Travels, images, words, memories...: Ryo arrived in Macedonia…

On June 28, we picked Ryo Higuchi, our new Japanese friend who was sent to our care and responsibility by my younger “brother” from Kanazawa, Hiro (otherwise a university professor, named Hirofumi Sugawara) from the Hotel Bellevue in Skopje, where he arrived the previous night from Vienna. On the way to Ohrid we went to Gorno Nerezi to see St. Panteleimon for knows which time and to promote it solemnly to Ryo, who, knowing the Japanese, is likely to come here many times.

In the inscription above the door leading to the nave of the Nerezi church it is said that it was erected and painted in 1164. Itsr founder was the Prince Alexius Comnin, the son of the feudal lords Constantine Angelos and Theodora, the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Alexius of the dynasty of the Comnenes, who entrusted the painter's task to a prominent painter who marked the epoch and with his supreme work remained permanently spotted in the history of painting as "the master of Nerezi".

Leaving Skopje, we went to Matka to see the church of St. Andrew and take some pictures from the church and the beautiful nature in the Treska River canyon. The church itself was erected in 1388/89 in the picturesque canyon of the river as an endowment of Andreas, the brother of King Marko, in the form of a three-naved domed church with a porch added in the 16th century. In the painting of the artist, the Metropolitan John, the classical ideals, strict proportions, volume and all other bearing stylistic components of court art from the beginning of the 14th century are revived.

On the way to Tetovo and Gostivar, we called Sime in Vrutok to throw some trouts on the grill and to cool the beer until we reach there.

After about two hours, with fully settled food and beer needs, satisfied and laid in the seats, we continued for Ohrid, where in the afternoon and the next day, Rio reviewed and photographed Ohrid churches and other interesting places, some with me and some accompanied by Emil.