Rice fields
The eastern part of Macedonia is geocachers’ TERRA INCOGNITA! Let's explore this part of the country, blessed by God with natural beauty, diversity of landscapes, hospitable people and warm sun.
Water means life, and in Eastern Macedonia the life bringing river is Bregalnica. Bregalnica is the second largest river (225 km) in the Republic of Macedonia. It starts as a spring in Maleshevo mountains near the city of Berovo. It flows through Maleshevo region and near the cities of Delchevo, Makedonska Kamenica, Kochani, Vinica and Štip, before joining the river Vardar on its way to the Aegean Sea. Some call it “Nectar of Maleshevo”, carrying the sweet essence of this region. This River along its picturesque path fills Berovo and Kalimanci Lake, irrigates rice fields, gives fish and supports diversity of animal and plant wealth. The hunt after caches along this river will reveal to you many interesting places in this part of Macedonia.
About this cache:Hunting this cache you will travel through a region of rice fields. The city of Kochani is the most important rice producer because of the wealthy of the region with water sources. The Bregalnica river and its water channels, together with other smaller rivers form a network of irrigation system of nearly 280 km.
Rice fields nowadays
It is not known, when this agriculture product was brought in Macedonia. According to some claims, the rice was brought to Macedonia by the army of Alexander the Great, after the conquest of India (???).
Weeding rice in the past
According to other opinion, it was brought from the distant China via a “customs fraud”. The legend says that a man from Kochani joined the famous Marko Polo in his journey to China. After many years he decided to return to his homeland. Amazed by the rice, the basic food in China, he decided to take some with him and plant in the region he lived, hoping that it would grow there, where hunger sometimes hit hard. He took some rice grains thinking that he would pass all the kingdoms on the way home without problems. While entering the kingdom where his birth place was located, he found out that it was forbidden to enter rice. He stopped to rest and to think what to do because there was no way that was going to give up on his intention, especially “at the door step”. Because entering geese was not forbidden, he bought several geese, fed them with the rice and then slaughtered them. After entering the kingdom, he took the rice out of them. He started to grow it, which gave the region a new mark and a new product.
Harvesting rice in the past
To celebrate this plant, in the city of Kochani is organized very year Days of Kochani rice.
How to get there: The road Shtip - Kochani.
The cache is 200 ml juice glass jar.
Please, be very careful when getting out, logging and putting back the cache, in order to protect it of Muggles! In case of lost of the cache the owner can visit the location and restore it only 2-3 per year! Thanks.
Sources: Internet. Photos: Internet, original (by Galejnik)