Koman lake

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It is just before six o'clock in the early morning when we leave our hotel and look for the stop where our bus (read: van) would take us to Fierze. But all we see, a bus is nowhere to be spot. Some people we ask tell whole stories where and when this stops, others tell us there is no van at all. Some people send us further into the valley, there suppose to be a busstop. Time is ticking and we are getting a bit nervous; aware that if there’s no bus we have to stay another day here. When it’s almost six we start to walk into the valley.

We walk out of Bajram Curri and along the road. We start to put up our hand for a hitch but cars rush past us and are all full of probably workmen. Finally a van with a young boy stops - after a bit of a chat, he understands what we want - he says it is 2 kilometers to the intersection and we get in and throw our big bags in the back. It is certainly another 4 kilometers in my mind when we get off for a restaurant with plenty of cars in front of the door. Immediately someone comes out who offers to play taxi. We say we don’t want it, put our baggs next to the road and take a zip of water and wait.

The harbor is actually only of a small house where coffee is served, two berths with boats (and two ferry boats) and a part consisting of gravel that serves as a parking lot. A number of youngsters have camped here and are busy picking up their tents. When we arrive and order a cup of coffee because we are one and a half hours early. A very sweet dog sits wit hus. A few tourists with rental cars also show up and we wait together till we get on the boat.

The Drina Valley

Just before we get on the boat it starts to rain and actually it does not stop anymore until we arrive in Koman. For the entire district of Tropojë in Kukës prefecture, the ferry across Lake Koman was the only designated connection with the rest of the country until 2010. We are with maybe 20 people on board and take place in a neat restaurant where we can see the valley through the big windows. The boat trip through the Drina valley should take 2 hours and sometimes goes through very narrow cliffs We spot very little other boat traffic. Small amount of birds and other animals but a lot of fog in the high mountains and lots of greenery but no jungle or forests.

Also a lot of dirt and bottles in the water although it’s very clear. People go outside to take a photo but are back in a split second because the weather is so bad - especially a lot of rain. In 1970 a dam was built and electricity is still being generated. The lake, like the upstream Lake Fierz and the downstream Vau i Dejës lake, is part of a large-scale hydroelectric system developed by the communist regime. It is almost eleven o'clock when we see a small built-in harbor (surrounded by high mountains) from the deck. When we come closer we see there is a small parking lot that stands full with motorbikes, vans and cars and there are plenty of tourists and local (tourists) to photograph the boat. There is also a restaurant and a sort of ticket office.

The road is very bad and consists a numerous amount of bends and curves along mountains and hills with a view of lakes and rivers. Beautiful view, by the way. The journey takes and takes and I am happy when we arrive at the highway at a given moment connecting Tirana with Shkodra.

Our driver stops at his house (it is about 14:00) or his workshop and we meet his mother who comes directly with two small glasses with homemade honey. Ten minutes later his wife comes with the landrover and they take us to the center. In Shkodra we go with someone who offers a room or apartment and we are happy that we made it – even before dark.

To get to the Koman Lake we first took a bus from Tirana to Bajram Churri (see POI Tirana); after having slept there for a night we were told that minibuses go to Fierze but we have never seen them (we hitchhiked instaed).

The ferry is docked about 3 km away from Fierze and should leave at 06:00, 09:00 and 13:00, but the latter turns out to be a big question mark. Buses depart from Fierze to the port of call - duration 15 minutes and 100 Leke costs. The ferry costs 300 Leke and that at 09:00 you can also get on with a car. The ferry ride takes 2 hours and arrives at the mini-port of Koman where taxis and commercial minibuses are waiting for you. For 700 Leke the latter brings you to Shkodra.

You can have a cup of coffee on both sides of the lake, but you can also order a sandwich or snack in Koman which is probably a lot cheaper. In Fierze there are some coffee houses with terraces.

• Name: Eurobushi hotel (Bajram Churri)

Address: near the police commissariat

Price: 2500 Leke (double)

Phone nr. : + 355 684032340

Content:

The hotel is situated next to another large hotel and is centrally located in the town. Within a minute you will be  standing at the large roundabout which is the center of the poor city. There is a parking lot in front and some houses away. It looks really nice from the outside, marble stairs, wooden floors, a perfect breakfast room and / or restaurant room, but if you look a bit better, it is a bit disappointing.

Nevertheless, the rooms are fine - there is soap, a towel, shampoo etc. available. In addition, there is WIFI, we had a spacious balcony, TV, tables, chairs and two clean neat beds. There should be some renavation done in the shower and the toilet in the corridor; windows did not lock, door could not lock, no shower curtain, water did not drain (whole floor 5 cm water), faucets did not work well and it was not really clean.

Staff is friendly, a boy speaks good English but it was noisy and it seemed like the whole hotel until late moved chairs and furniture around. Our breakfast (included) was very scanty; old bread, jam, some cheese and a glass of water.