Free day in Berat, Albania!

Yesterday started as a great day, I got help from Eglantina, the girl I had coffee with and who was more than helpful during my stay in Gramshi, and got myself some sandwich with ham, cheese, mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup and potatoes!

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It was ok, nothing sensational but it was a very good start for a day in the saddle.

I can't thank Eglantina, her sister Ana and their mother enough, even without their kindness it meant a lot just to have contact with people again.

Eglantina on the left and her sister, Ana, on the right.

I've also come to the conclusion that distances and the monotony of riding long days gets worse by flat, straight roads. If I only had the time I would prefer hard, bad roads compared to big, trafficked roads. That leads me to the traffic here, I'd say 1 out of 5 drivers that pass me do so at either a very high speed or too close, the other four usually make an effort either to honk their horn to alert me that they are passing or just pass me with generous clearance. Or both.

So far Albania leads Macedonia in these categories; Best road signs, most friendly, least amount of thrash at roadsides and in streams and rivers. But Macedonia has so far been more beautiful in its landscape.

What they have in common are hundreds upon hundreds of modern buildings that all look done halfway, it's so common that either everyone, their family, their relatives and all other next of kin started building the same day or... well I have no clue really.

An extremely common sight in Macedonia and Albania.

Anyway, I am having a day off in Berat today in what gotta be the most romantic hotel in the world - just look at some of the pictures below;

The door on the left is the one that leads to a patio where my room is with an amazing view - sadly it's raining today but I will get some shots off as soon as it clears up a bit.

I feel like I live in a castle!

Hotel breakfast consisted of two wonderful types of cheese with bread and marmelade and a delicious sour cherry juice as well as omelette with spicy sausages and coffee - can't wait for tomorrow morning!