Marvellous Matka – Matka Canyon & Skopje Revisited, North Macedonia

Mark and I fled from Skopje first thing.

Riots in Skopje & The North Macedonian Name Game

In my last post, I asked, “What’s in a name?” when we discussed the City of Light. Little did we realise that we were about to discover the mother of all naming disputes – and get caught up in the news. Once upon a time, in a land not-so-far away, there was a little countryContinue reading “Riots in Skopje & The North Macedonian Name Game”

Can I Get My Dog an EU Pet Passport?

Updated with new information 15th May 2025 Since the Brexit transition period ended on 1st of January 2021, taking your pets abroad from Great Britain (not Northern Ireland!) involves much more expense and red tape. From 1st January 2021, Britain, except Northern Ireland, has ‘Part 2’ listed status. Overnight, the British Pet Passport (except those issued inContinue reading “Can I Get My Dog an EU Pet Passport?”

Ohrid, North Macedonia: The City of Light

What’s in a name? These days, Paris bags first dibs on the handle ‘The City of Light’. Accepted wisdom suggests this emerged from the French capital’s prominent role in the age of enlightenment. However, Paree’s lofty claim to La Ville Lumière title actually comes from something much more mundane. It is based on the city’sContinue reading “Ohrid, North Macedonia: The City of Light”