The Accursed Mountains

We left Prizren at 9, heading first for Gjakova, stopping on the way to see the gorge where we had lunch a couple of days before, to be shown a painting on the rock face of the revered Skanderbeg who led the Albanians to victory over the Ottomans. We were all more interested in admiring the lovely wild flowers.
Further on we stopped at an old bridge, the Tailors Bridge, then we went to the bazaar (a long row of quiet shops, some selling traditional costumes). As I walked down the street a woman from Kosovan TV interviewed me while a chap recorded it. Of course I praised the friendly people, the beautiful scenery, the good roads and fine coffee and baclava. (I did not mention the food). A few of us went to the mosque which had a lovely old painted wooden door. Inside the decor was plants and flowers. We stopped at a cafe for a quick coffee. €1.

We drove on towards the mountains leaving Kosovo and re-entering Albania where we had lunch at a strange town
Bajram Curri. There were abandoned industrial areas and derelict blocks of flats. Lunch was spaghetti with sauce which cost €5 - Albania is expensive compared with Kosovo!

We stopped to take a photo as we entered the Valbona valley with its towering cliffs and high jagged Accursed Mountains. It was cloudy with a few drops of rain, but quite warm.

Our rustic guest house high up the valley near the end of the road is charming. We have a room with a view facing east down the valley. We went for a 5 mile walk up to the end of the road, getting some wonderful views of the snow-capped mountains with the cloud swirling round the peaks which were sometimes in sun, then returned the same way. The air at 1000m is cool. The guest house is providing all meals as there’s no other place nearby.