SEP. 2018
01
Welcome
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Altin Maliqi
Park Hotel & Spa Park Hotel & Spa was built and constructed with a specific purpose which was to accommodate any kind of guests by providing the most comfortable condition for a family vacation, honeymoon, even a business trip. Built with materials of the highest quality to ensure the safety of its guests and designed with a significant yet unique style. Its location is the definition of perfection while on a short trip to Skopje or a longer holiday stay you will be quite near everything you may need to make your journey a memorable one. To start off, the city’s center is a 10min walking distance from the hotel. In the center you will find the monumental and symbolic Stone Bridge which connects the modern Macedonian Square to the antic Old Bazaar. Park Hotel & Spa’s rooms always have an amazing view which makes people’s experience even more beautiful. On one side you have the Vardar River emitting a calm atmosphere while on the other side you have the Skopje City Park which gives a feeling of tranquility and joy. You can not only choose the view of your room but you can also choose what kind of room.
More specifically, Park Hotel & Spa offers guests five rooms specially tailored based on their given names. You have the Business Room which can only be defined as wonderful! Then there is the Superior Room which has that Jazzy feeling the moment you open the door. The Executive Suite is made for fabulous people, such as it. De Lux Suite can not only make you feel like a star but can also help you imagine the stars and Junior Suite is designed like a well-orchestrated symphony, pleasant for the eyes, magnificent for the ears.
Best places to visit while on
a short trip in Skopje are quite near and can be very eventful. To start off, the nearest from the hotel is the main square which consists of the monumental and symbolic Stone Bridge. The Stone Bridge goes across the Vardar River and connects the Macedonian Square, in the center of Skopje, to the Old Bazaar.
W
hen in the city center feel free to visit the city’s museums such as: The National Archeology & Ethnology Museum, The Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art,
The Holocaust Memorial, and The Cultural Museum of The City of Skopje. If you want to experience the traditional part of Skopje then you should definitely visit the Old Bazaar where you can find a couple of antique shops and small cafés while walking on the ‘Kaldrma’ roads or as they are knows to foreigners ‘Sampietrini’ and visiting the historical landmarks such as: Church of the Ascension of Jesus, Daut Pasha Hamam, Bezisten, Suli An, Kursumli An, Kapan Han, St. Demetrius Church, and the biggest landmark of all, The Skopje Kale. If you have more time to visit additional places worth seeing then the Skopje Aquaduct would be just the place, a historical monument which symbolizes the age of the land and what the ancient civilizations left behind. However, from all of these the best place for sightseeing and experiencing the city from above is the Millenium Cross which is located in the Vodno mountain and is visible every time of the day making it the ultimate symbol of Skopje.
Running is one of the preferred activities for people who visit Skopje and people who live in Skopje, it is an easy activity to do and enjoy with a lot of benefits health wise. A person that wants to pursue this kind of activity does not have to be equipped with any kind of expensive gear; the only things that are needed for a successful run are a pair of good running shoes. People prefer running because of the wonderful weather and the calming view which the river Vardar has to offer. The most popular running path in Skopje is by the river Vardar, the path is especially designed for cyclists and runners. Even if you are not a runner the path is perfect for a long and healthy walk which of course is good for you whole body and mind. This is an age where people are mostly concerned with remaining fit and running definitely contributes to how the body feels and looks as well as the minds wellbeing. Park Hotel & Spa is a big fan of running and all kind of sport activities. Located by the most popular running path in Skopje, Park Hotel & Spa is always supporting sport events like “Wizz Air Skopje marathon” - the biggest sport event in Macedonia (for more information visit https://goo.gl/2pnZfm), „Business run“ a running event that has team building character (see more on the link https:// goo.gl/nBBUbM), “Skopje run 10km” (more for this event https://goo.gl/FmRDTu) etc. While staying at Park Hotel & Spa don’t miss the opportunity to take a walk or run by the river Vardar.
Meet our locals Ivana Atanasovska Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist Ivana Atanasovska is a Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist and a personal fitness trainer. She is certified by the International Sport Science Association in Fitness Nutrition and holds a Certificate in Exercise Physiology (The Athlete’s Body in Motion) from the International Olympic Committees’ Athlete Learning Gateway. She also holds several certifications in the field of Anti-Doping - Coach True Certification (WADA - World Anti-Doping Agency), UKAD (United Kingdom Anti-doping) Accredited Advisor, Certificate in Doping: Sports, Organizations and Sciences - University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Ivana is a personal trainer at Fitness Park. You can follow Ivana’s story and the tips she shared with us.
1. When did you actively started getting involved in sports? I have an older brother and together as young children our parents enrolled us in sports activities. One of our grandfathers was a professional boxer at the time, while the other one - a football player, so we might have inherited some characteristics from them. In general, we played sports from basketball, tennis, volleyball, to swimming, and generally we were energetic kids who had always been physically active. Unfortunately, we may not have had the proper conditions to continue professionally with sports but sports and that passion for sport, or energy, whatever you may call it, has always been and remains a part of our everyday life.
2. When did the desire of getting professionally involved in fitness occur? I’ve always dreamed of becoming a professional athlete. I have always admired the top athletes when watching the Olympic Games on TV, for the hard work and time invested, for the discipline which is developed as a trait in the athlete and their character. While in most sports, there is practically an age limit to when you should start practicing the latest so as to achieve enviable results, with fitness it’s a little different. In my opinion, although fitness also requires long years of dedication and discipline, time and sacrifice, at the same time - it represents eternal My beginnings were quite spontaneous and I could as well say quite expected. Like most girls in high school, I wanted to improve my physical appearance, I wanted to lose some weight and tone up, so I enrolled in a fitness club. In that time, I lacked continuity, but the belief that I could achieve everything I believe in and want from myself, was never lacking - it was always there. All of this, in a way culminated after the completion of my Master’s Degree in Sports Management. I was given the opportunity to work as an intern at the European Olympic Committees EU Office in Brussels, where after such an incredible experience I realized that I am a person who was created for much more than just an office work. I want movement, I realized that I wanted to move devotedly by myself along the fitness path, thus giving an example and motivation for other people to believe in themselves, to help them make progress and change their lives by practicing a healthy lifestyle through physical activity and healthy eating.
3. What is your greatest motivation and how do you motivate the rest? What motivates me the most, and in a way is my way of thinking - is the fact that life is so short and unpredictable, none of us can be sure of what is waiting for us tomorrow, and knowing that it would be sad not living/ doing /being the things we love in this life. That thought pushes me every day. It’s never too late. All we really need is an awareness of who we really are inside, to be honest in front of ourselves, and when we have that, the courage and the motivation to chase after our dreams comes by itself. And it does not let you go :)
All the above mentioned goals themselves imposed different dietary practices in accordance with the goal I had. However, these practices of nutritional manipulation and restrictions could easily turn into developing unhealthy habits and behaviors which also reflect on the quality of life and health in general. Having faced that myself as well, I decided that I no longer want to perceive fitness that way, and that I no longer wish having a restrictive approach towards food and dieting. Balance is the most important thing for me, both in life and nutrition. I have always given off the impression of a strict person, although I have always been most rigorous and tough towards myself, but with time and experience, this has changed a lot. I let it change. I learned to let me and the things around me be more as they are, and I got in a place where I realized that the line between discipline and imperfection is precisely the place where I want to be. So, I tend not to have a precise regimen. I just consider nurturing my body everyday with a good balance of all the macro and micronutrients that feels good and works for me. That’s it. 5. How does one of your individual trainings look like?
4. What is your food regimen? To be honest, in this aspect I have done many experiments on myself. I tried and have been on various diet regimens, as there were periods when I had different goals related to my physique, whether it was to lose weight, increase my muscle mass, and improve my body composition in general.
Training always starts with a short warm-up and stimulation of the blood circulation with a focus on the muscle groups that will be the subject of the specific training. I practice 5-6 times a week, however, I prefer weight training which I distribute for days to different muscle groups, and I complement the same with a cardio training. A warm recommendation from me is also stretching the muscles after the end of a workout. 6. How does your ordinary day look? I am a huge nature enthusiast, and mornings are my favorite part of the day. I start the
day with a cup of coffee in the yard early in the morning, when all is still peaceful and you can feel the freshness of the new day, I think about what I want to do and achieve during the day. After breakfast, the daily professional duties begin, and after the end of the working day, my training follows. I spend all my free time with my loved ones. 8. What advice would you give to people who want to take care of the shape of their body and those who are starting now? It’s never too late. No matter how far you are from your goal and how far that which you want to achieve looks, do not give up. Do not let yourself be a victim of the circumstances, accept and love yourself completely and take responsibility for your own life. Honesty, time, and dedication always pay off and come to light.
The spa helps send more oxygen and distribute the nutrients throughout the body and cells which as a result improves blood circulation. Arthritis and muscle spasms are quite problematic in everyday life, especially when trying to get your beauty sleep. A spa treatment helps relieve pain caused from such conditions. In many cases the spa is the best solution for any kind of chronic pain, it also stimulates our lymphatic system which helps eliminate toxins. It allows the body to regenerate and helps release Serotonin which of course enhances the “feel good” feeling. The spa is well-known for exfoliating skin and providing regeneration of skin cells, it moisturizes the skin and helps get rid of stretchmarks and scars over time. Almost every person nowadays has problems with cellulite, a massage treatment is the best and the most effective treatment for any kind of level of cellulite however, results are only achieved when in the hands of experienced masseurs. The caring touch of a skilled masseur’s
hands on our bodies benefits beyond the physical that is why Park Hotel & Spa has professional and very skilled masseurs who can provide a variety of massages depending on your body’s needs. At Park Hotel & Spa only natural unrefined materials are used which are carefully crafted to heal and refresh your senses and take you on a journey into an inner world. The spa is equipped with professional massage and therapy parlors and beauty salons; bath & sauna; a pool majestically decorated with the finest Murano glass – a place that can refresh and pleasure your body, mind, and soul.
Try the best and most delicious specialties at Four restaurant located at Park Hotel & Spa. With a variety of meals and drinks Four offers excellent service, different cuisines and fantastic glass view. Taste the best the city has to offer. www.parkhotel.mk four@parkhotel.mk +389 2 551 51 73
Phrases for easier communication Phrases help when visiting a foreign country and the locals appreciate a foreigner who tries to understand their culture and finds interest in their language. The people here are very friendly and of course will always welcome you to their store, home, or any place you may way want to visit. Welcome in Macedonian is Добредојдовте (pronounced: Dobredojdovte).
While walking through the streets of Skopje you may hear a friendly greeting such as Здраво (pronounced: Zdravo) meaning Hello. If by any chance you enter a shop and greet the salesperson then it is natural for them to continue the conversation with a Како сте? (pronounced: Kako ste?) which means How are you? And the best response to such a delightful question would be Добро сум, како сте вие? (pronounced: Dobro sum, kako ste vie?) which translates into ‘I am good, how are you?’.
HELO
OOO
!
When the locals find out you are not from Macedonia then the question that follows is Where are you from? Од каде сте? (pronounced: Od kade ste?) and an appropriate answer would be I’m from ... Јас сум од (pronounced: Jas sum od ...).
Greetings vary depending on the time such as: Добро утро (pronounced: Dobro utro) meaning good morning, Добар ден (pronounced: Dobar den) meaning good afternoon, Добра вечер (pronounced: Dobra vecer) meaning good evening, Добра ноќ (pronounced: Dobra nokj) meaning good night. Wishing someone a pleasant meal or day is very common in Macedonia and the following phrases are used regularly: Пријатен ден (pronounced: Prijaten den) - Have a nice day; Пријатно јадење (pronounced: Prijatno jadenje) - Have a nice meal; Среќен пат (pronounced: Sreken pat) - Have a good journey. The following phrases are helpful if you visit the market, the old bazaar, a theater or museum or just take a walk by the river: I don’t know - Не знам (pronounced: Ne znam); I understand - Разбирам (pronounced: Razbiram); I don’t understand - Не разбирам (pronounced: Ne razbiram); Forgive me– Прocтeтe (pronounced: Prostete); Excuse me – Извинете ме (pronounced: Izvinete me); How much is this? - Колку чини ова? (pronounced: Kolku cini ova?); Жал ми е (pronounced: Zhal mi e); Thank you Благодарам (pronounced: Blagodaram). Enjoy your stay and never forget that it’s never late to learn a new language you just need a little motivation: One language is never enough - Еден јазик никогаш не е доволен (pronounced: Eden jazik nikogaš ne e dovolen).
Local Events The local events are always a pleasure! Not only are the events quite well organized but the tickets are very affordable. There are many events to choose from! The Macedonian Philharmonic is a new building fully equipped and with a feel of sophistication and elegance upon entering the establishment. It provides a state-of-theart facility to national and international symphonic orchestras and organizes activities for all ages and interests, maintaining a diversity of perspectives that incorporates different cultures and even popular forms of music.
There will be one event that will be held there on the 27th of September at 8pm by Jeruham Sharovski – the conductor and Luka Debarg – the soloist. Their program will be made up of two well known compositions, the first one being ‘Piano concerto nr.2’ by Sergei Prokofiev and the second one ‘Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14’ by Hector Berlioz. In addition, an event you would definitely not want to miss is the Zdravo Mladi Festival in Skopje. It was first held in 2010 and got its name by an arcade game place in the town of Kratovo, Macedonia. Zdravo Mladi is a progressive music festival with a goal of offering fresh, alternative and excellent music from around the world. This year it will start on September 1st, 2018 and artists such as: Cigarettes After Sex, Palindrom, Flohio, Wooden Shjips, Eric Copeland, Blanck Mass and many more will perform live.
The local events are always a pleasure! Not only are the events quite well organized but the tickets are very affordable. There are many events to choose from! The Macedonian Philharmonic is a new building fully equipped and with a feel of sophistication and elegance upon entering the establishment. It provides a state-of-theart facility to national and international symphonic orchestras and organizes activities for all ages and interests, maintaining a diversity of perspectives that incorporates different cultures and even popular forms of music.
THINGS HOTEL GUESTS MOST OFTEN LEAVE BEHIND IN ROOMS Clothes – regularly forgotten, from the simplest of items such as a glove to bigger ones such as a coat.
Chargers – One of the most precious items yet the most forgotten
Toiletries – mostly articles used in washing and taking care of one’s body, such as soap, shampoo, and toothpaste which of course are all replaceable.
Dentures and Hearing Aids – this mostly occurs with older guests, let this not surprise you because you might think that you would feel your teeth missing however, age will prove you wrong.
Keys – many guests find that their keys are missing the moment they get home and see that they have nothing to open the door with but no worries every lost and found item in the hotel is kept safely in the hotels premises.
Sunglasses – imagine driving to the airport in a sunny day noticing that the sun is shining a bit too bright for your eyes and then you remember that you forgot your sunglasses at the hotel. That is the moment you decide whether to turn back or continue driving.
Jewelry – quite valuable and an item you would not want to forget however, it happens that is why traveling with your jewelry box is not advised.
Books – books are a treasure yet many people forget them. No worries books are never thrown away, your book will be available for the other guests to enjoy.
Makeup – commonly forgotten when in a hurry to not miss your flight but no worries, natural beauty is a blessing and you should always be ready to flaunt it.
Park Hotel & Spa takes no responsibility for your lost items. In case we find some of the lost items we will keep them for a year, except the most valuable items, which we keep for a period of five years. So enjoy your stay and before you leave check the room… twice!
FUN FACTS
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LANDLOCKED COUNTRY With no direct access to sea Macedonia is a landlocked country in the Balkans.
ONE-QUARTER OF THE POPULATION LIVES IN THE CAPITAL More than 500 000 people live in the Macedonian capital Skopje. That’s about one-quarter of the total population of about 2.1 million.
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MILLENIUM CROSS One of the world’s biggest monuments, the Millennium Cross with a stunning height of 66 meters stands tall on the Vodno Mountain in Skopje.
THE MAVROVO LAKE This lake is the largest artificial lake in Macedonia. It lies at an altitude of over 1,000 meters. What is even more interesting is the half submerged church which is located in the middle of the lake.
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LAKE OHRID It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe! It is believed to be 4 million years old, 940ft deep and contains around 200 endemic species!
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"The hotel is made in an excellent style, everything is to my taste, I'll really be sorry when I leave"
Park Hotel & Spa, as a supporter of art and its development, strives to support a growing number of cultural events in the country. This time it supported the new monodrama “Kiro” dedicated to the football field star Miroslav Kiro Blazevik. It was a great pleasure to have a special guest in the hotel who was the main character and author of the monodrama Tarik Filipovik. We had the honor of talking to him about his first impressions of the monodrama, his stay at Park Hotel & Spa and in Macedonia. 1. Welcome to Park Hotel & Spa. What is the reason for your visit to Macedonia? I have a tour with my mono-comedy, monodrama, in four Macedonian cities and here, we are stationed in Skopje, at Park Hotel & Spa. It’s really fun, I like the hotel so much that I rejoice every time I return to my room. In total I’m on the tour for 8 days.
3. Can you give us more details about the performance, what are the impressions of the audience so far? I played this monodrama in Bitola at the Comedy Festival for the first time, for the second time now I was in Bitola, it all went well. I can especially distinguish the performance in Skopje, it was great, quite a night to remember. Wonderful audience, I experienced it somehow special and emotionally. I have acted in front of many more people, but it was something special in Skopje, I have to admit, I really enjoyed it and I hope it will be repeated on the next occasion. 4. You have acted in many plays and series, in which role do you see yourself the most and what role is especially dear to you? There are more, for example the series ‘’ Bitanga I Princeza ‘’, a generation series, I do not know if you’ve watched it, the new generations watch it now as well, similar to the series “Friends”, it and another series which we are working on “Konak kod Hilmije”, a great series, I think it will leave a deep impression on the audience, and in the theater I have many roles, let’s say that I enjoyed playing Marko Antonio in “Julius Caesar” the most. 5. Playing in a show in front of people is a rather stressful and difficult job, how do You experience it, and how do you prepare before a show, do you have a special ritual?
2. How do you like staying at Park Hotel & Spa? I have only praises for the hotel, everything is in an excellent style. I visited the spa center as well, in the restaurant for breakfast and lunch, everything made with style, with taste, that is, to my taste. I really cannot say that something is missing, the service is great, I’ll really be sorry when I leave.
I have some discipline, I know when I have to have lunch, 4-5 hours before the show, I’m really disciplined for that, I do not want to go to the theater too early, I come 40 minutes before the beginning, so there will be no anger while waiting. I separate 10 minutes before the start for a little, mini calming, resetting, nothing special.
6. Have you ever forgotten your lines during a performance or have you ever had an unexpected situation, and how do you manage those moments?
announced for the next fall, it will last for some time, up to twenty I hope. This is a parallel career, it has brought me many
When it comes to this, God has given me a very good memory, I know the texts of the other actors as well, not only mine, that is why I finish otheractors’ lines when they forget, but I think the key is that which I did not know in school, when my dad used to tell me: learn with understanding son. I do not learn the text by heart, I do not learn it, but in rehearsals I ‘’suck’’ it in my head, that is why I do not forget it. If you know the situation, you do not need the text as much, it’s simple, for example, if I come to the table and I need to tell you good evening, I cannot come and tell myself oh what was I supposed to say, I can say “Hey, how are you?” I say the same, only with different words, you cannot get confused.
things, but it has also taken away, many directors have told me that they want to give me good roles, especially in a movie, but the power of television and millionaire is too big, so they gave up. I have made peace with that, I consciously accepted it, I want to work it, that’s how it should have been, that’s it.
7. You are famous in Macedonia for the quiz “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” How much do quizzes affected your life? That quiz and that television career somehow happened to me by accident, I thought it would last for a year or two, but for the 15th, 16th yearnow, I’m working on the fourth quiz, and if millionaire comes back as they
8. In what role do you see yourself more as a host or as an actor? I am an actor, I said, this was coincidental and I consider it the same as my work, for a parallel career, but I will always be an actor and that is what I do best in my life. 9. How many times have you visited Macedonia? Have you ever been on vacationprivately or just for business? Mostly through performances, work, as a guest at some show. I have friends here, I have been to Macedonia a lot of times since the nineties. Now, for the first time, I visitedcities where I had not been. Strumica, Stip, Bitola, Ohrid, lucky me, I am still getting to know these other cities.
Albanian Taste On the 28th of November, the event “Albanian Taste” was held for the first time in Macedonia An amazing mix of dishes and cultures marked the event “Albanian Taste”, which was held for the first time in Macedonia. The event is a successful project of the Dynamic agency, which has been held so far in Austria, Kosovo, Albania and Switzerland, and as of this year also in Macedonia. The first host of the Albanian taste was Park Hotel & Spa. The unique and modern interior of the hotel’s restaurant was the right choice for an event of this type. Seven traditional Albanian
dishes, five top chefs from Kosovo, Albania and Macedonia, including Chef Faruk Neziri, Chef Perparim Babalija, Chef Sokol Prenga and Chef Armand Kikino, a whole team of professionals and the master chef of restaurant FOUR, Lefteris Dalagiorgos, shared their experiences and prepared
delicious traditional specialties. The best Macedonian wines additionally enriched the table and the taste of the carefully selected menu. Among the guests who attended “Albanian Taste� and enjoyed the wonderful atmosphere, traditional Albanian flavors and quality Macedonian wines, the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Talat Xhaferi, the Deputy Mayor of the City of Skopje Enver Maliqi, Mr. Izet Mexhiti, Mr. Valon Saracini and Fatos Reka, the Albanian ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia, were present as well. The event was supported by Park Hotel & Spa, Wester Union and Neptun.