Remembering my adventures
APRIL 20, 2025 On our way to Skopje, we made a brief stop at MATKA CANYON, as it was only 15 km outside of Skopje. It is a popular getaway spot for tourists and locals, alike. The turquoise water surrounded by steep cliffs with lush greenery and razor sharp outcrops creates a stunning scene. Matka... Continue Reading →
APRIL 18-19, 2025 I had booked an AirBnb inside the old city walls. It was convenient and inexpensive. Go figure. We checked in then headed out to check out the city. The first stop was the CHURCH of SAINTS CLEMENT of OHRID and PANTELEIMON. It is located just metres from Lake Ohrid. St. Clement arrived... Continue Reading →
APRIL 18, 2025 Pogradec was only drive through location. We did stop for lunch, which we ate in a small park. There was a little girl playing with her cat. She was pulling a string and the cat was chasing it. It was so sweet and innocent. I went to give her a Canada pin... Continue Reading →
APRIL 18, 2025 Korce was basically a rest stop for us. After our host had checked our Airbnb ratings he asked me if we stayed in Berat, with a fellow named Ylli. I said we did. He said that Ylli was an old family friend. What a small world! Pierre, Irene & Ylli in Berat... Continue Reading →
APRIL 17, 2025 Permet was on our scheduled route and we made a brief stop to check out some sites that we had read about. Permet has a huge stone in the centre of town. It is 42 metres (138 ft) high. There are 101 steps to the top where one gets a nice view... Continue Reading →
APRIL 16-17, 2025 Gjirokaster was first mentioned in historic records dating back to the 12th century, when it was part of the Byzantine Empire. It has been fought over by the Greeks, the Albanians and the Ottomans. Today it is a mish-mash of cultures, religions and languages. We got into town and quickly found our... Continue Reading →
APRIL 13-14, 2025 The city of a thousand windows. The first thing we noticed when we pulled into Berat was the houses stuck like barnacles to the side of a cliff, with an old castle on top. The second thing we noticed was that our Airbnb was one of those houses. We went up a... Continue Reading →
APRIL 9 - 13, 2025 The name “Albania” comes from an ancient Ilyrian tribe called Alban. Ptolemy mentions the it in the 2nd century. First and foremost, the roads. The main highways are pretty good, but the secondary roads are crazy winding and narrow. The average speed on the secondary roads is only about 40... Continue Reading →
APRIL 9-13, 2025. Our initial impression of Tirana was not good at all. First of all, the road into town had a speed limit of 50 kph. Our taxi was going 110 and cars were passing us like we were standing still. Then the taxi driver got lost and started losing her mind. She was... Continue Reading →
DECEMBER 11-14, 2024 Our plane landed late at night. We caught a taxi to our Airbnb. Even though the host had given us good directions, they were not so good. It was "Electra road opposite Royal Rose Hotel beside the ADNOC petrol pump". The Royal Rose Hotel was actually a block away, the petrol pump... Continue Reading →
An Old Lady with a Backpack 