Warm greetings dear steemians!

Today I'm going to share with you one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had.

Traveling and discovering new destinations are definitely some of my favorite recreational activities. It's a privilege for me to be able to travel roads beyond the borders of my own country. I feel really happy and grateful for all those experiences that let me wander through awesome foreign lands.

This time, I'm going to be talking about the trip I took to Macedonia and all the things that I learned in this fantastic land surrounded by natural beauty.

First of all, I have to say that this journey took place for a sporting reason, that is to say, because of the “15th IBCA Chess Olympiad for Blind and Visually Impaired Chess Players 2017”. This is an international championship that brings together the best chess players with visual disability from all over the world. Each country was represented by a team of five players. This time, I was able to join the Venezuelan national team, and we achieved a collective result that placed us in the 9th position of the final ranking. This result gave us the qualification to play the next stage called "World Team Chess Championship for Blind and Visually Impaired 2018" that will be held Sofia (Bulgaria) in July.

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Getting to know Macedonia

Located in the center of the Balkan Peninsula and adjoining Greece and Albania, is Macedonia, a mythical paradise unknown by many people. This wonderful land has an environment that radiates life and beauty in all directions, namely the natural landscapes, rich in both fauna y flora, which is characteric of Macedonia. My longest stay was in Western Macedonia, specifically in Ohrid city.

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The chess competition took place at the "Metropol Lake Resort", which was also the venue where we stayed during the course of the event.

The Metropol Lake Resort is a tourist resort located on the outskirts of the city and enjoys an interesting combination of simplicity and nature. These elements make it a perfect choice to stop "business as usual". Around this touristic facility, there is the Lake Ohrid that I will be talking about now.

Ohrid has been recognized worldwide for its natural treasures. The main reason that makes Ohrid a jewel for tourism is an impressive body of water known as "Lake Ohrid", that holds more than 358 km ^ 2 and about 300m of maximum depth. It's one of the oldest lakes in the World, dating back more than 2 million years! This nature relic was declared "World Heritage" by the UNESCO in 1979, it is recognized as one of the aquatic ecosystems with more biodiversity on the planet and it's home of 200 animal and plant species, including Ohrid Trout and The Balkan Carp as endemic species.

As a matter of fact, all these Lake Ohrid's atributes make it an ideal place for fishing, which turns out to be one of the main sources of income for the region.

Note that this lake has a high level of preservation, free from any contamination, due in part to the fact that no river flows into it, and is supplied by groundwater.

Ohrid is also famous for the manual production of pearls, which ensures a very appealing finish. The actual originality of these handmade pearls is that they are not "born" from oysters. Instead, the master craftmen extracts fragments from ground shells and repeatedly cover them with a hard and shiny emulsion. This emulsion is prepared with the scales of a kind of fish from Lake Ohrid as well. The manufacture of handmade pearls is an art and few people master this meticulous process, which is the reason the pearls are very valuable and sold in Ohrid as well as in many countries in Europe and the rest of the world.

Coming to the Ohrid's central areas

During a spare time, my teammates and I decided to explore the city center. Since we were on the outskirts of the city, we had to take a taxi, which by the way was fairly inexpensive: almost 300 Denars (just under 5 Euros) for a trip that lasted about 15 minutes.

Once you arrive at the city center, which is quite crowded, you can appreciate the characteristic touch of the Orthodox Christianity in the buildings. To be honest, the architecture in Ohrid looks quite gleaming since these historical works are painstakingly restored with artisanal techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation among its inhabitants.

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With approximately 42,000 inhabitants, Ohrid is the largest city in the Balkan region. Its people are very warm and helpful. The treatment received every time I asked directions or practical tips in general was timely and given in a patronizing manner.

Here are some of pics of the city that I took:

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Another iconic place of Macedonia I was able to visit, is the "Samuel's Fortress", known under this after being the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire during the rule of Tsar Samuel of Bulgaria in the 10th century. As well as being a tourist center, this monument has been an epicentre of archaeological excavations of great importance, where transcendental finds have been made that reveal the existence of ancient civilizations dating back to the 4th century BC.

touring the lake

As usual, once a half of the contest was reached, the organizing committee of the IBCA (International Braille Chess Association) prepared a recreational activity in order to let the teams take a break and "recharge their batteries", because the "scientist sport" (chess) demands a lot of energy, both physically and mentally. For this day off, managers of the Macedonian Chess Federation organized a boat trip to nothing less than Lake Ohrid! Something you could not miss! Ha ha ha.

It was a successful experience to see the way all those sportsmen from different federations and countries were hanging out and sharing pleasant moments. Even though we were rivals on the chessboard, we could be able to hold funny and enjoyable conversations and to exchange what is best in each of out cultures.

Some crew members

With the tour guide

With my teammate Edgar, enjoying the boat ride through the mythical waters of Lake Ohrid

Our boat trip lasted about 2 hours and 15 minutes, after which we reached "Sveti Naum", a place also known as the "Monastery of Saint Naum".

Almost 30 km or so from Ohrid, at the border of Albania (less than 300m from the Albania's mountains), where this interesting monastery is located. It is considered one of the most important touristic places throughout Macedonia.

Sveti Naum is an Orthodox monastery whose name comes from "Saint Naum", a medieval bulgarian writer who founded it in 905. This place communicates past memories and historiy from any angle that you see it. It must be said this it is a destination highly visited by tourists and I bear witness to that.

Its excellent location on Lake Ohrid and the pleasant climate make it a goodstopping point which is certainly not inferior to any other tourist destination in the world. You can find all kinds of souvenirs there. If you have a chance to visit Ohrid, "Sveti Naum" is one of the mandatory stops! You really cannot miss this incredible piece of heaven on earth.

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Well, my friends, up to this small tour, I hope you enjoyed my impressions about this fantastic place in the world.

I'm very happy to have been to Macedonia. Undoubtedly, Ohrid is one of the cities that I add to my list of places that I would like to visit again. As I said before, the peace and nature that characterize the city are a delight for those who hope to take a breath with no to fear. It is quite economical and you will be very well looked after by its inhabitants.

All the photos shown here have been taken with my SONY COMPACT camera