borderline unbearable crowds, including those who disembark from cruise ships moored in the port for the day.

I thoroughly enjoyed my two days exploring Dubrovnik and it is undeniably stunning, complete with a cable car which speedily makes it way to Mount Srdj dramatically overlooking the city.

However the sheer volume of visitors and cost of meals in an otherwise affordable country would controversially lead me to pointing any would-be visitors north to other parts of Croatia instead.