Shkodër - Albania

Last night we had delicious fresh fish and seafood. It tasted really good, but somehow we can't shake the feeling that we were ripped off. The prices we see here in Shkodër are significantly lower.

Today our journey took us through boring, littered landscapes. Thankfully, mostly on highways or expressways. To make matters worse, the brake wear warning light came on - not exactly reassuring.

Most of the drive was through remote areas with small villages, but we also had to pass through 2 relatively large and modern port cities: Vlorë and Durrës. Here, at least in the central beach area, it feels like being in Italy or France. Unfortunately, I couldn't see much of it. The traffic requires the full attention of the driver. Traffic rules that have any general validity don't seem to exist here. In the city, the law of the stronger prevails, a large vehicle and some courage are advantageous. On the highway, you might come across a bicycle or a wheelbarrow driver coming towards you.

After about 300 km, we reached our overnight spot in Shkodër. The nice owners arranged a mechanic who came to our place and diagnosed that the brake pads are still in very good condition and apparently there is a "false alarm". He could have sold us overpriced brake pads. He didn't want any payment for his efforts, but the peace of mind was worth a 10, which he gladly accepted.

Afterwards, we took a walk, climbed up to the castle, visited it, and now we're sitting at the bar with a cold 🍺 beer, 1/2 liter for € 1.50. The pool right next to it is tempting and will probably be used soon.