12-31 Skopje, Macedonia

[doug]

I headed to Skopje, and when I got to Sofia, there was no traffic. no gypsy window washers, no hookers. I guess everyone took off for new years. I drove right thru! It was great! Border was no problem, altho they did want to look in my trunk, but then as soon as they saw my passport, they just waved me on. I was getting close to Skopje, sorta haulin ass when I topped a hill, and a cop stepped out & waved his magic stick at me (its magic because they wave it & money appears) he came up to the window bitching at me. I decided to use the dumb american defense. I just shugged my shoulders, looked like I didnt have a clue, & handed him my passport. he looks at it, gets a frown, says oh, american.... hands it back & waves me on. hehehe
As I was getting into Skopje, theres some cops with 2 lanes blocked. As I pass by, theres some dead guy in the road sort of covered up. I never found out what happened. Probably trying to cross the highway or something.
I went to the pub for a bit, then wandered around the square & saw the fireworks. There were thousands of people there. It was packed. After midnite Ljubisha & I went to a big niteclub run by a guy he knows. We hung out in the DJ booth where it wasnt so crowded. Somehow we got volunteered to run the lites for the band. We had alot of fun, and probably drove em all nuts. I broke the switch for the strobe lite when they did a cover of Motorheads 'Ace of Spades' hahaha... hey, its Motorhead! Wasnt my fault!
The next morning I headed north. Ljubisha says 'dont worry about the cops, they will all be asleep after last nite'
As I was leaving Skopje, another cop steps out & waves his magic stick at me (thanks, Ljubisha!) So I tried the DA defense again. He tells me to get out of the car, & takes me to another cop that was there. this cop speaks english. shit! so I was doing 83 in a 60. He askes what I was doing in town, I say visitin friends. He then tells me I have to pay 50.00. So I pulled out my fone to call Ljubisha. The cop sez, ae you calling someone in Skopje? I said yes, Im calling my friend. he works at the US Embassy. the cop says NONONONONO... heres is your passport. please slow down.
hmmmmmm ok! hahahaha
so I jumped back in the car & took off. I now know a new way out of a ticket, the 'my friend works at the embassy' defense.
I stopped at Vranje, Serbia to visit some guys I met at a bike party in Skopje last year. We hung around town a bit & had lunch, then I headed to Nis for the nite.

[doug]

check out my snazzy satan claws hat


fireworks at midnite over the church






at the custom pub


Deko, behaving badly as usual


Running the lites




on the hill overlooking Vranje




Sandra, wearing the Indian larry shirt I brought her. She has the TV show & interviewed me on my trip. She wanted an IL shirt, so I brought her one.

[peterawolf]

"Just calling my friend at the US Embassy..." I'm gonna have to use that one! Nice bluff!

Wolf

[mgareri]

That is so you... some people will say anything to get out of a ticket! Man, I wish I had your luck!