Greece to Albania

We spent our last free day in Greece in a lovely and typically Greek way - on a boat (pursued by friendly seagulls) to the other side of Thessaloniki Harbour where we had lunch at a Taverna right on the beach with the water lapping at our feet. We ate dips,grilled squid and souvlakia. After lunch we moved along the beach where, for the price of a couple of drinks we got two sunbeds and a beach umbrella as well. We swam and sunbathed until the boat returned. Later that evening we, like all the locals, wandered out of our apartment to the Main Square in Thessaloniki, bought ice creams and enjoyed them watching the passing parade. Lovely!









The next day was a bus and 2 flights to Albania. Enough said about that one.

Historical ugly stuff in Tirana

Fortunately our Hotel in Tirana, the Diplomat Fashion, is a lovely, air conditioned, boutique hotel and a welcome haven from the humidity, dust and heat of this city. Our impression thus far is of a typical Eastern European city but one that is not as far along the development road or as attractive as, say, Bucharest, Belgrade or Sofia. But it is interesting just watching people being people. Lots of coffee drinking, smoking and mooching around goes on and it is certainly possible to go to a nice restaurant and eat well for not much. We have an excellent Albanian Explore tour guide, so while where we walk around and what we see is not at all attractive, we hear great explanations and history, and also stories of what it is like being Albanian now. So, there will be some ugly pictures included.




Two days Later
We have left Tirana and travelled to Ohrid in Macedonia (border crossings can be frustrating here!), an attractive, albeit tourist town, around a beautiful, ancient lake. Lots of castles and churches on this trip too. Then we visited an Albanian hill town called Voskopojo (more churches). What we really like about Albania is that every evening people come out and go for a walk along a major pedetrian street in the town. They are out in their hundreds! the young people dress up to be noticed by the opposite sex, there are families, old people. Everyone is really well behaved, and it's great fun to watch and participate.

Ohrid Lake

Ohrid Lake

Old church in Voskopoja

And another day later:

Room next to ours

Corridor outside room

We are now in Korce for the night. Our first room was essentially in a building site, had tepid water only, was shabby and the air-con didn't work. The second room was even shabbier and the toilet ran continually. The third room was worse. And the name of this place? The Grand Palace Hotel! We decided to find another hotel and claim from Explore later but our tour guide insisted that this hotel find and pay for a room in another hotel for us. So we are now around the corner!