Wednesday 10 October 2012

Vlora city tour and onwards to Fier, Albania (10 Oct 2012)

We spent the morning walking around the old town of Vlora through alleys, markets and cafes busy barbecuing lambs, sausages and cevapis for the raki drinkers. We missed the roasted lamb, they were sold out by the time we got there for lunch. Guess the roasted lamb was more for breakfast.
 
Vlora old town was more raggedy and traffic haphazard. The new town, closer to the port and beaches, are much nicer with wider streets. Vlora is Albania’s first capital city and has the country’s second biggest port (after Durres). It was in this city that Ismail Qemali declared Albania’s independence in 1912.


Walking around the old town of Vlora
 
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One of the roads in the old town. The side walks are dusty.


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Old Catholic Church
 

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Dad looking at the directions out of Vlora
  

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Independence monument. Albania was declared independent on 28 Nov 1912.
 

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Monumental tomb of Ismail Qemali. He declared Albania’s independence in 1912.
  

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Muradie Mosque
 

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Historic Museum
 

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A street in the new town of Vlora.

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After lunch we headed north towards Fier using the A2.

 
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New highway. We took the highway (A2) for a couple of kilometres before taking the Novosele exit to join the old road to Fier.

 
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Old train track
 

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Here we are back on the old road. Goodbye Vlore. Hello district of Fier!
 

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The road conditions are not too bad but watch out for the occasional donkey cart.
 

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The old roads can get quite busy at some parts with quite a few busses and lorries passing through.



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