Matka Canyon

Matka Canyon is in a beautiful mountainous region outside of Skopje in Macedonia. It has a beautiful river running through it and the walls rise steeply from the water.

We (a negative Nancy Canadian guy and myself) tried to take a direct bus from the center, but being Macedonian buses, the 1130 bus was randomly cancelled. So, instead, after getting vague info from people on street, take a city bus to the end of its line, wait on a patch of dirt for 45 minutes hoping the minibus actually comes, when it does, proceed through windy roads and small villages to the Canyon. Ironically enough, some French girl hopped on the microbus in the middle of nowhere, so we hiked with her for a bit. A week later, in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria, I bumped into her walking around the city.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matka_Canyon

Canadian guy waits in patch of dirt bus stop and nearly turns back due to being an impatient Sally:
Minibus:



Hercules visits the canyon:

Germany guy from hostel decides to test the rapids (a little bit nutso):

There he goes: