05.09.23
In Sept 2022, Kat and I were literally parked at the border of Greece and North Macedonia, but we did not cross, so we did not add country #29 to our list of visited countries since we started our travels in Feb 2019. At that time we balked at crossing since we were on our heavily packed motorcycle, and the idea of digging our passports and bike registration out of the cumbersome pack job was a “hell, no!” But we recently made up for that, and even with less than one day visit, we definitely determined that N. Macedonia—and especially the ancient city of Lake Ohrid—was worth a longer look. The destination was certainly a big win, but the ride there was amazing in so many ways, as was the return trip.
Within about 48 hours we went through the small beach towns of Borsh and Himare, and they were intriguing enough to make me curious to return. We only drove through, but they were only a one hour or so ride north, so it would be practical to go back and check out what looked to be gorgeous beaches. That will happen during warmer weather, and since we’re leaving in less than a month, that won’t be until 2024 at the earliest. It’s hard to believe we’re looking that far down the line! Then came the road section that really made it all worth it, and that was the Llogara mountain pass which took us over Mount Cika, and eventually into Vlore, which was the place I REALLY wanted to check out.
The Llogara was probably one of the best—if not THE best—mountain passes I’ve ever driven. Many have been exciting, but too short. Some are pretty, but not scenic. But THIS one is dramatic, exciting, LONG, and scenic as hell. There are places to stay or eat along the way, and it takes you from sea level, straight up, and on to the other side. That eventually led us to some nice seaside eateries as we got close to Vlore, and when we did drive through town, we were both enamored with the vibe and the size of the city, which is about 125,000 population or so. They offer malls and theaters, and lots of eateries, so we put Vlore on the list of places to return to.
Our first real destination on the way was the capital city of Tirana, which also caught our fancy enough to warrant a return trip, maybe for a month or so. Since we (Americans) CAN stay in Albania for 12 months, it’s nice to have other options besides Sarande, which was one of my goals on this quick little getaway. Our two days in Tirana I will share later when we DO go back for longer, but suffice it to say, it’s a worthy repeat trip.
After two days there we were back on the road to Lake Ohrid, and again, this route east about two hours took us along some gorgeous scenery, much of it paralleling a lovely river with huge mountains running alongside, too. Crossing the Macedonian border was easy, with just half a dozen cars in front, and we all moved along quickly. The Kjafasan/ Qafë Thanë crossing station is at a high elevation of 1234 meters, a bit over 4000 feet, and is likewise, a beautiful ride up and over. The Macedonian side was noticeably less nice, especially with rough roads, but they were under repair, so we’ll see how long that takes.
The city of Ohrid is a UNESCO site, the only one in Macedonia, which is significant since it indicates the age or role the site played in history, and in this case, the town is one of the oldest human settlements in Europe. The lake itself is noteworthy as one of the oldest lakes in the world, and the deepest (938 feet) in the Balkan region. The weather was not cooperative, but the lake is known for its fishing and beaches, so again, so noted for a return visit! The ride back from Ohrid, including a side trip to the city of Gjirokaster (a UNESCO city, too), was about 200 miles, and except for the rain storm, was visually as stunning as anywhere we have seen. Much of our ride was along yet another river, crystal blue-green, and one of the other towns, Tepelene, caught our eye for yet another visit. Gjirokaster was a suggested stop by almost everyone we met since Day One, and their suggestions were warranted! It’s known as the “Stone City,” since much of the road is stone as well as the famous Gjirokaster castle, AND many of the buildings. Due to the long day we did not visit the castle, but no question, we will go back to the town.
As we finish up our almost three months in Albania (plus 67 days last year), we have a good sense of what the country offers, and we are both pretty sure that Albania will be a large part of our future plans—whatever they may be.
