#Hotel in Macedonia

[laquintamacedonia]

Hotel in Macedonia, Ohio

Welcome to La Quinta Inn & Suites, a premier hotel in Macedonia, Ohio. Enjoy your stay at our pleasant hotel in Macedonia, OH, conveniently located near Cleveland.

[architectureofdoom]

Swimming pool with hotel, Skopje

[sljoka]

Скопје / Skopje

[rxtroel]

[skyhighhub4]

Unveiling Skopje: Explore These Spots

Skopje, the vibrant capital of North Macedonia, is a city that beckons with its rich history, diverse culture, and a plethora of captivating sites waiting to be explored. From ancient landmarks to modern attractions, Skopje offers a medley of experiences that cater to every traveler's curiosity. Join us on a journey to uncover the essence of Skopje as we unveil some of the city's most remarkable and enticing spots that promise to leave an indelible imprint on your heart and some best spa hotels in Skopje .

Kale Fortress: Stepping Back in Time

Perched high on a hill, Kale Fortress provides a mesmerizing view of Skopje's landscape. This ancient fortress takes you on a journey through history, offering insights into the city's medieval past while offering panoramic vistas that capture the city's evolution.

Stone Bridge: Bridging Eras

The Stone Bridge elegantly spans the Vardar River, connecting the old and new quarters of Skopje. This historical bridge is not only a symbolic landmark but also a witness to the city's transformation over the centuries.

Old Bazaar: A Tapestry of Culture

The Old Bazaar is a living testament to Skopje's multicultural heritage. As you stroll through its winding alleys, you'll encounter a delightful blend of traditional shops, authentic eateries, and artisan workshops, providing a unique cultural immersion.

Macedonia Square: Modern Marvel

Macedonia Square, adorned with sculptures and fountains, stands as a symbol of Skopje's contemporary spirit. The grand statue of Alexander the Great is a focal point, while the surrounding architecture reflects the city's modern identity.

Millennium Cross: A Beacon of Hope

The Millennium Cross on Vodno Mountain is a towering symbol of unity and optimism. Reach the summit to enjoy breathtaking views of Skopje and the surrounding landscapes while admiring the harmonious blend of nature and spirituality.

Mother Teresa Memorial House: A Tribute to Compassion

The Mother Teresa Memorial House pays homage to the iconic figure's life and work. It offers a glimpse into the story of this global humanitarian, emphasizing her unwavering dedication to compassion and altruism.

Skopje Fortress: Echoes of History

Known as the "Fortress of Justinian," Skopje Fortress invites you to explore its ancient walls and ruins. As you traverse its pathways, you'll immerse yourself in stories of battles, conquests, and the city's evolution.

Contemporary Art Museum: A Modern Perspective

Skopje's Contemporary Art Museum is a hub for modern artistic expression. Explore a diverse range of exhibitions that showcase contemporary artworks, offering a unique contrast to the city's historical landmarks.

Matka Canyon: Natural Serenity

For a tranquil escape, venture to Matka Canyon, a haven of natural beauty just outside the city. Discover hidden caves, serene lakes, and picturesque hiking trails, immersing yourself in the tranquility of nature.

Memorial House of Mother Teresa: A Testament to Legacy

Dedicated to the life and legacy of Mother Teresa, this memorial house allows you to delve into her inspiring journey. Gain insights into her humanitarian work and the impact she left on the world.

Conclusion: Embrace Skopje's Charms

Skopje's allure lies in its ability to seamlessly blend its rich history with modernity, creating an enchanting tapestry of experiences for every traveler. From the echoes of ancient times to the vibrant pulse of contemporary life, each destination in Skopje adds a layer to the city's multifaceted identity. Embark on a journey of exploration, and as you uncover these remarkable spots, let the city's allure leave an indelible mark on your soul, reminding you of the captivating moments you experienced in this dynamic and culturally rich capital.

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San Francisco: The Allure of the City by the Bay

Heavenly Escape: Experience Ultimate Pampering at Tasmania's Finest Spa Resort

[adiradirim]

Sephardic Jews from Thessaloniki in their traditional costumes, in the city’s old cemetery, before the war // a contemporary photo that shows where the destroyed cemetery once was, which is now Greece's largest university, built partially on top of and with land and materials (particularly tombstones) stolen from the razed site.

Thessaloniki or Salonika, once referred to as “the Jerusalem of the Balkans” due to its Ladino-speaking Jewish majority, saw roughly 96% of its Jewish population murdered during the Holocaust. This mass destruction extended to the city's Jewish cemetery, which had been the country's largest, established in the 15th century and housing hundreds of thousands of Jewish graves until its razing by city authorities who had long desired to repurpose the land and resented the inconvenience of Jewish presence. Despite its large-scale destruction during German occupation in 1942, which was initiated and carried out primarily by Thessaloniki authorities with Nazi consent and arrangement, some parts of the cemetery survived intact as late as 1947. Many tombstones were subsequently appropriated and used by city authorities and the Greek Orthodox Church. After the war, people were still carrying away Jewish gravestones each day and regularly looting the cemetery in search of valuables. The city's officials, led by their mayor, completed the cemetery's destruction and sold the tombstones to contractors for use as building materials in various projects; as such many were and are still found in various walls, roads, structures, and churches around the city. A 1992 commemorative book pictures Greek schoolgirls playing Hamlet with skulls and other bones they found in the cemetery.

“[T]he ‘rape’ of the cemetery escalated, marble flooded the market, and its price plummeted. Jewish tombstones were stacked up in mason’s yards and, with the permission of the director of antiquities of Macedonia and overseen by the metropolitan bishop and the municipality, used to pave roads, line latrines, and extend the sea walls; to construct pathways, patios, and walls in private and public spaces though out the city, in suburbs such as Panorama and Ampelokipi, and more than sixty kilometers away in beach towns in Halkidiki, where they decorated playgrounds, bars, and restaurants in hotels; to build a swimming pool – with Hebrew-letter inscription visible; to repair the St. Demetrius Church and other buildings...” Devin Naar, Jewish Salonica: Between the Ottoman Empire and Modern Greece

Most of the efforts to return found tombstones throughout the city are led by Jews, particularly Jacky Benmayor, the curator of the Jewish Museum and last Ladino speaker in Greece, who has personally recovered hundreds of tombstones including his own family's. Surviving Greek Jews never received compensation for the confiscation of the land under the destroyed cemetery, upon which now partially rests Greece's largest university, Aristotle University, which also used Jewish gravestones as building material for its long-coveted expansion finally made possible by the dispossession and annihilation of the city's Jews. In 2014, 72 years after the cemetery's destruction and appropriation, a small memorial was established on campus grounds to acknowledge the Jewish cemetery the school is built on and with; the ceremony just 10 years ago involved the first-ever acknowledgement of the atrocities and apology from a Thessaloniki mayor. The memorial has been vandalised multiple times since its establishment.

[argyrocratie]

"One evening a Japanese diplomat arrived at the hotel. At first Gerdzhikov thought he was a journalist. After exchanging polite formalities characteristic of the Japanese, the diplomat expressed his own "deep sympathy" and that of "the entire Japanese people" for the liberation struggle of the Macedonians. In the name of the government of "the land of the rising sun" he pledged their support for this "just cause" and promised unlimited supplies of arms which would be delivered to a port to be designated by Gerdzhikov. The diplomat also promised financial aid, and at that very meeting he was prepared to hand over a total of 100,000 pounds sterling.

Gerdzhikov was alone with the diplomat. He politely expressed thanks but declined the offer, saying that as a representative he would first have to consult the organization and also confer with his comrade who was not present at the moment. Gerdzhikov then expressed his great surprise at this "noble gesture" and asked the diplomat what "higher motives" or superior state interests of a very distant country could motivate such a "kind" offer of assistance for his people's revolutionary struggle for its freedom. He repeated this view, emphasizing the words "revolution" and "freedom". The Japanese diplomat again underlined his sympathies for the Macedonians and added that he had already received the consent of the other representative of the organization. At this point in the tale Gerdzhikov said with a smile: "How generous the Japanese are! And what pains Sarafov had to go to - in vain, as it turned out - to obtain even a modicum of goodwill from the English. They were only lured into potentially giving financial aid by being guaranteed that after the liberation of Macedonia - wait for it - ... they would be entitled to fish in Lake Ohrid!"

Concluding his recollections of the meeting with the Japanese diplomat, Gerdzhikov said: "While I was there alone, and in the course of the European trip, I thought long and hard about why our cause should be the focus of such kind attention from a country whose monarch made his subjects revere him as a demigod and who held his people in the same grip of servitude as the Ottomans did us."

"The mystery was revealed a little later with the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). Japan had aimed to fuel and spread conflicts in the Balkans in order to involve Russia and help tie down its forces, which in turn would facilitate Japan's own expansive plans. The 'admiration' shown by the Japanese diplomat for the heroism of the people of Macedonia and Thrace thus was only a pretext and had no real meaning at all. Every state makes its imperialist calculations and is indifferent to bloodshed, suffering, and the ruined lives of people."

-Georgi Khadziev, "Down with the Sultan, long live the Balkan Federation!" (1992)

[urbexhub]

𝐖𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤!

It's been just over a year since we've shared an update here - but worry not, we've not disappeared!

We've been extensively traveling across Europe and America and can't wait to share with you locations from:

🇦🇱 Albania 🇧🇾 Belarus 🇺🇦 Chernobyl 🇪🇪 Estonia 🇮🇪 Ireland 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇱🇹 Lithuania 🇲🇰 Macedonia 🇵🇱 Poland 🇪🇸 Spain 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇺🇸 USA

Highlights include abandoned ghost towns, former military bases, hospitals, hotels, abandoned fighter planes, Soviet relics and more!

Furthermore, we've revamped the site with a new urbex map, allowing you to discover nearby locations. Plus, our urbex guides cover everything from essential equipment to location scouting, safety measures, and the legal aspects of urbex exploration.

We're thrilled to be back! Stay tuned for a new report tomorrow.

[octuscle]

Alexander Ristor was perfect. The perfect body, the perfect skin, the perfect hair, he was simply flawless. And thanks to his father's fortune, he had the perfect life, too. Although he had never worked or studied, through generous donations he had reasonably presentable high school and college degrees. And his family's connections had also been a catalyst for his career as an influencer. Although he did nothing but travel the world First Class, do shopping, and work out and take care of his body, by the time he was 25 he already had thousands of followers. And while from the beginning his mother had had to secretly pay for hotels and restaurants so that Alexander felt he was getting everything for free as a social media star, by now many doors actually opened by themselves if he just approached them.

Alexander surfed through Instagram, bored. He was starting to get bored in Vienna. He was on a European tour, it was spring, and it was too cold for him in Austria. Going a little more south, working on his tan, now that would be cool. But all the destinations that came to mind when he looked at Google Maps seemed hackneyed. Croatia, Montenegro, Albania. All water under the bridge. All the C-class celebrities had already been there. But what was this northern Macedonia? Skopje? Almost all the posts on Instagram were from locals. Looked interesting enough. In fact, there was also a Hilton. Looked pretty old-fashioned. But he had an advertising contract with them, so he could stay there for two nights. Maybe he could find something better locally. Or he could still travel on to Kotor on the Mediterranean if he didn't like it in Skopje. A few hours later, his two big RIMOWA suitcases were packed and a limousine took him directly to the first class terminal of the Vienna airport.

Saturday

The Hilton was really not to his liking… A proper chain hotel. Not a boutique hotel secret tip that his followers loved him for. But for a few selfies at the bar, in the room and in the lobby, it would be enough for him to get out of here without a bill. Only for his daily workouts did he need something else. The gym at the hotel was unacceptable. Since he had already failed to work out yesterday, he had the concierge recommend a gym nearby. And headed straight for it with his gym bag.

The gym was surprisingly good. A former school high school gym, where high tech and shabby chic met. Well, the audience was different than at home in New York, but he would look all the more radiant on his contributions. So he stood at the counter and said he'd like to work out for the next few days. The employee at the counter, whose name tag said his name was Atanas, obviously didn't know him. Sure, that was a problem if you were a social media pioneer in the province… Atanas realized that he had to make a special effort with the customer. Only, unfortunately, he spoke very broken English. But at least he had understood that the handsome man in front of him was called Aleksandar. He didn't understand the last name… But it sounded something like Ristovski, the name of the captain of the national team. So he entered that. Date of birth? He could only guess… But he guessed well and made Alexander just about half a year older. And for the address Atanas simply entered the address of his mother's guesthouse, nobody would check that. Especially not the customer in front of him, who looked incredulously at the text written in Macedonian on the display and then signed on the input field without checking anything. Atanas took another photo of the customer, saved the entry in the customer file and coded the wristband that could be used to open doors and lockers in the studio.

He had no idea what the employee at the counter wanted from him. But somehow it all worked out and after only fifteen minutes Alexander had received a very cool looking wristband and quickly understood that it worked for checking in and opening the doors. With hands and feet, communication worked even in the middle of nowhere… After changing clothes and styling his hair, Alexander checked his accounts again. He was now 4:15 pm. So he could work out, take a few pictures while he was at it, edit them back at the hotel, change, and then hit the nightlife. But now let's get to the weights.

After three hours of training Alexander was exhausted. Shit, he had totally forgotten the time. But the workout had been awesome. It had been a long time since he had had so much fun pushing his body to the limits. So there was just a selfie of him with sweaty hair and sweaty T-shirt. And a succinct caption, "Best workout ever," along with the name of the gym. Strange, why did he have a three-day beard…?

Sunday

The night had been fun, there was no other way to put it. The afterlife of Skopje could not be compared to that of Vienna. As usual, his posts had had hundreds of likes after a very short time. And there had been a lot of likes from locals as well. He must have collected some new followers tonight. He was a little surprised about some comments about his new style. Okay, he didn't shave every day since he was here. And when you party hard, your hair doesn't always sit perfectly either. But new style…? He thought it was over the top.

Before he wanted to look at the city a little, Alexander wanted to work out a little in any case. So he went directly unshowered with only once combed hair to breakfast. Around him sat many festively dressed people. Probably locals who went to Sunday brunch. Because of his careless dress and perhaps also because of the smell his sports bag gave off, Alexander received one or two reprimanding looks. All weaklings, he thought, as he ate his bowl of scrambled eggs and the three chicken breasts for breakfast.

Atanas and Alexander greeted each other with a ghetto fist. The prepared protein shake was already waiting. Alexander appreciated how quickly his workout routine was addressed here. And thank God he could exchange a few words of Macedonian with the staff and the other guys on the training floor. And he understood a little Albanian, at least. His grandmother had sometimes sung him a few folk songs she knew from her North Macedonian mother, so a little had stuck.

Communication with Atanas was still complicated, however. He probably wanted to say something to him when Alexander left the studio at 5:00 p.m. after a hard workout, sauna and a shower. And after some time he understood that Atanas invited him to move out of the expensive and uncool Hilton and move into his mother's guesthouse. Great idea, that would certainly go down better in his stories than pictures from an interchangeable hotel bar. Nevertheless, Alexander spent the evening at the hotel. After all, he owed the hotel a few posts. And he didn't feel like going out clubbing after the day was over.

Monday

He did not have to shave today… The beard had a good seven-day length and still looked reasonably well-groomed. But he could go to the barber again, the last haircut should be a month and a half ago. So it had to be enough to tame the hair back with plenty of gel. He stuffed his clothes into his suitcases and went for a quick breakfast before checking out. After devouring his mountain of scrambled eggs, the waiter pointed out to him to please not wear a tank top to breakfast next time. There won't be a next time, Alex replied in his broken Macedonian and wiped off the rest of the scrambled eggs with his forearms. The front desk employee also smiled somewhat painedly when he pointed out his partnership with Hilton while paying the bill. The lady said they were tasked with telling Alex that the quality of his posts had fallen below the usual standard and they were considering discontinuing the partnership. Normally, Alex would have raved now, but he didn't care about the Hilton at all. Nevertheless, still posted a selfie with him and the reception team on Instagram. And immediately came the reactions:

"When did you stop shaving your armpits, Alexander?" "Bro, you're working out more than usual!" "Sun's out, guns out"

And many posts were in Macedonian and Albanian, which is also where most of the likes came from.

Atanas and Alex went to the barber together after the training. This was also a cool experience, making a post from this was much funnier than from drinking cocktails at the hotel bar. And the pictures he posted online of Atanas and himself went down especially well with his followers from the Balkans. With their trimmed full beards and shaved bald heads, the two looked almost like siblings.

When they had heaved Alex's luggage up the stairs to the guesthouse and Atanas introduced Alex to his mother, Alex silently cursed his mother. While she had grown up bilingual in Albanian and English, they spoke almost no Albanian at home. Now he would have needed more than the smattering he had learned from his Tirana-born grandmother. But at least his Macedonian was already quite passable, so that a simple conversation was already quite possible. His room in the guesthouse was great. Actually a separate apartment with a small kitchen and a balcony under the roof. Wonderful view over the city. And very comfortably furnished. He could leave his dirty laundry directly with Atanas' mother. And before they moved around the houses, Atanas lent Alex some of his things. The two spent the evening with some friends. Hardly anyone spoke English, but as training for his language skills this was perfect. And in fact, hardly anyone thought that the muscular guy in the soccer jersey and track pants could be American.

Tuesday

Part of the deal with Atanas' mother was that in the morning after breakfast, before he went to training with Atanas, he would collect the garbage in the rooms of the guesthouse and take everything to the dumpster around the corner. Easy money, Alex thought to himself… And the rest of his lodging he worked off by picking up guests (especially those from abroad) from the airport or train station and bringing them to the guesthouse. In the meantime he got along quite well with the old Skoda in the city traffic of Skopje. No one was arriving or departing today, so Atanas and Alex were able to work out together at the gym before Atanas' shift. And Alex spent the afternoon working on the guesthouse's social media presence. He was so not interested in the comments on his own account right now.

Wednesday

By now Aleksandar had been in his mother's country for three months. He couldn't understand why he had waited so long to come here. It was good that he had been so well received by Atanas and his family, it was enormous luck. His mother was also overjoyed with the situation. In the morning, when he left for the wholesale market at the crack of dawn, he always called home to wish his mother in New York a good night. It was a young tradition, but one he enjoyed. And sometimes he would have a few words with his father, who still viewed his activities with some suspicion. But that he made his mother happy, made his father happy too.

After carrying the fresh groceries to the cellar, Aleksandar usually went straight to work out. He enjoyed it when the gym was still empty. Besides, he always had to spend more time in the afternoons with Atanas' and his online supplement business. As his own successes as a heavyweight bodybuilder grew, so did the demand for his own products. And today he also had to go shopping himself. After hardly anything of his old clothes fit anymore, Atanas' sister had sold everything at the weekly market. Mila had great talent in such things and had made a good profit. And with that Aleksandar went shopping. He didn't need much. During the day, in the summer, an undershirt and a pair of training pants were enough. For the evenings, or when he had to work at the guesthouse, he bought a few pairs of jeans and some black and white shirts. The picture of him doing a double biceps pose with a bursting new shirt led to enthusiastic reactions from many of his new followers. And the salesman who took the picture of him immediately posted a selfie of himself and Aleksandar afterward.

Thursday

Today Aleksandar combined his morning visit to the market with a visit to the barber. He wanted to look his best before the weekend. And he enjoyed the visits here very much. For one thing, he learned plenty of news. For another, he liked it when his full beard was trimmed razor-sharp, the sides of his angular skull gleamed as if polished, and the barely-a-millimeter-long hair on top of his head shone black. He would love to add a few tattoos to the picture, but his mother would kill him for that… And if not her, Atanas' mother would take over that task.

Atanas and Aleksandar worked out together today after Atanas' shift ended. It was good because they were both tough critics and knew how to motivate each other excellently. And it was good because they could both shower together afterwards. Jerking each other's soapy dicks was the highlight of the workout.

Friday

Actually, Aco (Aleksandar only called him his grandmother when she was angry) wasn't really religious. But with three Muslim grandparents, the imprint had been big. And his parents both wanted him to grow up as a devout Muslim. And so, at least on Fridays, it was natural to answer the muezzin's call and say the sunrise prayer. And for the evening prayer, he and Atanas would also go to the mosque. But otherwise, Aco had to spend every free minute on training today as well, besides his work at the guesthouse and on their online trade. Sunday was his first appearance in the heavyweight class. And for that, it wasn't enough to eat like a barn-burner. He had to convert the calories, too.

In the gym, he was something of a local hero. Sure, he was exotic because he was born in the United States. But he had his roots here, and he and his fans were proud of that. But he had also had to work hard for success. Sure he had been in good shape when his parents sent him here with a little capital to start. Sure he had received a lot of support from Atanas and his family. But both his body and his business were essentially his earnings. For that he got up every morning at 04:00 o'clock, for that he went to bed every evening at 21:00 o'clock, for that he renounced alcohol. But for it he brought also with his 1,75 m proud 120 kilograms on the balance. The only thing he had not worked for was his cock. These 25 cm were a gift from his fathers. And for that he and Atanas thanked Allah!

Saturday

Actually silly that he had to sneak out of Atanas' room in the morning. The two of them were more than grown up. But even if it was an open secret that they were a couple, it was not really allowed to become public. That's where both their families were just stuffy. The guesthouse was full today. Many guests were there also because they hoped to take a photo with the most promising candidate for the national amateur championship. And Aco fulfills this wish for every guest. That's why today, for once, he was only allowed to work in a tank top and flex his muscles. Secretly, he regretted that tomorrow no one would be able to enjoy the fur on his chest and arms. He would miss the bushy hair in his armpits. And Atanas probably even more, if he could no longer press his face into the cave stinking of fresh sweat after the training. But tomorrow morning it all had to come off, tomorrow nothing could distract from the tight skin over his muscle mountains. And thanks to his genes, the hair would soon grow back.

Sunday

He had been working towards this moment for over six months. Worked out until he was exhausted, ate until he was pissed off. He had slept in extra today. Pumped up all the important muscle groups one last time. Atanas had carefully shaved every hair on his body. There was nothing left below the beard. And now Atanas was oiling him just as carefully. And as with shaving, he was especially careful in the places to which Aco's cock was particularly sensitive. You idiot, Aco said more in jest. Should the jury choose me for my biceps or for my boner. Grinning, Atanas returned that both would be more than impressive.

Just now, at the accreditation of the contestants, Aco had had to identify himself. Thanks to his mother, he had an Albanian passport; thanks to his birth, he had a U.S. passport. All passports showed his proud name Aleksandar Ristovski, all showed his real birthday but on only one passport were all the data, including his address, exactly as Atanas had recorded them a week ago: on the passport of his father's homeland, on the one from northern Macedonia. And tonight he would leave the stage as the winner for this country.

Many thanks to @massivemusxcle and @homme-parfait! You guys were a great inspiration !

[mariacallous]

Faruk Fatih Özer stood in front of a passport control officer at Istanbul Airport, a line of impatient travelers queuing behind him. He pulled his face mask below his chin for the security camera. Surely he was nervous. The 27-year-old had unruly black hair, a boy-band face, and a patchy beard. Normally he overcompensated for his callow features by dressing in a pressed three-piece suit. But this spring day he wore black trainers and a navy-blue sweater hastily pulled over a white polo shirt, as if he had dressed in a dash. A small backpack was slung over his right shoulder. He looked like someone who could have been going on a last-minute day trip—or someone planning to never come back. At 5:57 pm on April 20, 2021, the guard stamped his Turkish passport and Özer shuffled through the crowd to Gate C, a flash drive containing a rumored $2 billion (£1.6 billion) in crypto stashed in his belongings.

After Özer’s plane reached Tirana, Albania, at 9:24 that night, he checked into the Mondial, a popular 4-star business hotel in the capital’s commercial district. A couple of days later, he looked at his social media accounts. A mob was very angry with him: Customers couldn’t access their money on the exchange Thodex, where he was founder and CEO, and people were accusing him of absconding with their funds.

Özer posted a public letter to his company’s website and his social accounts. “I feel compelled to make this statement in order to respond urgently to these allegations,” he wrote. The accusations weren’t true, he said. Thodex—which had nearly half a million investors and $500 million (£400 million) in daily trade volume—was investigating what Özer claimed was a suspected cyberattack that caused “an abnormal fluctuation in the company account.” Assets would be frozen for five days while Thodex resolved the issue. This was terribly bad timing for the big business deal he said he was en route to make: selling the company, or so he had told some employees and his brother and sister before he left. All would be made right. “There will be no victims,” he promised. “I personally declare that I will return to Turkey within a few days and ensure that the facts are revealed in cooperation with judicial authorities and that I will do my best to prevent users from suffering.” Of course, there was this possibility too: He was in the midst of pulling off the biggest heist in Turkey’s history.

Before dawn the day after Özer posted the letter, police squads fanned out across Istanbul and public prosecutors opened an investigation. Law enforcement arrested 62 people, including Thodex employees at all levels of the company—and Özer’s older brother and sister, Güven and Serap. Interpol issued a red notice, a request for law enforcement worldwide to find and “provisionally arrest” Özer pending his extradition to Turkey. Search teams deployed across Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, and North Macedonia. There were reported sightings of the dark-haired young man across Tirana, rumors that he had gone to a poultry farm, that an executive from the Albanian football league was sheltering him. Soon, the Albanian police arrested people accused of aiding and abetting him. But no one seemed to know exactly where Özer was.

Özer had vanished at a particularly precarious time in crypto’s annals: In the weeks leading up to his disappearance, so-called rug pulls—when a cryptocurrency exchange or altcoin developer absconds with investors’ funds—had crypto investors around the globe flabbergasted. The CEO of Mirror Trading International, a crypto trading company based in South Africa, defrauded users of more than $1 billion, then skipped town; TurtleDex, an anonymous decentralized finance storage project on Binance, reportedly vanished with $2.4 million; another decentralized finance project, Meerkat, reportedly fleeced investors out of $31 million (of which they paid back 95 percent). Blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis ranked rug pulls as the primary scam of 2021, accounting for 37 percent of all cryptocurrency scam revenue that year, up from 1 percent the year before.

Thodex was at the top of that roster, and nearly every major outlet from Bloomberg to Newsweek published headlines like “Turkish Crypto Exchange Goes Bust as Founder Flees Country” and “Turkish Cryptocurrency Founder Faruk Fatih Özer Seen Fleeing Country With Suspected $2 Billion From Investors.” CoinGeek called it “the biggest scam in the digital asset industry in 2021.” The New York Times’ headline read, “Possible Cryptocurrency Fraud Is Another Blow to Turkey’s Financial Stability.” In Turkey, the country I now call home, people were reeling: For years, crypto had been built up—largely by Özer but by others too—as a way out of economic volatility. Now it seemed like just another way to lose your life savings. But something felt off to me, like the whole story wasn’t being told.

[laquintamacedonia]

Macedonia hotels near MGM Northfield Park

Visit our FAQ page at laquintamacedonia.com to find answers to your questions about La Quinta Inn & Suites Cleveland Macedonia, one of the unique Macedonia hotels near MGM Northfield Park.

[ptseti]

DR. YOSEF; WHO ARE THESE EGYPTIANS WE SEE NOW Didn’t come to Egypt until 640. The first non-African people came to Egypt, otherwise called the hikes. In 1675 BC. The Africans there were already in the 13th dynastic period. They had built every pyramid you saw there before they had done the s turn in the Nile. They built every one of the major temples that had already been built, including the Grand Lodge of Luxury. The first Europeans to come there did not arrive until the Greeks arrived with Alexander II, the son of Philip of Macedonia. They can’t tell you that you’re inferior and teach you that you taught Europe. The first Europeans to be civilized by the Africans were the Greeks. When you heard of Homer, the first European to have written anything, you couldn’t miss that. They said that Homer wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey. And that was not until 833 BC, the Africans had already in 255,000 at the Tasili mountain. They had the civilian period, 1st, second and third. The predynastic period. All the way up. The Africans had produced men like this in the hotel the multigene that designed the step pyramid of Sakara, the first to be a physician, that even Hippocrates, the so-called father of medicine, is giving credit and calling the God of medicine. The Greeks changed his name from Imhotep to Escalapius. Dr Yosef Ben Jochannan speak 🗣

[sljoka]

Скопје / Skopje

[balapann-blog]

Day 21 - 26 September - Thessaloniki > Alexndropolis

We work up and went for a run along the seafront. It was nice, the seafront is very nice here, especially in the morning before it gets too hot. After that we went back to the flat and packed up before leaving. We got some take away breakfast and then got a taxi to the bus station.

I have loved being in Thessaloniki, it was a really cool city, it felt a bit like Barcelona and Marseille with the sea and the hills behind it. The food was really nice and the vibe was lovely It also has so much history.

Our bus was retry straightforward with a 20min stop about halfway. Along the way I saw cotton fields which I had never seen before, as well as quite large parts of the countryside that had forest fire scars. I saw a bit of that when we came in from Macedonia, but it seemed like a much bigger area.

I listened to a podcast on the bus called Imagining Turkey by UCL which spoke about lots of the things that I had been thinking about n the trip so far, particularly the one episode that speaks about the Balkans. One of the things that it spoke about was that the Balkans and Turkey are viewed as liminal countries in the eyes of the west, not eastern (with all the connotations that that has) and not western but existing as both.

We then got to Alexandropolis and went to our apartment. We went for lunch at this nice fish restaurant. I had grilled mackerel, Nin had calamari and then we had the same salad that we had yesterday. We also had some home made white wine which was good.

After that we went to the beach for a swim. It was nice water but very shallow so even if you were 30m out, you could still stand up to below the waist. We then had what I think must have been our most expensive drink in the last few weeks in a bar by the sea but it did have a great view of the sunset. We also saw all these boats so started looking at a boat tracker which was quite fun to do. I imagine it will be nice to use it in Istanbul.

We went back to the flat and just chilled out in the evening. Nin had some tuna and rice and I had some super noodles. We watched The Ottomans which is this weird docurama about the siege of Constantinople, getting ourselves ready for tomorrow!

Where we ate - Ntisios Ioannis (take away bagels and a burek), Ouzeri Alexis (lunch)

What we liked - Lunch was very good my burek was good in the morning and the bagel was grand.

Day 22 - 27 September - Alexndropolis > Istanbul

Work up and mobilised quite slowly. We went to the bus station to check if we needed to print our tickets (we didn’t but had been burned before). After that we went for a fredo-cappuccino. I read about the Ottoman / Russian war of 1877/8 which led to Alexandropolis being briefly part of Bulgaria before then becoming Ottoman up to the second Balkan war when it became Bulgarian, until the end of the First World War when it was given to Greece due to Bulgaria being an axis powers, which is very confusing.

We then checked out of the apartment and went for some lunch, I had some Greek meatballs and Nin had moussaka. We then went to the bus stop and got our bus which was about 30 mins late. The bus got to the border quite quickly but it took quite a long time to get through, first 35 mins to leave Greece and then about an hour to get into Turkey. The bus then went along the coast of the north of the sea of Marmerà. It took quite a long time and need up 2 hours late.

The bus station is huge and is actually quite far away from the main town, the last time we get in to it was last year after a night bus, everything was closed and dark and a bit spooky (we should have learned not to do night busses). We then got into Galata and then got to our hotel. It is not quite as nice as it is in the pictures but is still okay. After that we went to his Lebanese restaurant for a quick meal and then came back and went to sleep.

Where we ate - Kipou 12 Alexandropoli, Arada cafe

What we liked - Both pretty good, my meatballs were really nice, Arada was good too

Day 23 - 28 September - Istanbul

We woke up and went first to the train station to see if we could buy tickets for the Turistik Dogu (Eastern) Express to Kars from Ankara. The person in the station said we ‘no’ so looking for more information we went to a travel agent who was listed on the Man in Seat 61 to see if we could get any more answers. On the way we went to a quite expensive cafe in an old madrassa near Topkapi Palace. We had a Turkish coffee and a cheese toastie to keep the wolf from the door. The thing that really ground our gears was that when we gave the money for the bill, they didn’t bring us our change (i guess assuming that it was automatically their service charge) We waited for a bit and eventually we asked for our change and it was brought.

The travel agent building was hard to find at first due to the fact that there was building work and scaffolding in front of the building, and when we walked in there was a dead crow just in front of the door which was a little strange. The guy was very helpful though and said that the Turistik Dogu Express had just disappeared and cannot be booked, and no one knew what happened to it (spooky), he just said this kind of thing happens in Turkey all the time.

After that we went to the grand Bazaar and looked around, it was nice this time not to be rushed like we were last time we were in Istanbul and we only found the grand bazaar onwards then end of our trip. One textile place we went to, the old guy was very suave and told us about his old shop and then said that he had provided costumes for lots of films. He said lots of people don’t believe him about this but that it is in a book on the history of Turkish textiles written by on for Turkey’s main historians. The shop was pretty nice and I did actually find the book in English on the shelf in one of the rooms and the bookmark was on the page about this guy, so i think it checks out.

We then got a bite to eat, we had this thing called Kokrec which was a roll with this meat chopped up really fine with tomatoes and peppers and things. It was delicious! I then googled what it was and it turns it it is lots of different types of lamb offal in a lamb stomach lining. We then went back into the bazaar for a bit and then started to walk back towards the golden horn. On the way we found a really nice little cafe and had a lentil soup and a pilav rice, as well as these small sodas that were really tasty.

We walked back to our hotel and tried to book the normal Dogu express from Kayseri in Cappadocia but the app wouldn’t let me pay without a Turkish phone number or a Turkish ID number so we made the trek out to the station again and went to the ticket office. The lady was very patient as we gave our requests. We then also asked for a train to Konya to be booked for a few days before, she was obliging but gave us a look of ‘couldn’t you have asked for this at the start?’ There was a bit of a queue behind us and we were finally all finished and leaving the station when we realised that the train to Konya had been booked for the wrong day so we had to go back. She didn’t look pleased to see us but again was very obliging and changed our tickets.

We then walked to a bar that Alex had recommended in Cihangir a drink and then walked up to Taksim to a restaurant that Alex had also recommended which was really nice. There were cold meze that the waiter spoke us through and helped us order. We had a really nice fish ceviche thing with lemon and basil pesto, a really nice salad , some nice lamb skewers, grilled artichokes, tsatsiki but with the cucumber diced not grated, a really nice olive dish with all nuts and pomegranate seeds. All in all it was really nice. We then walked to near Galata tower and had a Turkish tea and a cheesecake and then back to the hotel.

Where we ate - Mercan Pilav and Kokrec, Galata Pilav, Musterek Meyhane

What we liked - All delicious Musterek was a great dinner the others great snax!

Day 24 - 29 September - Istanbul

Woke up and went out for the day basically. We crossed the bridge and went to get some pilav and simit as we made our way to the boats to get the ferry to the island of Buyukadain the Sea of Marmara I had been there the first time I had been in Istanbul as we went there after the failed coup as it was more quiet and less tense than where we were staying. The ferry took about an hour and 15 and I listened to a couple of episodes of The Rest is History (Alexander the great) and looked out at the never ending expanse of city on the Asian side, there is city for nearly 50km along the shore!

Once we got to the island we rented bikes and cycled around. There are very few cars on the island and a few electric busses bring people around but it is mainly people on bikes or walking around. The busses only came in in 2020 before that people still used to get around on horse and cart. Also weirdly Trotsky lived on the island for 3 or so years and wrote an essay about it!

We stopped and had a frappaciano and then carried on to the center of the island where there is a monastery devoted to St. George. Which we were going to walk up to. As we were getting to the square which had multiple roads including the one that went to the monastery disaster struck. I had no idea in Turkey that the back break on a bike is not the left hand but the right hand break, up to then I had been using both hands at the same time so hadn’t clocked, however this time I only pulled the left, only wanting to slow myself slightly not come to a stop. But stop I did. In fact the bike stopped, I did not. As the front wheel jammed shut, i continued moving forward. I was not going fast enough to go over the handlebars but I did come off the seat and my midriff bashed into the lower handlebars. I was lucky, and it bashed my upper groin, five centimetres to the right or five centimetres lower and we might be talking about an entirely more dangerous situation.

To make matters worse, while I was still reeling from the injury, I took us down what I thought was the road to the monastery on the bikes but it turned out to be a road down hill to the other side of the Island, it was too late and the only way as to take the road around the side of the island and come back to the square and take the correct road up to the monastery then. Thankfully the road was lovely with panoramic views of the sea. We also found the field where all the old horses from the horse and cart days were living.

When we got back to the square we managed to take the right road up to the monastery, we pushed our bikes up the hill, bravely ignoring the bike parking spaces and pushing them up the very steep incline for the 750m climb. By the time we got to the top I was sodden in sweat and in need of a drink. There was a small cafe that sold small bottles of EFES, and after cooling down with a cold one looking out at the Asian side of the shore, we looked in the monastery church and descended the hill in a mixture of pushing and very gently descending on the bike with both breaks on.

We then cycled down to the town, dropped the bikes off and with an hour before the ferry went to a ‘public beach’ to see if we could have a quick swim before we went back. When we got there it turns out it was 600TL to enter so we went back and had a tea in a terrace restaurant instead. Having to pay for access to the sea really annoys me!

We then got to the ferry and had a relaxing time heading back. We then disembarked in Karakoy and went to this fish wrap place, which was out of this world and walked down the sea front eating the delicious food. The sunset and lights were very pretty and you really felt that this is a magical, historic and important place.

After this we went back to the hotel and then out to near Galata tower as there was a Turkish jacket potato food that Nin wanted to try. It was good but quite expensive . We then went back and relaxed in the room and went to sleep.

What we ate - Pilav and simit from the waterfront, Kiyi Balik Karakoy, Grabs Street Food

What we liked - The fish wrap in Karakoy the highlight for me - seasoned with sumac and pomegranate molasses- really amazing

Day 25 - 30 September - Istanbul

We woke up and went for a quite hilly and windy run around Galata. It was a good bit cooler today. Our run was mainly on big roads as this seems to be quite common in Istanbul, I feel like living here is the same as smoking like 10 cigs a day! When we got back we brought some clothes to a laundry and took a tram in the direction of Besiktas. There we had a breakfast on the famous breakfast street, which is apparently lots more expensive than a few years ago, the inflation you can really feel from a year ago too! The breakfast was really nice with all the menemen etc. and Turkish tea.

We then walked up though Taksim square and town to this neighbourhood a bit further on from Galata and went to a local hammam the Kizilay Square Bath which was ridiculously cheap compared to other ones in the city. I got a scrub and bubble massage. The hammam is 19th century and had a section for men and for women. It is in the neighbourhood that president Ergogan grew up in so maybe he had been there before. I was the only person there at the time which was a bit strange but was a bit generally fine. The guy doing the scrub spoke no English so our conversation was very stunted.

After we both finished in our respective sections we went to hotel briefly and then walked around Galata and Cukurcuma areas where there are lots of antique shops. I also got a hair cut and beard trim was getting pretty needed but I now look too clean cut for my clothes and the type of trip we are on, so looking forward to a bit of growth.

We then went for a drink where we saw the cutest kittens and their mother playing. I love the cats here they are so looked after by the people, there are cat houses everywhere! We then got a Kokrec and a battered muscle sandwich which was delish and then walked up to Taksim square to get a wet burger! We then walked home and got an early night as we have to be up early for our train to Konya!

Where we ate - Cakmak Kahvalti Salonu, Sampiyon Kokorek, Kizilkayalar Taksim

What we liked - All very good nothing that beat the fish wrap but the breakfast was pretty delish.

[hendolish]

Jack coming off during the North Macedonia game went straight to Hendo on the bench (Jordan saved a space). he had a really unlucky frustrating boring game so he probably just wanted comfort and praise and to forget about it in Jordan's arms. and Jordan when he saw Jack come off gave him this really sweet open tender look like "come here I've been waiting for you sweetheart"

ahhh love this anon 🤍 100% needed after whatever that was… if i may add…

the game’s a shitshow, but jack still sighs as he sees the official hold up his number. he’d scored and made things right only for his goal to be swept out from under him. it’d felt like a punch in the gut and still leaves him winded.

seeing hendo on the bench makes it better. there’s a tenderness in his eyes. an understanding jack doesn’t get anywhere else. he knows it’s been shit, but still tells jack he played amazingly, brushing a hand down his side as he takes the seat next to jordan.

jack really wants nothing more than a cuddle but he doesn’t think they could quite get away with that right now. he nudges his thigh against hendo’s instead and exchanges grins with him. hendo allows his hand to rest on jack’s thigh for just a second. it’s soothing enough that jack’s blood begins to simmer back down from a boil.

instead he’s thinking about being in the warm circle of hendo’s arms and the soft hotel sheets, the two of them buried beneath them, entwined. soon, everything else will be washed away.

♡

[eurovision-revisited]

1998 Birmingham - Number 22 - Dana International - "Diva"

Dana International taking to the stage in Birmingham to huge cheers with arms wide to receive them is one of the definitive images of Eurovision. A woman who had been staying in the only hotel in Birmingham with bullet-proof windows owing to death threats from reactionary, possessively patriarchal purists with no ability to manage their own disgust and a perverse desire to demonstrate their impotence in public.

She is the figurehead of representation in Eurovision. In 1998. All the way back then, a trans-woman can sashay to the front of the stage, with a huge grin, and tell the world that she's a diva. The diva. In 1998. Last year, 1997, was the first year an out, gay man performed at Eurovision and already Dana International is winning the whole shebang.

You have to admit this was a brave move by the IBA. There was no national selection competition in 1998, no Kdam. Dana International was internally selected, chosen by the organisation to represent them and the nation of Israel. Yes, she'd already had two hit, platinum albums in Israel, several hit singles and been named Best Female Artist of the year in 1994. She'd finished second at Kdam 1995 scoring points from every regional jury. Within Israel she was a star, so choosing Dana International was not a risk in that sense of picking someone without pedigree or talent. They were picking a star. But to have Dana International representing the country? They knew what the reaction was likely to be and it was them who would catch the flak.

Did I say this was all happening in 1998 yet?

Outside of the death threats and internal complaints within Israel, it's astounding just how instantly accepted she was by absolutely everyone else. She was definitely on the pages of the more traditional, red-topped and acid-texted papers. Yes, there was a subtext of disgust, but at this point, Dana International was to them a creature of fascination. An oddity they didn't understand and maybe one who would end up ridiculing Eurovision, something they absolutely loved to mock. To them Dana International was someone who fitted right in to Eurovision and it was Eurovision that was their target not her. She was perfect to flabber Terry Wogan's gast. A weapon for them to use rather than to abuse, for now at least.

Their mistake was not to realise that Eurovision didn't give a shit. Eurovision loves Dana International. He absolute Diva attitude, keeping Terry, Ulrika and Katrina waiting on stage for minutes after she'd won a hugely exciting three-way battle for Macedonia's final points to claim the win. Wearing the feathered frock by Jean-Paul Gaultier that she'd decided not to wear for the performance at the last minute, but felt she just had to put on to collect the trophy - which she never picked up - Dana International returned to the stage and instead of heading for Katrina to acknowledge the win, strode to the centre of the stage to acknowledge her audience.

Eurovision was proud of her. Glowingly ecstatic. It didn't matter if anyone tried to use her against the competition and all that it was increasingly openly representing. Eurovision owned every last morsel of the veiled criticisms and the feigned shock that followed. This was us and always would be.

Dana International's win has always been about who she is and what she means rather than the actual song she's singing. It's a club track, an easy floor-filler and an easy and joyous sing-along to celebrate women and their power. It doesn't matter a jot how musically complex or rich the song is, it does what it needs to do and it's been doing it ever since.

There is a woman who is larger than life There are senses that only she possesses There is magic and there are hard days And a stage that is all hers

Viva the Fucking Diva.