Consuming a light breakfast, I wanted to visit the 9th century Monastery of Saint Naum where I had crossed the Albanian border a few days previously. Waiting at the bus stop I had a brief exchange with a local and established we were both heading to Sveti Naum.  A taxi driver offered a ride and told me there were no buses going to Sveti Naum, of course he would say that.  He claimed with a few others it would cost the same amount in his taxi; this wasn't entirely true but close enough.  He quoted 100MKD. Sometimes I do lose focus of the value if I feel a vendor is being unscrupulous. I wish to be treated equally and not have their own personal tourist tax imposed on me and begin to haggle or I'll walk away.  Settled on 80MKD (€1.30), with two other passengers we were off.  I didn't realise until later what the difference in cost was, it’s stupid but all I could see was a 25% markup which leaves me feeling taken advantage of.  Living on around €10-15 a day including accommodation and transport you do have to watch what you spend.

Before we reached the boundary of the city we picked up a fourth passenger. The driver yelled to him it was 100MKD and then immediately looked at us and asked us not to say anything.  I'm kind of split on this, on one hand it reinforces my idea of the tourist tax but then again when considering the true value it wasn't a lot.

The monastery and military camp are very beautiful and the surrounding gardens have a dozen peacocks wandering around in them.  In the sun the iridescence of their feathers looks majestic.

The surrounding rivers are the clearest I have ever seen, it's like looking into glass. The submersed plant-life appears suspended in acetate or epoxy resin. Between the Adriatic and this river I have been astounded at the clarity of the water.

I was treated to one more delight when the groundskeeper opened the Saint Athanasius Church for three visitors and myself; I felt privileged to see the interior on this chance occasion.

Not a bad day for my first anniversary away.