u/jbarquillo

Hi everyone!

I’m planning my very first solo trip to Macedonia. Since this is my first time traveling alone, my goal is to enjoy the culture, sights, and local atmosphere at a relaxed pace without feeling overwhelmed or rushing from place to place.

I’ll be relying entirely on public transportation (buses and taxis/local transport).

Here is the tentative plan I’ve put together:

Fri – Mon: Skopje

Arrive in Skopje on Friday.

Spend Saturday and Sunday visiting the city, and doing a half-day trip to Matka Canyon.

Mon – Fri: Ohrid

Take a morning bus from Skopje to Ohrid on Monday.

Explore Ohrid

Thinking about taking a day trip to Bitola (by bus) or a nearby town.

Fri:

Morning bus back to Skopje Airport for my flight home.

A few questions for locals and fellow travelers:

Does this itinerary look well-balanced for a 7-day trip, or does it feel like too little? I'm worried it is too little for a 7 day trip, but since this is my first solo trip, I don't want to get overwhelmed by trying to see too many places or rushing from place to place.
Following the previous question, does Ohrid have a good, relaxed vibe to just wander around, soak in the atmosphere, and enjoy the city once I've seen the main sights?
Day trips from Ohrid: Would you recommend Bitola for a day trip via bus, or is there another destination/nature spot near Ohrid that you think fits a relaxed autumn trip better?
Is the Skopje–Ohrid–Bitola bus route reliable in late October? Should I buy bus tickets in advance at the stations?
General advice: Any hidden gems, local dishes, or cozy spots in Skopje/Ohrid you’d recommend for a solo traveler in late October?

Thanks a lot in advance! Looking forward to visiting your beautiful country!

Past weekend I tried to make my second sourdough bread (first one went quite well considering It was my first time), but it turned out really flat and with a dense crumb.

I used 500g of strong flour, 375g of water and 90g of starter.

Steps:

- Autolyse: 1 hour (flour and water only).

- Fermentolyse: Added the starter, mixed, and let it rest for 45 minutes.

-Bulk Fermentation: Added the salt and began the bulk ferment. The initial slap and fold was followed by 3 additional slap and folds every 20 mins. Total time: 6 hours.

- Shaped the dough and placed it in the banneton. It spent 15 hours in the fridge.

After the cold proof, the dough spent about 15-20 minutes at a warm room temperature (during a car ride) before baking.

- Preheated the oven for 40 mins at 250°C. Baked with steam for 20 mins, then without steam for 25 mins at 230°C.

I'm not sure if I'm doing the bulk fermentation right. I've read that It should last for 3-6h, and you should see It doubling its size. I left it fermenting for 6h because it didn't doubled, not even after that time. However, after 4h of bulk fermentation I could see some bubbles in the surface. Should I shorten the bulk fermentation time, despite not doubling its size?

Another issue was that when I turned the dough out of the banneton (and also after the bulk fermentation) It was very sticky.

I also wanted to ask for alternatives to the dutch oven for keeping the steam. I'm putting boiling water in a oven tray placed in the lower position .

First picture was taken at the end of bulk fermentation.

Thanks!

Advice for a 7 day trip to Macedonia