Street Signs With Significant Names

In contrast to the US where street signs are prominently displayed on street corners and the numbers spray-painted on the gutter, the street signs here are not so easy to find.

They are a navy blue with white lettering and typically posted on the sides of buildings, gates or fences. The numbers are small squares in the same coloring. The trouble is that they're not so easy to see from the street. However, now that I'm walking to and from work each day I'm actually finding them!

Something that has fascinated me about the different signs are the names that they bear. Here's some examples of the types of people, events and places the streets are named for:

"Hristo Smirnenski" - a famous Bulgarian poet from the early 1900s

"Ivo Lola Ribar" and "Partizanska" for a Croatian man and a group Yugoslav communists that fought against the Axis powers of WWII

Revolutionary leaders like Vladimir Lenin ("Ленинова") and Gotse Delchev (led revolt against Ottoman Empire)

US Presidents Franklin Rosevelt ("Fr. Ruzvelt") and John Kennedy. I've even heard rumors about naming a street after President George W Bush as a "thank you" to the US for recognizing Macedonia's constitutional name.

Notable days in history like the Ilinden Uprising of August 2, 1903 where revolutionaries siezed control of Krushevo from the Ottoman Empire. It was summarily crushed 10 days later but in 1944 on that same date the state of Macedonia was born and became part of the Yugoslav Federation.

October 11, 1941("Oktomvri") which began Macedonia's fight for freedom from Bulgarian occupation

May 9th for WWII's Victory Day when the Germans surrendered to Russia

Religious holidays like July 13th ("13 Јули") known as Petrov Den or St. Peter's Day.

"Havanska," "Vashanska," "Oslo" and "Londonska" are in a neighborhood where all the streets are named after cities of countries that helped Skopje to rebuild after the devestating 1963 earthquake that leveled about 70% of the city.

From the different names of streets throughout the city one gets a pretty good idea of what things, events or people are held of high cultural import to the locals. As I pondered over this while walking to work this morning the song "Where the Streets Have No Name" by U2 kept coming to mind. Bono apparently wrote it in response to the fact that in Belfast one could know what religion a person was simply by knowing the name of the street on which they lived and longed for a place where the streets had no name.

For some reason that song, the idea of a place where the streets have no name, makes me think of heaven as such a place. I like the idea that the great street of gold would have no name because the Name above all names will be there. Yet the gates will have the names of the 12 tribes of Israel and the apostles' names will be inscribed on the walls' foundations (Rev 21:12-14). So I wonder if the streets may have names after all? Ones that, like those here in Skopje, testify of the City's import, it's values, it's culture. Names like "Faith," "Hope," and "Love." Or maybe they would be descriptors of the One like "King of Kings," and "The God Who Sees." Who knows... One thing I do know is that I look forward to walking those particular streets every day for eternity. How about you?

Thank you for taking this journey with me.

Day 8: $26.96 and counting.