Along the Adriatic Sea, we find ourselves in the stunning Bay of Kotor! This is a sight to behold. High mountains enclose the bay, sparkling blue water dotted with boats and kayaks, and a once mighty fortress overlooks everything!

The old city is enclosed within the walls, and is very well-preserved. I spent a bunch of time just walking around the city and taking in the Venetian style architecture, and climbed up to the fortress that overlooks the city. On a trail going towards the fortress, I came across a herd of goats that gave me a bit of a stare down. Once they realized I wasn’t going to bother them, they let me pass without a hinderance!

One day while in Kotor, we took an “All Montenegro” tour. We traversed a large chunk of the country (as you can see on a map, Montenegro is quite small). Some highlights were the Njegos Mausoleum atop Mount Lovcen. There are 461 steps to the mausoleum, adorned with beautiful sculptures, and enjoys a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains. Amazing! Njegos was a king, spiritual leader, and national hero of Montenegro. He received a burial-place made for a king!

Another stop was Lake Skadar, a bird sanctuary and national park. Our group took a 1.5 hour boat ride along the reserve, enjoying the scenery, many bird species, and the tranquility of the Montenegrin countryside. From here we headed back to Kotor. One more stop before we cross the sea to Italy!

Cheers, Shawn

We hopped a shared taxi to Shkoder, a town in northern Albania. From there we caught a ferry to the beautiful Valbone Valley. This ferry took several hours, and provided amazing views of scenery and a glimpse into the lives of the local people. We past several little villages and farms along the way, who’s only access to the outside world was the ferry that I riding. I can imagine that you would have a unique perspective growing up in a place like that!

Once off the ferry we made our way to the guesthouse, which was surrounded by amazing views and mountain peaks. We took a stroll around, and had a sumptuous Albanian dinners. To finish off, we had a glass of Rakia, a strong brandy type drink!

The next morning the real hike began. We started early in the morning, and got lost! It was rather embarrassing that we couldn’t find the trailhead, haha! After 45 minutes of meandering, we found the trailhead and met up with some fellow travellers and hiking buddies.

The terrain to cover was climbing up the mountains that surrounded the Valbone Valley, crossing the pass, and making our way down towards a town called Theth on the other side of the mountains. The trek from Valbone to the pass was quite cloudy, so we were bummed out about missing the views. Then we crossed the mountain pass – it was like night and day! All the clouds were held back by the mountains, and we had a spectacular view of the Theth side of the mountains. It almost seemed like something you’d see in a Lord of the Rings movie – some powerful force holding back the wrath of the storm! Very cool!

We made our way down to the little village of Theth, and stayed the night there. The next morning we took a van back to Shkoder over a crazy mountain road. From there we head into our next country – Montenegro!

Cheers, Shawn

Not many travellers consider visiting Albania – I highly recommend that you do! The pace is relaxed, and there’s plenty to see and do!

Our first stop was in Tirana, the capital. We learned about the unique history of this country, such as previous to 1990, there were only 5,000 vehicles in the entire country! The country used to be controlled by an extremely reclusive communist dictator who didn’t want western influences. Instead, he built over 700,000 concrete bunkers all throughout the county. The theory was that in case of an invasion, any able-bodied person should grab a gun and head to a bunker to protect the country! On top of this, the Albanian communist party even cut itself off from the USSR and the rest of the Eastern Bloc, as they weren’t communist enough! Albania was cut off from every other country in the world! Demands for change resulte in the gradual shift towards democracy and a new republic. Fascinating history.

We spent a little under a week in Tirana. Upon first impression, the city seems a little intimidating – it doesn’t have the refined feel of other European capitals. But there is a huge benefit, no one was trying to sell us anything! As tourism is relatively new, the locals just let you go about your business. They are very friendly and helpful if you need directions, but otherwise just go about their usual lives. I recommend that travellers visit this beautiful country before tourism hits with a greater force!

In Tirana we mainly relaxed, chilled, and drank the great local beer. We stayed at a very homey hostel, Trip’n’Hostel. We met up with some fun fellow travellers, and recharged for our upcoming journey into the mountains! Off to northern Albania!

Cheers, Shawn

The deep blue water of Lake Ohrid is spectacular, and made for some fantastic kayaking! We spent about 5 days here and enjoyed the ruins of a medieval fortress, a cathedral, and a Roman amphitheatre. The little Church of St. John of Kaneo overlooks the lake and makes for some very picturesque shots. Check out the photos below.

We met up with some fellow travellers, Yaya and Baptiste, and rented a car together. Thanks again to Baptiste for driving! We took a day trip and wandered around Western Macedonia and Eastern Albania. The mountains and lakes in this area are very beautiful. Along the way we sampled some beer from the brewery in Korce – highly recommended!

From Ohrid we’ll catch a bus to the Albanian capital of Tirana. Onward and forward!

Cheers, Shawn

We arrived in the Macedonian capital of Skopje around ten in the evening and proceeded to walk to our hostel. On the way we came across the huge plethora of newly renovated government buildings and huge statues in the city centre.

While travelling in Europe, I’m used to seeing statues of dudes on a horse. However, the statue of Alexander the Great in the city square is something else. It is a whopping 22 meters high, and is surrounded by an elaborate water fountain. This is part of a project by the Macedonian government to boost the country’s claim to the Macedonian epoch, even though much of historical Macedonia now belongs to Greece. Even though locals in Skopje are unhappy with the country’s resources being spent on such lavish things, it is quite the sight to behold!

If you’re travelling to Skopje, you MUST take a day trip out to Matka Canyon. This canyon and river are surrounded by sheer rock cliffs that provide stunning views. We hiked along the side of the river, and also rented kayaks to gain a view from the river. Check out the photos below!

As we’ve been spending time in the cities, we’re now heading to a smaller town called Ohrid in southwestern Macedonia, which is on the shore of Lake Ohrid. Good times await!

Cheers, Shawn

We made it to Sofia, the Bulgarian capital! We’re staying at an awesome hostel with travellers from all of the world, free breakfast/dinner, and a great location! Check out Hostel Mostel if you’re in Sofia!

In our first day we did a walking tour to gain an insight into Bulgaria’s history, and see some of the highlights. In the afternoon we also went on a communist tour, which outlined the pervasive effect of communism on the country. Even though the country still struggles with corruption and government waste, there is much optimism as Bulgaria progresses as a democratic state.

On day 2 we made a day trip to Rila Monastery, which is a stunning Orthodox religious sight near the top of Rila Mountain. The monastery is covered in frescoes in the iconic style. The elaborate works of art is really a site to behold! While we were there we climbed through a narrow cave where one of the founding monks lived for several years. Talk about dedication!

From Sofia we head into Macedonia, to Skopje. Until then!

Cheers, Shawn