Thursday, 11 August 2016

11th August: Frosty Šutka


I discovered that one can now get Skopje public transport routes via google maps, including bus times and fees. This sounds so easy and practical… Needing to keep up some exercise I decided to make my way via two buses to the city park for jogging.



Unfortunately the new system could not quite make up for my bad sense of direction, so I ended up with and extra walk of an hour until was at the park, and had precisely 15 min left for jogging. Anyway, I will return there for more, as it is beautiful there, next to the Vardar river, with lots of little lakes and bridges, crossing paths…

Back at the hostel I changed quickly, and ran into town, as suddenly the message came through that after all Asan could meet today. I went to meet Miki, who was just busking with his musical partner in town.


Poor Miki, as message exchanger and faithful guide he was waiting with me for hours, in vain. Later we were told to come in the evening to Šutka.


When finally we made it I received such a frosty and reserved welcome, that I got really upset. After all, one of the main reasons to come was Asan, to build on our music making from spring. On the other hand, I just experienced a real bit of Romany life, how one behave in awkward situations when one feels guilty and insecure: Loud music in a noisy place, surrounded by male friends, mumbling into one’s beard – reading this actually, it just is international behaviour, not at all Romany specific. Well, after all I’m here to experience Romani culture and life, so one has to learn the good and bad…




So how to react? Back in Germany more than 20 years ago, what did I do when life got really upsetting – climb up a mountain ! And exactly this is what we planned for the next day.

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