The Ship of Doom in Skopje, North Macedonia

The Vardar, the river that flows through Skopje, is not navigable—and never has been. With a depth of merely 0.5 to 1.5 meters, even the bravest captain of an air mattress would hardly manage to drift downstream without risking their life. The health risks from chemical and biological pollutants, as well as the unpredictable currents of the watercourse—fed by meltwater from the Šar Mountains—are considerable. Tourists rub their eyes in disbelief when they approach the banks or cross one of the numerous bridges. In the knee-deep water, galleys rise 15 to 20 meters into the air—and not just one,

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