There's lots to say about the Doughnut but for now, I want to catch up on the "pre-game" in Macedonia, getting me psyched up for vacation. First we had another baseball session with the American Sports Club, where we managed to have fun despite the searing heat on our now completely brown field.
Next came Pivofest, aka Beer Fest, in Prilep. Of the new beers I tried, the Czech beer Staropramen stood out above the rest. Mostly Pivofest is a fun excuse to catch up with friends but over grilled meats and, of course, beers.
Last but not least I traveled to Gostivar for Sheep Day which is exactly what it sounds like, a day devoted to sheep. The many facets of sheep were represented, from milking and shearing to cheeses. My favorite part though was the traditional wresting, where shirtless men literally poured sunflower oil all over themselves and then wrestled. Before the matches, they did some pumping up exercises which you can watch here.
After Sheep Day, the Doughnut began. I'd like to say that I'll write about that trip soon but at dawn tomorrow I am being picked up by YMCA en route to the Ukraine for a week-long festival, 300 young people from throughout Europe converging near Kiev. Yeah, the next installment might not be for awhile...
This all sounds enticing ,except for the yearning to explore Kosovo. I have been eagerly anticipating getting through PST and getting settled in at my assigned site and then exploring. When I was reading about the region and the countries, I came across a warning - - - do not hike in Kosovo without checking with the proper authorities so they can alert you to the location of land mines. For me, I'll skip the "hole."
ReplyDeleteWell, it's wise to skip going off trail in any countries where landmines were used but I think I can manage a trip to the capital to see the Bill Clinton statue and not get blown up.
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