I slept in a little this morning, before making my way to the bar area of the hotel for my breakfast. However, I wouldn't really have called it breakfast, the owner presented me with a glass of orange squash, a croissant (from a packet) & asked if I wanted a coffee! After my snack I decided to go out & explore Durrës. I had three keys, one for my room, one for the front door & one for the main gate! I did think it was a bit odd that I was clearly the only person staying in the hotel, when 'Lido' was full?
I first visited the Amphitheatre (very close to hotel), which was very pleasant to walk around. The mosaics of the saints & angels in the chapel were amazing. I later walked along the sea front only to be a little disappointed. There was obviously a lot of building work in progress, the new 'pier thing' looked like it will be an impressive structure when it is completed. All the restaurants were virtually empty, & it was approaching lunchtime?
After my walk along the sea front I headed back into town & treated myself to an ice-cream at one of the patisserie shops along Tregetare Rd. For my lunch I had a 'Pleskavica' which was some kind of meat filled pancake with melted cheese, which was very nice. The restaurant was called 'Qebaptore Gjakova' & the owner spoke excellent English. After lunch I decided to make my way back to my hotel & make use of the free Wi-Fi.
I arrived back at the main gate of my hotel only to find I could't open it with the key! I rang the doorbell to no avail. After a while one of the neighbours appeared & he soon realised there was already a key in the gate on the other side. He then just stuck his hand through the gate & turned the key! When I finally let myself in, there was clearly nobody around, very odd!
After entering my room I happened to notice the few Euro coins I'd left on my bed were gone. I immediately thought of the cleaner as I remembered seeing her in the morning, & she had clearly been in my room to clean it. I had a good look in my backpack, & thankfully all was fine. I decided to go downstairs into the bar area & use the Wi-Fi, hoping the hotel owner would show up eventually.
It wasn't until after 6pm when the hotel owner arrived, I then explained what had happened. He soon called the cleaner on the telephone & began to shout at her whilst looking very embarrassed! When he had finished talking with her he asked if he could see my room. When I let him in, he proceeded to look under the bed for the missing coins! He did seem quite upset about the theft & did offer to pay me back (I tried to explain it was only a few Euros, & it was the actual theft that was upsetting). I later returned to the bar area, whereby he then presented me with a postcard of Durrës! (Not sure if he thought this would make things all alright!) He later left & about an hour later the cleaner arrived & started shouting at me & disputing my claims! I just ignored her & went to my room.
Back in my room, whilst in the middle of having a shower the water ran out! My initial thoughts were the cleaner had sabotaged the water tank! However, after checking all the other rooms I could see the whole hotel was effected. The hotel owner was nowhere to be seen yet again.
I am not sure if I will see the hotel owner in the morning as I plan to catch the 7:30am bus to Shkodër, although my breakfast was agreed at 6:30am on arrival. Something tells me he may well avoid me!
I first visited the Amphitheatre (very close to hotel), which was very pleasant to walk around. The mosaics of the saints & angels in the chapel were amazing. I later walked along the sea front only to be a little disappointed. There was obviously a lot of building work in progress, the new 'pier thing' looked like it will be an impressive structure when it is completed. All the restaurants were virtually empty, & it was approaching lunchtime?
The Amphitheatre in Durrës (2nd century AD)
The Amphitheatre Byzantine Mosaic in Durrës
After my walk along the sea front I headed back into town & treated myself to an ice-cream at one of the patisserie shops along Tregetare Rd. For my lunch I had a 'Pleskavica' which was some kind of meat filled pancake with melted cheese, which was very nice. The restaurant was called 'Qebaptore Gjakova' & the owner spoke excellent English. After lunch I decided to make my way back to my hotel & make use of the free Wi-Fi.
The old tobacco factory with a freedom fighter statue in the background
The tobacco factory memorial in Durrës
Resisting the Italian invasion in 1939 - Durrës
Old building in Durrës
'Pleskavica' in Durrës (Meat filled with melted cheese, very filling!)
Fatih Mosque built in 1503 in Durrës
I arrived back at the main gate of my hotel only to find I could't open it with the key! I rang the doorbell to no avail. After a while one of the neighbours appeared & he soon realised there was already a key in the gate on the other side. He then just stuck his hand through the gate & turned the key! When I finally let myself in, there was clearly nobody around, very odd!
After entering my room I happened to notice the few Euro coins I'd left on my bed were gone. I immediately thought of the cleaner as I remembered seeing her in the morning, & she had clearly been in my room to clean it. I had a good look in my backpack, & thankfully all was fine. I decided to go downstairs into the bar area & use the Wi-Fi, hoping the hotel owner would show up eventually.
It wasn't until after 6pm when the hotel owner arrived, I then explained what had happened. He soon called the cleaner on the telephone & began to shout at her whilst looking very embarrassed! When he had finished talking with her he asked if he could see my room. When I let him in, he proceeded to look under the bed for the missing coins! He did seem quite upset about the theft & did offer to pay me back (I tried to explain it was only a few Euros, & it was the actual theft that was upsetting). I later returned to the bar area, whereby he then presented me with a postcard of Durrës! (Not sure if he thought this would make things all alright!) He later left & about an hour later the cleaner arrived & started shouting at me & disputing my claims! I just ignored her & went to my room.
Back in my room, whilst in the middle of having a shower the water ran out! My initial thoughts were the cleaner had sabotaged the water tank! However, after checking all the other rooms I could see the whole hotel was effected. The hotel owner was nowhere to be seen yet again.
I am not sure if I will see the hotel owner in the morning as I plan to catch the 7:30am bus to Shkodër, although my breakfast was agreed at 6:30am on arrival. Something tells me he may well avoid me!
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