Sunday: Ohrid

We snuck out of Tirana under cover of darkness this morning so that we could escape before the Pope descended.  Actually, it wasn't that bad - after a good breakfast in a dining room peppered with priests, nuns and papal envoys we strolled to the car, while everyone coming in the opposite direction to see the Pope was having their documents checked.  

We had a slightly animated exchange with the car park attendant who tried to charge us exactly the same amount as his colleague last night.  In the end, we came to an amicable agreement whereby we paid nothing (having paid last night).

There was no traffic at all, heading out of Tirana, but lots of people heading in on foot.  Today was a more stress free, less urban, drive.  We saw more car washes and petrol stations than you could possible imagine and passed lots of decorated cars, blaring their horns loudly because they were part of wedding parties.

We stopped for petrol and charmed the female petrol pump attendant so thoroughly that she jetwashed our car for free and gave us each a big kiss and a cuddle when we left.

We are now in Ohrid, Macedonia, having crossed a much more sophisticated border today.  Ohrid is charming - and has an amazing amount of historic churches with icons and frescoes like you would not believe.

We ate at a fabulous local restaurant in the Turkish quarter, where half a chicken cost us about £2.