Mavrovo National Park is North Macedonia’s largest national park, set in the far west of the country along the Albanian border. Established in 1949 and covering about 73,000 hectares, it takes in the Korab, Šar, and Bistra ranges, including Golem Korab (2,764 m), the highest peak in North Macedonia. The Radika River cuts a long gorge through the middle of the park, while beech and pine forest, high meadows, and the artificial Mavrovo Lake fill the valleys below. Wildlife includes the rare Balkan lynx, bears, and chamois. Villages such as Galičnik and the Sveti Jovan Bigorski Monastery sit among the mountains, and the lake’s half-submerged church is the park’s best-known landmark.
Still in North Macedonia we made a mad dash to another State Park. Stealth camping down on the shore of Movrovo Lake. “My Way”. Hmmm. Funny how the words on that boat would play true by the end of our visit.Great hiked up and over the lake in the morning. No boats, or water activity.An interesting church that when the reservoir is high it is half underwater. Note grass even growing on top.We took off driving up thousands of feet along a twisty winding road headed to a somewhat lost village of Galichnik. Some drives provide more entertainment than others. We love meeting real people, I guess real horses count too! Always fun to watch to see horses, donkey’s, goats, sheep, dogs & cats in this world. Never know what you’ll see…Finally arriving as sunset draws near. 5000+ feet to another village far below.Galičnik is a stone village halfway up Mount Bistra, built by Mijak sheep people who summered their flocks here and spent the rest of the year as the Balkans’ traveling masons. By 1900 it had a few thousand residents and hundreds of slate-roofed houses, and then almost everyone left. A few still live there full time.Finally the highlight of our time in North Macedonia. It’s been said if you want to hear all the bad in this world, watch the news. If you want to see the good in the world, go and meet the people. We are well on our way to meeting these people, and they all are great! As we walked thru town we saw no one. Frozen in time as if some strange event had removed everyone. We heard there was a restaurant/ hotel that may still be open. Looking at the 25%+ grade up, halfway we almost turned around. Then we found who we were looking for. Lena, and Jose, owners of the hotel. We spent the evening with them. Just the four of us by their fireplace. Lena spoke great English. Told us the history of the village. Once the pride of Macedonian yellow cheese production, now Nov 1 they close and only one family of 3 stay for winter with supplies brought up by horse. Then came sharing about her family. All of them talented but especially her son (self portrait in the back ground).Paval, among other things, a professional award winning singer. Lena played this video which brought us all to tears. From a small town great things happen when they can do it “My Way”
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