First day in Pogradec

We like to spend the first day in a new town just wandering around and seeing where things are. Just to kind of get a feel for the place. And, we usually need to pick up some groceries to stock the fridge for the week. Although, it's kind of funny because we end up doing some kind of grocery shopping almost every day!

When we were traveling North America in Sherman, we would typically do a big shop once a week or so. Usually at Walmart, or some other big one stop shop type of place. But here in Albania there are no Walmarts, and very few actually large full service grocery stores. Lots of smaller shops where we get general groceries in one place, meat in another, and fruits and vegetables in another. And when we have had an apartment in town, there has always been a shop within close walking distance.

And tomorrow, we will have been here in Albania for two months. So our 30 day Vodafone pay as you go cell phone plan needed to be extended for another 30 days. So that was our first stop yesterday. We had paid 1,400 lek the first time when we arrived, and then 2,000 lek after the first month was up. But the girl yesterday said for the same plan, it would be back to 1,400 lek ($16.80 CAD, $13.80 USD) again this time. She didn't offer any explanation, and I didn't argue!

It's also strange that at the corporate Vodafone stores (they are everywhere!) they only accept cash. And I am never given a receipt, although of course you instantly get a text message saying that you have paid and the new plan has been activated. 

With that done, we went for a walk along the waterfront. Pogradec is on the shore of Lake Ohrid. They have a nice waterfront beach walkway that runs for about 5 kms (3 miles). We did the downtown section yesterday, but plan to do the whole thing today.

Nice sandy beach.

It's not swimming weather though!

There's actually a bit of a cold front going through. High yesterday was about 18C (65F) and mostly cloudy. They said it might rain, but it never did.

The older men hang out in the waterfront parks playing chess.

Waterfront cafe.

Swans.

Scenery along the way.

Waterfront in Pogradec.

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