Texas: Re-Unveiling a A Gem This Easter

Celebrating holidays is best with close family and friends, and sometimes staying close to home can re-unveil a gem while teaching you a ton about where you’re from. I spent Easter at my Aunt and Uncle’s lake house in Lake Hills, Texas just a 45-minute drive from San Antonio, in northwest Bandera and Medina counties. Lake Hills is at the deeper end of Medina Lake—a man-made oasis covering a surface area of more than 5,426 acres. Since I’ve been a Gal about the Globe, I hadn’t been out there in eight or nine years, and was surprised at the lake’s noticeable changes.

The Lake is surrounded by beautiful trees, limestone rock and is home to largemouth bass, white and hybrid striped bass, channel, blue and flathead catfish, among other species; it’s a great place for fishermen as well as tourism. However, among the marked features of the lake are, of course, the water and its depth. Lake Hills lies at the deeper part of Medina and when I last visited, water levels reached just below the trees, featuring a few mountainous cliffs with large gaps between the water and land, making excellent alcoves to jump off from. However, now the water level is so low—well-below the trees—that the lake looked more like a large canyon; no more alcoves, just open and dangerous jumping off points.

Lake houses were buried too high above the water: where I would’ve typically walked down a flight of steps leading down to a boat dock, I now reached the bottom of the steps to find several feet of limestone rock standing between me and the dock. I was left pondering, “How do I get down to the water with my glass of wine without breaking my glass, or, without breaking me?”

Additionally, long, exposed pipelines that typically run from houses and quickly hide into the lake were visible for some 10-20 feet; I wondered if there would soon be any water left for those pipes to pump, but more importantly, I wondered what else would soon be left of this place in years to come.

I am told, from family and friends, that since I lived in Texas, droughts have become worse—it’s almost normal now—with water levels in lakes, ponds and rivers rising and descending to surprising depths.

Staying close to home this holiday certainly re-unveiled a gem while not only teaching me a ton about where I’m from, but a ton about what has happened since I last lived here and got me thinking, “What else has changed since this Gal about the Globe left?”

More information on Medina Lake: It was originally built around 1912, as an irrigation reservoir for the surrounding counties; it feeds into the Edwards Aquifer and was thought to be the largest aquifer west of the Mississippi at the time. Check out pictures of its original construction, which includes the making of the dam, early postcards and speedboats from the 50s. http://www.edwardsaquifer.net/medina.html

My Destination Wedding In Macedonia, “Pearl of the Balkans”

By Dijana Semovska-Kozarova







Last October, I headed to southeast Europe for my destination wedding in Macedonia—a republic once part of Yugoslavia. In between my wedding planning and organizing, I managed to sneak in some exploring of the country.

Although only the size of the state of Virginia, Macedonia is known as, “The Pearl of the Balkans,” as it is a landlocked country boasting great historical figures such as Alexander the Great and Mother Teresa. While we can trace its origins long before Christ walked the earth, modernly, Macedonia is known for its political struggle with its former republic: it broke free peacefully from Yugoslavia when the Yugoslavian civil war broke out in the early 90’s.

Macedonia is rich in history and culture which can take up an entire book to explain, so I will get right to my experience in Macedonia and its wonderful features so you can explore the country for yourself one day.

My wedding was in the city of Strumica, pronounced Stroom-itsa. With its proximity to Bulgaria and Greece, the region has a mild climate, producing a variety of exotic fruits and vegetables. One of the major lakes in Macedonia resides in Strumica, Lake Dorjan, pronounced Dor-yan. It’s a beach resort for many tourists in the summertime. You will also find pomegranate trees, banana plants, kiwi, and figs in Lake Dorjan, making you feel like you’re on a tropical island; it’s the only region of the country where such plants grow and thrive.

Because of the mild climate and plant life in Strumica, you’ll also find many farmers markets, including a huge one in the city’s new mall, “Global." You can get anything from honey to pistachios to bananas to peppers. You will be amazed at the food here—the country has a lot of eating spots that serve great delights such as, “Tost”(toast), a fun entrée made with flat bread, ham, cheese, mushrooms, stuffed with fries, then pressed in a flat grill and served with mayo. The country is also known for their great Burek (boorek), shops that are open 24 hours a day. A burek is a salty pastry made of layered dough (think filo dough except the dough is made from scratch). It’s stuffed with either feta cheese, meat, or pizza sauce (pizza burek).

If you’re hungry and eat a lot like my wedding party, you’ll be happy to know that the exchange rate in Macedonia for U.S. dollars is great, making the food very inexpensive; you can get a huge slice of burek for only 10 cents in US dollars!

When not at the farmers markets, you’ll want to do what the locals do and head to“Kafice” (kafeechi), also known as “coffeebars.” It’s a popular concept here. A Kafice is a lounge with couches and DJ music open all day and night and serves a variety of cocktails as well as “Nescafe.” And don’t worry, cocktails are inexpensive too! Mixed cocktails go for about $3.50-$4.00 USD. I would love this concept to come to the States one day, especially since there’s no drinking age limit. A Kafic is not quite a bar and it’s not quite a coffee shop, but a blend of both.

Once you’re done lounging on the lake and beach, you’ll want to end your visit with a trek through the outdoors. Macedonia is mountainous, especially Strumica, where Smolare Falls, a forest preserve, features many waterfalls and streams. It’s a great spot for hiking and being at one with nature. For additional cities to visit, check out Bitola and Ohrid (details below). Macedonia may be a small country, but it’s full of rich history and culture, a definite gem in the Balkans.

More Cities To Check Out While In Macedonia Include:

Bitola, pronounced, Bee-tola, is a town about three hours from Strumica, where you’ll find the famous “Pelistar Mountain.” Tourists can actually stay at a hotel located on top of the mountain. There are also lakes at the top, which are referred to by the locals as “The Eyes”of Pelistar Mountain. Bitola’s cafe and club scene is located in the popular neighborhood called Sirok Sokak (Sheerok Soakok). The town is a mixture of old and new with remnants of the Ottoman Empire.

Ohrid (Oh-reed) boasts the largest beach resort in the country. It’s a very popular summer destination, with tourists from all over Eastern Europe. The beach resort is lined with outdoor cafes, clubs, restaurants and shops that resemble those of Miami’s South Beach and was recently named in NY Times as one of the top places to go in the world.

How to get there:
Usually you would need to take three planes to get to Macedonia from the US, but since a Turkish company bought out its airport recently, I am now pleased to announce that you can take Turkish Airlines from the United States, do a layover in Istanbul (another great spot), and then fly directly to Skopje (the capital). It even costs less than the old, three plane layover.

Are You Planning An Overseas Trip For The First Time?

One of my best friends is going overseas for the first time. And, not only is she going overseas for the first time, but she’s going for a month over the summer. I have a few concerns and have already sat down to pre-plan her itinerary. An itinerary that includes a ridiculous Lady Gaga concert in Paris and a whirlwind trek to every European country and an excursion through the Greek islands. While I’m not sure that she’ll actually get to see anything while on this whirlwind trip, I am certain of the costs and regrets she may have upon her return.

I cannot tell you how often United States Americans come up with these overwhelming plans. They might as well climb Mount Everest while they’re at it and save the whales.

Please remember that Europe is a continent, and while geographically smaller than the United States, it’s kind of silly to see several countries in such a short time span and with such little funds; if you were a foreigner to North America and were planning to visit for the first time, do you think it’s a good idea to see the United States, Canada, Mexico and perhaps make a stop in the Florida keys? While one can argue that Rail Europe provides an excellent train system to see most of the European continent possible, consider how much this rail endeavor will ultimately cost you, and more importantly, consider that Rail Europe is a consortium, which does not include every privately-owned or commuter train in Europe, seat reservations, nor does it include metro stations for inner-city transportation, buses, boats, ferries and rental cars for the countryside. Long story short, things get real expensive, real fast.

And speaking of expenses, have you taken a look at the fluctuating Euro lately? While $5,000 sounds like a ton of money, today it’s only worth Euro 3,694.04, and even less in Great Britain, GBP 3,328.78. Now, that’s not even considering how strong or weak the dollar will be when you finally do take off this summer.

But, the currency exchange and trek from country to country isn’t the only thing to think about in terms of spending. Think about the season you plan to travel in. Summer is Europe’s busiest season, so, as a tourist, you can expect to see eye-gouging prices from hotels, to food, to shopping, sightseeing, museums, hostels, etc. That’s right, you still have to figure out where you’re staying every night and how the hell you’re going to pay your way. If you’re a pretty girl, expect more freebies. But, if you’re a pretty girl traveling with other guys (which I recommend for safety), good luck getting any discounts.

Additionally, not only should you reconsider your budget and travel season, but perhaps you should reconsider your length of stay and the destinations you’re traveling to, as well as the language barrier. A trip to Greece stands on its own as it’s not only tricky and expensive to get in and out of the islands but there's also so much to see—too many ruins, archaeological treasures and beautiful beaches. And, what languages are you going overseas armed with?

My friend Amanda just returned from abroad and was surprised at how little English was spoken in Italy and, "even at my five-star hotel in Rome," she said.

I think it’s a great idea to see the world, but I think it’s an even better idea to be realistic about that world. And, for some reason, Americans travel overseas, like they're never traveling again: a honeymoon in New Zealand turns into four weeks of kayaking, biking, taking a helicopter to the top of a glacier, roaming a volcano and a final "jaunt" to Figi. Andrew Zimmern and Samantha Brown have a successful network funding their excursions, but you do not.

It’s okay to begin your travels by crawling instead of running, and I promise, you’ll get that much more from your trip as a result, and perhaps have enough money to go on another trip this lifetime. Back in the day only the rich could go to Europe and there's a reason why. Just because student loans, credit cards and the equity in your first home can pay for a trip doesn't mean it should.