Author: simon

I said yesterday that it’s a cash economy, which, of course means it’s a game. A low-stakes game but still a game and you need to know the rules.

Starting with the local currency, the Leke, which is deemed to be 100L to the €. Not sure how the international money markets view it but they are the rules. Apart from 1 shop which had a small sign saying 98L to the € but we didn’t go in but were warned to be on guard.

3 transactions yesterday:

1. A decent restaurant which presented the bill, we gave a large denomination note and got the correct change.
2. A bar which gave me 410L change when I was expecting 1400. But it was patiently pointed out to me that the two 5s were actually €5 notes, equating to 1000L. Oops …
3. Another bar which gave me change from 1000 instead of 2000 “by mistake”.

I did, though, say it was small stakes. Dinner this evening – 2 mains plus salad plus 2 drinks each (Albanian Wine is surprisingly good) plus water came to €30. That’s what I call good value especially as the food is pretty good.

Anyway, Berat, and especially the castle is great.

Morning (early)

Morning (late)

Stopped for a coffee

Evening

Well you would want to see the sunset wouldn’t you.

Albania supposed to be “the next big thing” and it’s a country we’ve never visited and actually know not a huge amount about. So we’ve got 2 weeks of touring (6 different places to stay) and look forward to learning more about it.

If we ignore the 04.30 alarm call, it’s started extremely well. Very happy to leave a dark, wet and windy Luton Airport behind and land in the 28 degrees of Tirana.

2 hours driving to Berat.

It’s going to be the first of many places I’ve never heard of, but it’s lovely. Sometimes, not very often, you arrive in a place and it just “fits” and Berat did that. It helps that it’s small, warm, busy enough to be buzzy but not crazy, photogenic, and pretty cheap so far. It’s a cash economy so more of that later, but for now we’ll enjoy the photogenicness!

And the rooftop view from dinner.