Just found your channel, saw your interview with the vagabond guy. I am in hot A Texas. I like your video, the way you show us what you see. I had Albania on my list of places to visit. Thanks for showing me around Albania
Great Video! I loved Pogradec, I spent like an hour watching a pair of Turtles at the old stadium and another lovely memory was spending like an hour chatting with a man and his father selling live fish. Walking the hills there will burn those legs out quickly too.. I loved the pizza on that place on the lake. It was simple with a very natural foods flavor and the crust melted in my mouth in a novel way that I really liked. The only down side there for me was it is very very small.
Hey Patrick! Liked your video. Looks like you have an affinity for the beach. I don't blame you. Even though it is just a lake, if I'm not mistaken, it's beautiful! Pogradec is a really cute little town. Before starting my full time travel, I lived in a small town with less than 9,000 people in it. Though Pogradec is about 20,000, it's right up my alley. Keep them coming!
Hi paul ! just to sit at a cafe or bar and watch the sun set on the beach is so relaxing. And in our 60s now, we dont need the big cities. Maybe to visit big cities. But i will take a small one to call home.
Pogradec is located near the most ancient and deep lake of the european continent. It has an elevation of 750 meters above sea level. It has a microclimate wich distinguish it from the rest of Albanian cities and towns due to the lake influence. Is far cooler during the summer than western Albania and Tirana especially at night and during the cold months it is colder with frequent frost and snow. It is famous for a fish called "koran" in albanian language, a deep water trout family rare fish wich if found only in few places of the planet!!
Thank you sir ! The koran i HEARD only found here and in Russia. I dont know if thats true, but i was told that. I do know one thing. It is delicious! And im not a big fish eating guy. Some restaurants had fish tanks with live ones in them. You pick your fish to eat. Talk about fresh ! Love that city !
@@patrickoverseas I know that this fish is found in only two places, lake Ohrid and somewhere in Asia, but not sure where. Anyway i came across accidentally to your videos and liked them. You have chosen a nice and unique town of Albania to spend some times. Congratulations!!
@@IndritBonati thank you ! means a lot to me. And thank you for your info. Im back in Tirana now. But will return there soon I hope. Again thank you sir.
Do any of the ATM machines in Pogradec have an option for contactless withdrawals? Several Raiffessen Banks in Tirana have ATM machines which allows you to use iPhone contactless wallet to withdraw cash. This has been a game changer and to be able to use Apple Pay at many establishments now including grocery stores in Tirana, even taxi rides as well as airport bus. I hope this is the same for Pogradec 🙏
@@patrickoverseasthank you for your response! May I suggest this topic for one of your vlogs? Every time I travel I ask if contactless payment is accepted following a horrific burglary theft in Tirana. It also saves having to carry multiple bank cards and lots of cash in your wallet. I would be interested to learn and travel to cities in Albania & Europe that are clean or cleaner, better roads & better safer driving practices 🙏🇺🇸
@@frm_my_view-ih8fy Ive spoken about it in a few videos. Also please travel to Shkoder.. A bus ride from Tirana costed us 7 bucks a piece. About a 2 and a half hour ride. Its clean and beautiful. The bus dropped us off very close to the pedestrian street. I did a couple videos on it. Its one of my favorite cities.
Im a old man filming on a beach with young beautiful women walking around in bikini's. As im talking to my camera...yep...looking like uncle Pervie..lol....might get my butt kicked... So i went first thing in the morning.
Thx for the vids Paddy and info on retirement options. If I can ask: how do you occupy your days? Random or planned or anything you can advise? I'm a little scared of what to do the reality of having all the time in the world. Thx.
Thats a great question ! It took time to adjust from the go go of U.S.A. For one thing starting this channel for something to do. I had to learn to let go. I was in the mind set of i have to do this monday, this Tuesday...and so on. Was hard after 60 years of chasing the American dream. I take many walks now, people watch. Had to learn how to exhale. Takes time. Month of July was 1 year since i punched a time clock. Im still fidgety. But i remind myself, IM FREE NOW !
Hi ! food i love. organic. good for you. Farm to table. Living is good. Lady down my street managing a hostel. free room for her. I have a friend paying $2000 a month in rent...i pay $390 euros...all on same street. All equally safe. Up to you what you spend.
As for Money exchanges big tourist cities will always have a lot of them available. You will notice in many countries. These smaller Seasonal cities don't need to have them every 2-3 minutes walking as their demand is maybe 2 months a year. Have to plan ahead for some of these places so you can hit the ground running and not searching around for money. Tirana can spoil you a bit with making life a bit easier for Tourists and expats all year round.
Hi Patrick, I just saw a posting from someone who visited Albania. They said "Cash is King" and most places don't take cards. Said to bring plenty of cash and not use ATM at the airport. Thoughts? After watching your videos and the one with Vagabond Awake I am very interested in coming to Albania.
Cash is king , but im seeing a lot of restaurants using cards and even tap pay now. Also in the Toptoni mall the stores are taking cards and tap pay from like google wallet for example. Yes atm fees at airport up a bit. I brought a few thousand in euros with me. you can always exchange them here. I just felt better with euros on me. Most will except them here. May i suggest open a schwab, or fidelity account. Or both to get atm refund at end of the month. I have schwab and it has worked perfect for me. Some peeps are charged a little high for using other banks. I wish you safe travels and thank you for watching !
You need a lawyer . You can contact a visa lawyer from the states. Look up a couple and ask them. There are so many peeps putting out bad info. Get it from the horses mouth. You can do it. Write them
Looking into a property there. We all have different likes about places. If i can make a deal i will. Really fell in love with the city and surrounding towns. So i hope so
rent year lease is best and start in off season. $ 400-$600 to get nice i or 2 bedroom..street or to off the lake can make a big difference in price. Its a very walkable city. I will use my scooter. Many use bicycles. There are buses and taxi too. We just walked.
Lou, you need to update your youtube profile to add your E-mail address so inquiring minds like myself can ask you questions. I have Italian heritage but Italy makes it ungodly difficult to relocate there with all the restrictions and requirements they have. Still, Albania looks extremely promising and it's right across the Adriatic to Italy so I can visit my friends and family! Plus the requirements for Albania are nothing compared to Italy. With all the Pizzeria I would feel right at home!~ thank you for sharing and keep it up!!
Many Italians are here visiting. Im also 50% Italian, 50% Irish. Was nervous about putting out a email. So made a email just for channel. Even with false name..lol...getting better but never know peeps if you know what i mean.
@@anthonynork8868 More and more italians are coming to live in Albania. 25.000 of them only in Tirana and Durres due to proximity, similarities, knowlege of italian language and prices. I myself am an albanian with a distant italian heritage from my father's side. You can get easily to Italy from Albania, be it by plane or ferries!!
Beautiful city. I look forward to seeing more. Wonder what it will look like in the winter. Thanks
Im honestly looking forward to some snow. I like the 4 seasons .
Just found your channel, saw your interview with the vagabond guy. I am in hot A Texas. I like your video, the way you show us what you see. I had Albania on my list of places to visit. Thanks for showing me around Albania
Thank you and welcome ! Been a hot summer. Hope you are well. I loved Pogradec. Gonna try to move there i hope.
Be sure and let me know when y’all intend to purchase your home. Love the videos. Take care buddy❤
We got it buddy ! Took some time going thru the paper work.
Great Video!
I loved Pogradec, I spent like an hour watching a pair of Turtles at the old stadium and another lovely memory was spending like an hour chatting with a man and his father selling live fish. Walking the hills there will burn those legs out quickly too..
I loved the pizza on that place on the lake. It was simple with a very natural foods flavor and the crust melted in my mouth in a novel way that I really liked.
The only down side there for me was it is very very small.
Perfect for retirees to walk. Unreal expansion taking place with new builds. Its growing
Love your channel. Keep
Posting. Albania is fascinating.
Thank you Alex
The best part of discovering is getting lost in the process. You never know what treasure the wrong turn can reveal 😁
I hope y’all enjoyed your stay!
Yes indeed tonyz !
So true!
Thank you Patrick great videos🙏 I'm retired thinking to go Albania 😀
Maybe take a vacation out here first to see if you like it. Its location is perfect to visit other European nations Aswell.
Thanks, Patrick, for giving us a view of this lovely town.
Thank you so much for watching ! Were back in Tirana now. If we get that place would still be a few months for moving there. Fingers crossed.
Enjoyed the walk. I just subscribed to your channel.
Thank you so much! I mean that, and welcome
Your si jeni was so natural when you said it bravo
Thank you ! That means a lot to me. Im trying very hard to learn.
Hey Patrick! Liked your video. Looks like you have an affinity for the beach. I don't blame you. Even though it is just a lake, if I'm not mistaken, it's beautiful! Pogradec is a really cute little town. Before starting my full time travel, I lived in a small town with less than 9,000 people in it. Though Pogradec is about 20,000, it's right up my alley. Keep them coming!
Hi paul ! just to sit at a cafe or bar and watch the sun set on the beach is so relaxing. And in our 60s now, we dont need the big cities. Maybe to visit big cities. But i will take a small one to call home.
I agree. My only concern is the quality of available health care. I know it's better in the bigger cities.
Pogradec is located near the most ancient and deep lake of the european continent. It has an elevation of 750 meters above sea level. It has a microclimate wich distinguish it from the rest of Albanian cities and towns due to the lake influence. Is far cooler during the summer than western Albania and Tirana especially at night and during the cold months it is colder with frequent frost and snow.
It is famous for a fish called "koran" in albanian language, a deep water trout family rare fish wich if found only in few places of the planet!!
Thank you sir ! The koran i HEARD only found here and in Russia. I dont know if thats true, but i was told that. I do know one thing. It is delicious! And im not a big fish eating guy. Some restaurants had fish tanks with live ones in them. You pick your fish to eat. Talk about fresh ! Love that city !
@@patrickoverseas I know that this fish is found in only two places, lake Ohrid and somewhere in Asia, but not sure where. Anyway i came across accidentally to your videos and liked them. You have chosen a nice and unique town of Albania to spend some times. Congratulations!!
@@IndritBonati thank you ! means a lot to me. And thank you for your info. Im back in Tirana now. But will return there soon I hope. Again thank you sir.
Here from Vagabond Awake, liked and subscribed.😬
Means alot to me !!! Thank you Gregg !!!!
Do any of the ATM machines in Pogradec have an option for contactless withdrawals? Several Raiffessen Banks in Tirana have ATM machines which allows you to use iPhone contactless wallet to withdraw cash. This has been a game changer and to be able to use Apple Pay at many establishments now including grocery stores in Tirana, even taxi rides as well as airport bus. I hope this is the same for Pogradec 🙏
Ive seen a few atms that have it. Havent tryed it yet. I will try tomorrow. There are contactless in most stores and restaurants
@@patrickoverseasthank you for your response! May I suggest this topic for one of your vlogs? Every time I travel I ask if contactless payment is accepted following a horrific burglary theft in Tirana. It also saves having to carry multiple bank cards and lots of cash in your wallet. I would be interested to learn and travel to cities in Albania & Europe that are clean or cleaner, better roads & better safer driving practices 🙏🇺🇸
@@frm_my_view-ih8fy Ive spoken about it in a few videos. Also please travel to Shkoder.. A bus ride from Tirana costed us 7 bucks a piece. About a 2 and a half hour ride. Its clean and beautiful. The bus dropped us off very close to the pedestrian street. I did a couple videos on it. Its one of my favorite cities.
Uncle Pervie!😂 You crack me up!
Im a old man filming on a beach with young beautiful women walking around in bikini's. As im talking to my camera...yep...looking like uncle Pervie..lol....might get my butt kicked... So i went first thing in the morning.
Patrick.
You should go and visit Drilon National Park while in Pogradec
Im back in Tirana now. I cant wait to go back. i will check out that park i promise.
@@patrickoverseas it is a great area...very much loved by internal tourists ..
Thx for the vids Paddy and info on retirement options. If I can ask: how do you occupy your days? Random or planned or anything you can advise? I'm a little scared of what to do the reality of having all the time in the world. Thx.
Thats a great question ! It took time to adjust from the go go of U.S.A. For one thing starting this channel for something to do. I had to learn to let go. I was in the mind set of i have to do this monday, this Tuesday...and so on. Was hard after 60 years of chasing the American dream. I take many walks now, people watch. Had to learn how to exhale. Takes time. Month of July was 1 year since i punched a time clock. Im still fidgety. But i remind myself, IM FREE NOW !
Friendly note on the pronunciation. The last “c” in Pgradec is pronounced as “ts” like in “tsunami”
thank you. i swear im trying. i have to be respectful
Love the videos. I never even considered Albania. How's the food? Relatively cheap living expenses?
Hi ! food i love. organic. good for you. Farm to table. Living is good. Lady down my street managing a hostel. free room for her. I have a friend paying $2000 a month in rent...i pay $390 euros...all on same street. All equally safe. Up to you what you spend.
As for Money exchanges big tourist cities will always have a lot of them available. You will notice in many countries. These smaller Seasonal cities don't need to have them every 2-3 minutes walking as their demand is maybe 2 months a year. Have to plan ahead for some of these places so you can hit the ground running and not searching around for money. Tirana can spoil you a bit with making life a bit easier for Tourists and expats all year round.
Thanks chris !
I want to move there
We hope you do! April and i really enjoy yours and jesses friendship.. Means a lot to us. Looks for sure were moving there. Fingers crossed
Hi Patrick, I just saw a posting from someone who visited Albania. They said "Cash is King" and most places don't take cards. Said to bring plenty of cash and not use ATM at the airport. Thoughts? After watching your videos and the one with Vagabond Awake I am very interested in coming to Albania.
Cash is king , but im seeing a lot of restaurants using cards and even tap pay now. Also in the Toptoni mall the stores are taking cards and tap pay from like google wallet for example. Yes atm fees at airport up a bit. I brought a few thousand in euros with me. you can always exchange them here. I just felt better with euros on me. Most will except them here. May i suggest open a schwab, or fidelity account. Or both to get atm refund at end of the month. I have schwab and it has worked perfect for me. Some peeps are charged a little high for using other banks. I wish you safe travels and thank you for watching !
@@patrickoverseas I’m working on a Schwab account.
My old bank, First Republic rebates fees as well. Crashed and now Chase has accounts. They suk.
@@patrickoverseas I was checking AirBNB and 1BR were 800+ /mo. Any better place to find?
What else do you need besides a passport? For more than 1 year.
You need a lawyer . You can contact a visa lawyer from the states. Look up a couple and ask them. There are so many peeps putting out bad info. Get it from the horses mouth. You can do it. Write them
So are you planning on moving here? 😊
Looking into a property there. We all have different likes about places. If i can make a deal i will. Really fell in love with the city and surrounding towns. So i hope so
Do you know how much a place in orogradec would cost per month, 1 or 2 bedroom. Do you rebt a car to get around.
rent year lease is best and start in off season. $ 400-$600 to get nice i or 2 bedroom..street or to off the lake can make a big difference in price. Its a very walkable city. I will use my scooter. Many use bicycles. There are buses and taxi too. We just walked.
Lou, you need to update your youtube profile to add your E-mail address so inquiring minds like myself can ask you questions. I have Italian heritage but Italy makes it ungodly difficult to relocate there with all the restrictions and requirements they have. Still, Albania looks extremely promising and it's right across the Adriatic to Italy so I can visit my friends and family! Plus the requirements for Albania are nothing compared to Italy. With all the Pizzeria I would feel right at home!~ thank you for sharing and keep it up!!
Many Italians are here visiting. Im also 50% Italian, 50% Irish. Was nervous about putting out a email. So made a email just for channel. Even with false name..lol...getting better but never know peeps if you know what i mean.
@@anthonynork8868 More and more italians are coming to live in Albania. 25.000 of them only in Tirana and Durres due to proximity, similarities, knowlege of italian language and prices. I myself am an albanian with a distant italian heritage from my father's side. You can get easily to Italy from Albania, be it by plane or ferries!!
These "Euro-Shops" are basically Chinese made No-value-Items-Stores. Basic idea of these shops was to sell items that cost 1 Euro.
true that