Shkoder, Heart of the north

Tirana from the north is figgin nuts. I mean so busy it blew my mind right out the window. Kampala, Uganda and the most congested cities i saw in Mexico didn't seem to touch the chaos and business of the North of Albania entering and exiting the captial city. If Tirana is the heart of Albania, then Shkoder (pronounced shkodra) is the lifeline of the north. Everything goes through this busy bustling city in the north. We had little time here and i got no picks of it while we passed through on our way to Ulcin, Montenegro, but i can tell you the center of Shkodra is where you want to get if you want to get anywhere in the north or south of Albania. Most if not all the buses run out this way.

A small river runs near the city called Kiri and it will spill into the larger Lake Shkodra to the west. Be ready for a busy, bustling and a chaotic city. There are of course the usual cafe's and some decent hotels i'm told, but this isn't the heart of luxury here. I look forward to being back here and launching out from here to see the rest of Shqipari. I've been told its dangerous- to me that's bull. Just play it smart like every place and you'll be fine. It's just the busy, chaotic feel of the  city that will give you that impression.