I am just writing this as I am back in Macedonia again, but in Greece. The Athens governement, of whatever political hue maintains that a country calling itself "Republic of Macedonia" implies a territorial claim on the Greek province of the same name. Fervent cries of "Macedonia is Greek" though, imply no Greek claim on the Republic of Macedonia's territory. We are still most definitely in the Balkans.
I hadn't originally intended to come to Greece, but it was the best option for a flight home, and in common with seven other countries on my travels, I have never been here before. Time almost ran out on me, but I can't complain as I achieved, with just over an hour to spare, my goal of standing atop the Acropolis.
In truth, this added a little symmetry to my trip. I started out atop a hill in a city-state founded in response to Roman authoritarianism, and I end it atop a hill amidst the remains of the strongest of the city-states that predate the might of Rome. I suppose it's where Politics 101 starts out,or thereabouts, alhtough I have to admit that were you a woman or a slave, participatory democracy really wasn't for you.
Pettifogging details aside, I was quite taken with the Parthenon, its setting, and the remarkable whiteness of Athens displayed around it, cradled by the surrounding hills, with barely a cloud in the sky as the sun cast a glorious golden glow over the whole scene.
An hour could never be enough atop the Acropolis, even allowing for the scaffolding and the crane everyone was trying to lop off their photographs. I looked down at the other sights of the city, content for once just to be, without the desire to go...
My odyssey was at its end, not at Ithaca, but near enough.