The Balkans: Day 1 Intrepid: Tirana to Shkodër

We have a morning walking tour with Sando which I thought would be useful even though we walked much of the same yesterday because ours was self-led and I wanted to get his value-added commentary. He’s a good, relaxed, knowledgeable guide; a self-confessed history buff.

Learned lots of interesting tid-bits; he’s not a fan of Mother Teresa, seeing her as a somewhat blemished character. Interesting.

Another bunker:

After an hour and a half we were back at the hotel with a 20-minute break which is welcome.

Traffic crazy heading out of town. Pass Fushë-Krujë where there is a nearly 10-foot tall statue in memory to the visit by George W. Bush in 2007.

The minibus driver gets pulled over at one stage by the police - and money exchanges hands …

A stop at Lezhë for Sando to get money from an ATM to pay the driver of minibus (I saw it written down - 18200 Lek =182€). The mausoleum of the national hero Skanderbeg is here. We stop briefly.

It is very slow driving - it takes over 2 hours to reach Rozafa Castle just before Shkodër.

The castle sits imposingly on a rocky hill (at 130 m) and is surrounded by the Buna and Drin Rivers. Founded by the Illyrians in antiquity and rebuilt much later by the Venetians and then the Turks, the fortress takes its name from a woman who was allegedly walled into the ramparts as an offering to the gods so that the construction would stand. Great views. A welcome coffee!

We finally arrive at Shkodër, dump our bags and go directly to lunch (it is by now 4 p.m.) at a great restaurant where Sando orders the food and it is all fabulous and l have a delicious white (‘house’ - there's a joke attached to this that Bert from the U.S. and I share ongoing 🤣) wine.

We go for a stroll around town afterwards. It’s a pleasant place, small, the main pedestrian street is lined with nice shops and restaurants but some of the off-streets have a somewhat unsavoury quality about them.

Bikes everywhere!