Balkans

Day 9 - Sat 26 Sept 09

Durres -> Macedonia

Today is all about the trains.

Up at 06:00 to walk up to the station for the 07:00. Quite disappointed to miss out on breakfast. Purchased a ticket to Pogradec the border town with Macedonia.

After all the scare stories about the trains everything is okay - some old German rolling stock. The only issue are the windows, just about every one has had the outer part smashed by kids throwing stones. The speed of the journey isn't exactly Eurostar but we keep just plodding along. We even have two police officers that patrol the train ensuring that the smokers smoke in the vestibule.

We'd stocked up on provisions before we boarded, but there was no need as a couple of blokes are wandering up and down the train selling sweets, snacks etc. There was even one block selling socks.

Albanian Donkeys

Eventually the train pulled into Pogradec at about 13:00. We'd spent the last half hour running down the edge of Lake Ohrid. A packed furgon got us from the station into the town proper for 140 Lek, and we then picked up a taxi off the street to the border post.

The Albanian border guards seem to stamp the passport with an ordinary date stamp. Then it was about a 1km hike down the road to the Macedonian side. Got another stamp (by request) and our friendly border guard arranged a taxi up to Ohrid. The drive was a bit manic as the road was rather rough. The taxi dropped us at the edge of the main shopping area, and by pure fluke find the pedestrian centre marked on the Lonely Planet Map.

Our accommodation has partial views of the lake and all for €30. Out for a walk, and changed some cash, got something to eat and did the walking tour. Ohrid is the site of the Church of St. John at Kaneo which is on a tiny headland overlooking Lake Ohrid.