Shkoder, Albania
Let’s see what we find in Albania, the country George has been most excited about visiting for the first time! But first, we must get there. Remember, our cars were parked at the cruise port. Reaching the cruise port was an achievement in itself. It involved a trip down lots of steps, pulling luggage over century old rocky paths, loading into a taxi, and finally arriving at the cruise port parking. We experienced breathtaking views as we departed Dubrovnik. Since we were leaving the EU, we experience our first disruptive border crossing. We probably sat at the border for 30 minutes, with the Croatian side being the hold up. We were required to get out of the car, show passports, car rental information, have our picture taken, and answer several questions. Checking into Montenegro was a breeze. We had a great lunch in Montenegro on the road at Velji Mlin right in the middle of all the road construction. What a great find.
The fun part began when the GPS suddenly turned us off the main road and up the mountain. After about 30 minutes of winding roads, we met a police officer that signaled to us that the road was closed and we must go back down the mountain. After winding roads, sharp curves, dead ends, and much frustration, we found the main road to the Albanian border. Checking in there was trouble free.
There was a notable economic change as we crossed the border. We noticed abandoned houses, assumed to be remnants from the war, less cars, more bicycles, more farming, and less development. We had to stop very frequently for animal crossings. Finding our hotel was a bit tricky. Driving was a bit hazardous as no one pays attention to the lanes and cars just stop and double park where ever they want. Luckily, we have a free parking garage with our hotel reservation. We somehow managed a deluxe junior suite so we are loving our lodging. It’s the first elevator we’ve seen since we left the Atlanta airport!
Each morning began with a breakfast in our hotel. One day we walked the pedestrian Street, Rruga Kole Idromeno. We ventured to the market where we saw fish still swimming in their water waiting to be purchased. We saw candy shops, bread shops, fruit and vegetable vendors, and everything you can imagine. We got lost in an indoor market for a while but I had to resurface to the outside before my claustrophobia got the best of me . We enjoyed a light lunch on the pedestrian street where we could people watch but, unfortunately, there were also small children there begging for money. We offered them food and a few would take the food but most shook their heads and walked away. A visit to the Rosafa Castle was another highlight. It sits high atop a mountain overlooking the city. It was built initially in 300 BC but served through many empires as a fortress for the city. From atop the castle, we could view the river, and the large lake, Lake Shkodra. And, on a totally different subject, our two favorite restaurants in town, owned by brothers, were Fisi and Marina. Go there if you get a chance.
On another day, we planned to spend a day exploring the lake and surrounding area. It was a beautiful lake but all the tourists were gone and all the vendors were gone. There was no boat ride to be had. After walking along the boardwalk, we decided to ride to the nearest beach. Vilnuni Beach was only about 30 minutes away and we were curious to see what it might be like. There were huge high-rise hotels, many restaurants and other venues, but we saw no more than five people. It was closed up tight for the season. We wandered on the beach, took a few photos, and continued on our way. This short visit gave us an insight into why this might just be the up and coming resort area of the Mediterranean. The beach was beautiful, crystal clear, and undeveloped except for the high-rise hotels that seem to have seen their better days.
Prices are unbelievably low. The four of us can eat dinner for 60 dollars and that includes drinks! Our hotel room is way under priced and this city is a shopping mecca for those wanting to purchase handmade items. Laundry here was only 10 Euros instead of the 25 we paid in Split. There is an abundance of Mercedes and BMWs and an abundance of bicycles. That makes us wonder about a middle class. Yet, the people here are aloof for the most part. No one is overly friendly as we found them to be in Croatia and Slovenia. Servers and store clerks rarely smile and give us minimum attention. The call to worship sounds loudly but only about three times a day. We have yet to see anyone stop and roll out their prayer mat so the religion here is baffling as well. Perhaps this is a place we will return to at some point, and try to understand this complex society.
