Vlora to Tirana 🇦🇱

 Vlora has a beautiful harbour with such clear water.  I walked around the harbour this morning before checking out of my comfortable hotel room 😊

The main road through town is lined with an avenue of trees, stylish shops and restaurants and is about 4kms long!  It was raining but still lovely to wander along the boulevard with weekend shoppers. 

I arrived at the main square with Independence statue.  The Albanians really know how to do a huge statue and there are statues honouring notable people in every town. 

I saw the recently discovered remains of the old wall that used to surround the city.   

Then to the surprising Old Town district.  Colourful painted buildings along a series of narrow paved streets and now housing cafes and trendy shops. 

The hotel owner had recommended one of the three bus stops as a better spot to avoid the more dodgy bus drivers 🙄. I found my way there and there was a bus leaving within 5 mins.  Me, centre back seat of a full 9 seater van 😂.

2.5 hours later we were dropped at the centre of Tirana the capital.  I couldn't get a room at the hostel I had stayed at 3 weeks ago but a guy a few days ago recommended a different hostel.

Wow oh wow!  Cannot believe this boutique hostel is 9 euro a night!  It is modern, stylish and the lounge area is amazing, so comfortable, that I just hung out there for the rest of the day. 

Raining outside and so chose a comfy leather lounge inside for the rest of the day, catching up on life admin and chatting with hostel guests from a wide range of nations.

The suburb is funky with avenues of autumn leaves and beautiful restaurants.  I chose an Italian restaurant with great reviews a few minute walk from the hostel 

They had a fab 80’s love song play list (Mariah, Elton, Toto, Air Supply, Kenny G, Lionel Ritchie etc) and beautiful food.  The waiter gave me a free panna cotta with persimmon and mandarin for dessert.

😊. Didn't want to leave but the hostel also plays great relaxing music.

Relaxing finish to a travel day.  Hoping for fine weather tomorrow for my last day in Albania.