Day 9 Kruje

 After breakfast I went  out on the balcony. It was a beautiful morning, so I sat there writing my journal until I saw the others gathering downstairs to get on the bus. 

We had about a 2 hour drive to the port of Durres, home to the largest amphitheatre in the Balkans. We hadn't travelled that far when there was a bang. A car had driven into the back of us. Not much damage but damaged it was and we couldn't move until the police had assessed the situation. 

We got off the bus and I went into a local supermarket next to where the accident had taken place. It turns out that the man who owned the supermarket had lived in England just a few miles from where I live. He returned to Albania to buy the supermarket with his brother and although it is long hours and hard work it seems to be going well for them. He told me that sorting out the accident would take some time and I might as well go to the beach. I didn't even realise we were close to the sea. So I went for a quick look.

It was a lovely soft, sandy beach and looked much better than the one we swam from the other day. When I mentioned this to Ed he said the water quality was very poor. Maybe it was or maybe it wasn't.

I returned to the bus to find a long traffic jam behind us with drivers getting very frustrated. It took about an hour and a half to sort out the paper work. Each one of us had to sign a disclaimer to say we hadn't been injured before we could be on our way.

We finally reached Durres with its 15th cent Venetian tower. The  Tower was built for artillery purposes close to the sea.

The amphitheatre was built at the beginning of the 2nd cent Ad. It is estimated that it could hold 15 to 20 thousand spectators. Slave owners would watch their slaves fight other gladiators or beasts. The amphitheatre was discovered in 1966.

It did seem strange to have these modern buildings above the amphitheatre. I can only assume that it was whilst excavations during other building work that this ancient monument was discovered.

There were tunnels beneath the seating areas of the amphitheatre.

Passed a few pomegranate  trees as we walked to the seafront. 

We went for a stroll along the promenade 

It was a rocky beach so no good for swimming. After picking up a sandwich and an ice cream it was time to get back on the bus for a couple of hours driving to our final destination.

We were staying at the Hotel Panorama in Kruje for our last night of the trip. Tomorrow we will all be driven to the airport in the capital Tirana for our flight home. The hotel is perched on the top of a hill with terrific views over the valley.

As soon as I had taken my luggage up to my room I went downstairs and out into the bazaar.

There was nothing I wanted to buy and the cobbled street did not make for comfortable walking.

After wandering the length of the bazaar I went back to the hotel.

I was feeling exhausted and the thought of walking down the cobbled street again was just too much. So I opted out of going with the others to the castle and the museum. Instead I went up to the rooftop pool. It had had all day to warm up in the sun so it was ok. I found it refreshing and then I lay on a sun lounger for an hour or so before returning to my room.

In the evening we all met up in the hotel restaurant for a final meal together and to reflect on the trip. I had thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Albania. The scenery was spectacular and the hotels were of a much higher standard than I expected. The food was delicious, cheap and fresh and the people very friendly. What more could you ask for.