In the end of June 2005 we visited Albania. We took the cartrain from Hamburg in Germany to Villach, Austria. Afterwards we spend two nights in Bled, Slovenia, before heading to Rijeka in Croatia. From Rijeka we sailed down the Adriatic coast, making a few stops in fx. Spilt and Hvar, before ending in Dubrovnik. From Dubrovnik we drove to Baosic in Montenegro, there we stayed for two nights. In Baosic we lived in the same house as we did on our vacation back in 2003. We had an amazing trip to Risan, Perast, Kotor and Lovcen. The next day we went to Ulcinj in the Southern part of Montenegro, close to the Albanian border. After only one, but great, night in Ulcinj, we finally crossed the Albaian border on the 24th of June. We were curious about how it was going to be: How hard would it be to cross the border? How would the roads be? How would the Albanians treat us? What would the traffic be like? Would there be problem with stealing? Luckily we got a warm welcome, and we had an exciting, different and unforgettable experience in Albania, where the hospitality of the people and the beauty of the country is what we will remember the best.

Click here to read two small stories from Shkodėr

We had two special experiences in Shkodėr:

1) When we arrived in Albania we did not have any Lek (Albanian money) and therefore we were eager to find an exchange office fast. We stopped in the city of Shkodėr, because we were lost anyway. We stopped in a random street, where there was a butcher. I (Kai) told the two others: “I am going in to the butcher to get some Leks”, and so I did. The butcher was working on an animal with an axe when I came in. After a couple of attempts in different languages and body language, I got him to exchange some Euros. When we came to Tirana I checked the rate of exchange, and I discovered that the butcher had been very fair with his rate of exchange. The moral of this little story is: I you want to exchange money and get a good rate of exchange: go to the butcher.

2) When we came to Shkodėr, unfortunately we drove to the left instead of the right after the narrow bridge and ended up in the centre of the city there the road are really bad. We had a feeling we were going the wrong way (there the no signs on the road and we did not have a map of the city) so we stopped in the side of an awful roundabout with extremely bad road. I (Kai) saw to old men standing on the other side of the road and I ran across the road and asked them for directions for Tirana. They did not understand one single word I was saying, but it surprised me that they did not understand I was saying Tirana. After some minutes one of the men started smiling saying something that sounded more like “Dirana” instead of “Tirana”. I got a very quick language course in how to pronounce Tirana in Albanian (or at least in Shkodėr) and by body language and signs they told me the way to Tirana. As we thought, we had made the wrong turn at the edge of the city. When we drove off they both waved eagerly. It was a wonderful experience with two old men and their helpfulness.

Here are some pictures from our first day in Albania:

The border of Montenegro - Albania	Now we are in Albania	The bridge over the river Bojana by Shkodėr	Shkodėr in the northern Albania	Very bad road in Shkodėr

Two old trucks between Shkodėr and Tirana	Hotel Dajti, Tirana	The Skanderbeg square in Tirana	The Skanderbeg square in Tirana	The Skanderbeg square in Tirana

The Skanderbeg square in Tirana	The big park,"Parku Pinia", Tirana	Fountain by "Parku Pinia"	"The Pyramid", Tirana	Former communistic ressort, now in color

"Twin Towers", Tirana	Ministry in the evening	Concert with the group "Elita 5"

Video from concert on the Skanderbeg square, Tirana d. 24-06-05 with the pop group "Elita 5":
Start video and experience the atmosphere of the concert.

Click here to read about our experiences in Tirana

Before we left for Albania we had tried to reserve a room at the Palma Hotel in Tirana, but we did not succeed. When we drove into Tirana there were too many things to keep an close eye on; the traffic, the bad roads, the navigating through the town without signs by the road and finding a place to stay. We tried to find the Palma Hotel, but we could not, but everything worked out any way. We ended up outside the Dajti Hotel and we decided to stay there (it coasted 65 Euro). The hotel is situated about 300 m from the Skanderbeg square, witch is the ‘’time square’’ of Tirana. The hotel is famous for been the place the foreign leaders stayed when they visited the communistic Albania. It is one of the only hotels in Tirana who has not been privatize (will happen gradually from the second half of 2005), and wherefore the standard is not very good, but it is a great experience walking around the big rooms where you can easily imagine the important leaders staying. We had a funny episode with the receptionist who did not have any change when we paid for the stay. We owed 15 Euros, but he said that we could just pay when we had gotten some more money and so we did. While staying at Hotal Dajti, our car where parked on the supervised parking lot of the hotel the whole time. The night of our arriving day in Tirana, we were to a free concert with a popular Albanian pop band called "Elita 5" at the Skanderbeg square. It was an incredible feeling standing there (probably as the only Danes) among all the Albanian people and see the concert. The second day in Tirana was extremely hot, and we ended up staying in the shadow in the big park "Parku Pinia” (right across the road from the hotel) for about five hours.

Pictures from our second day in Tirana, Albania:

Historic museum at the Skanderbeg square	Street trader with his Chinese bicycle	"Twin Towers", Tirana	"Parku Pinia", Tirana	"Parku Pinia", Tirana

Cafe by "Parku Pinia"	"The Pyramid", Tirana	The "cosy" Hotel Dajti	The "Sahati" and Et'hem-Bey mosque, Tirana	The fountain by park "Parku Pinia"

Video from the Skanderbeg square, Tirana d. 25-06-05:
Start the video to experience the intense evening traffic.

Video Tirana by night d. 25-06-05:

Pictures from the drive from Tirana via Elbasan to the Macedonian border:

The mountains before Elbasan	The mountains before Elbasan	The mountains before Elbasan	The mountains before Elbasan	The road down to Elbasan

Steelworks by Elbasan	Two different means of transport	Finally a good road	Refilling our water bottles by a spring	The mountains in the direction of Makedonien

Shortly before the border of Macedonia	The beautiful lake of Ohrid	Waiting by the Albanian – Macedonian border	A view towards the Macedonian side of the border

After two days of exciting experienceses in Macedonia we return to Albania on the 28th of June. Here are some pictures from the drive between the Macedonian-Albanian border to the city of Vlore by the sea. The Macedonian-Albanian border took very long to pass – 1½ hour! It was not because there were many cars – there were 6-7 car and a bus, things just take a bit longer here. All the information from our passports were written in a big book manually (no computer here).

Disinfectant fluid, to prevent infection	The Albanian border - a car from Kosovo in front of us	A couple of bunkers from the Hoxha-era	The Albanian flag by the border	Kai’s friend who spoke both English and French

The Macedonian - Albanian border, passing time: 1½ hour!	One of the large bunkers from the Hoxha-era	The city of Pėrrenjas in Albania	This is the way to wash your car in Pėrrenjas	Mosque in Pėrrenjas

An old Albanian truck	Two different means of transport	The view from our hotel in Vlore	The beach in front of the hotel	The beach in front of the hotel towards the south

The beach in front of the hotel	The beach in front of the hotel	The beach in front of the hotel	The beach in front of the hotel	Hotel Delfini in Vlore

Click here to read about Vlorė

In Vlorė we stayed at Hotel Delfini (price: 28 Euros)
Right outside Vlorė is the borderline between the Adriatic sea and the Ionian sea.
Vlorė is also known for being the place Albania was declared a independent republic on the 28th November 1912.

Click here to read about our experiences on the road from Vlorė to Sarandė

The first part of our journey from Vlorė toward the south was a little hard because the roads were very bumpy and bad. We were aware that 130 kilometres in one day would be the most difficult route we had to drive in Albania, jet we were surprised that the roads were that bad. Most places our maximum speed was 30 km/h. One of the few places the road was good, really good actually, the goats were on the road and we had to drive very carefully. The trip from Vlorė to Sarandė took us about 8 hours! Vi took our time, eating lunch in Himarė, swimming in the sea both in Borsh and Himarė, and stopping many places to enjoy the spectacular nature and to photograph. Especially the Llogaraja pass and all of the Albanian Riviera were amazingly beautiful, but the roads… - amazing our Ford Escord could handle it.

Breakfast: jam, cheese and bread	The beach by Vlore	The beach by Vlore	The beach by Vlore	The beach by Vlore

The road outside Vlore	The road outside Vlore	The road outside Vlore	The road outside Vlore	Bathing by Orikumi

Finally a good road	But – then there is the goats	The goats run away	But one of them find us very interesting	The incredible mountains just before the Llogaraja pass

The Llogaraja pass in 1027 m height	The bus is a little to big for this hairpin bend	The mountains surrounding the Llogaraja pass	It is pretty steep here	The Ionian sea

The road down to the Albanian Riviera	The Albanian Riviera	The Albanian Riviera	The Albanian Riviera	The road through the first village after the pass

In the same village there were this "fine" bridge	The beach by Dhėrmi	The road seen from above by the Llogaraja pass	Relaxing, drikning and enjoying the beautiful view of the beach by Dhėrmi	The beach by Himarė

The beach by Himarė - the Albanian Riviera	A little south of Himarė	The old Submarine base from "the cold war"	A little south of Himarė - Korfu in the bagground	Cows on the road - there are not many cars here anyway

The beautiful beach by Borsh med about 20 persons	The beautiful beach by Borsh	The Albanian Riviera - just wonderful	A little north of Sarandė is this scenery	Jet another turtle

Video from the beach by Borsh d. 29-06-05:
Start video og oplev stemningen fra koncerten.

In Sarandė we stayed at Hotel Palma (price: 65 Euros).
Sarandė is the city that is furthest to the south in Albania. It has 290 days of sun a year and the temperature is mostly very pleasant. In the summertime it is rarely more than 30ŗC.
Sarandė is known for being the place the Albanians go to get married.

Sarandė	Sarandė - Hotel Palma	Sarandė	Sarandė	Sarandė

Documents requered for the driver	The beach by Sarandė	The beach by Sarandė	The view from Hotel Palma – swimming lessons	The view from Hotel Palma

The hydrofoil boat "Flying Dolphin" sails to Corfu in 45 min.	The ferry to Corfu	Hotel Palma – from the ferry	The beach - from the ferry	There is room for 4 cars

Goodbye Albania	The many halffinished hotels in Sarandė	It was a lovely sail in two hours	Goodbye Sarandė	Scenery south to Sarandė

Corfu	Scenery south to Sarandė	Scenery south to Sarandė	The cars is lifted so that it is able to get out of the ferry	Kai backs out of the ferry

More pictures from Albania

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