Yesterday, Friday 22 Jan, I tried to go to what has become a favorite coffee shop of mine in Skopje (or Skoplje if you are in Serbia) Macedonia. When I showed up, the place was closed up tight. There was a sign on the door. After trying to read it, I decided it said they would open at 11pm (2300) for a party. I went on about my business….
On the way back to the apartment, I heard a BBC report about coffee shops in Macedonia closing for the day yesterday to protest a new anti-smoking law that went into effect. Now, I imagine the sign said something like “We are closed to protest the new anti-smoking law. We will reopen on the 23rd. Call your represenative and complain.” Anyway, I thought it was interesting that this protest made international news…and that I heard it on the way home.
For more information, see these few articles .
Image from gregoriosz via flickr. Note, it is not the coffee shop I was trying to go to.