My little trip through Albania (1)

I host few posts written by my girlfriend, who visited me here in Tirana in the last 2 weeks.

It’s almost impossible go to Albania without prejudice, maybe an unfair statement, but for sure a true one. Regarding this, I was by no mean an exception.
Still, after spending here two weeks, mostly in Tirana, but also visiting places like Gjirokastra, Fier, Saranda, Butrint, Himara, Dhermi and Vlora most of my ideas about Albania changed.
The next few posts will be about these changes and to the little trip I did with Marco from 23rd till 25th of February - to all the beautiful and some not so beautiful things that we have seen and experienced.

Part 1
Travelling through Albania is for sure an unique experience.
If one accepts the fact that any comparison with other European countries really makes no sense and that it’s quite obvious to everybody that Albania is way undeveloped in terms of western Europe, having an interesting and fun travel is a piece of cake.
Therefore, bad roads, non-existing or illogical signalisation, lack of museum schedule and unbelievable ways of disposing garbage shouldn’t be seen as too annoying, but as an unique characteristics of Albania’s present state and it’s history.
Still visiting it in this state makes an interesting experience of a country that can easily charm you and will for sure make you laugh numerous times.
We started our trip from Tirana on Friday morning heading to Gjirokastra passing through Durres and Fier. The nice weather that was following us made our trip the more enjoyable. The natural scenery was wonderful, although sometimes spoiled by garbage disposed in strange and unbelievable ways.





We arrived to Gjirokastra late in the afternoon. Unfortunately the first scene that welcomed us were piles of garbage on the both sides of the road coming from Fier. Something that should be changed as fast as possible as a city as beautiful and fascinating as Gjirokastra doesn’t deserve such an entrance.
Gjirokastra is a home town of two important figures from Albanian history, Ismail Kadare, the writer and Enver Hoxa the communist leader. It’s famous for its ottoman architecture, the fascinating 19th century houses. These traditional houses can be found throughout the whole old town and together with steep streets they give the city an unbelievable and romantic atmosphere.
Best described by the words of Ismail Kadare:

Everything in this city was old and made of stone, from the streets and fountains right up to the roofs of its big houses, a century old, which were covered with stone tiles the colour of ash, like so many huge carapaces.
It was difficult to believe that under these hard shells the soft flesh of life thrived and was renewed.
It really was a very surprising city. You could be going along the street and if you wanted, you could stretch out your arm a bit and put your hat on a top of minaret.
Many things were unbelievable and a lot was dream-like.
It was difficult to be a child in this city.

Ismail Kadare, Kronike ne gur ("Chronicles in Stone"), Onufri, 2000.





Except the famous houses another interesting thing to see was the castle above the city with a wonderful view on Lunxheria mountains. On the castle terrace is a small plane for which the communist regime claimed was an American spy plane, forced down in 1957.





We were staying in one traditional house that was carefully turned into a beautiful small hotel and furnished in traditional style. The view from our window was absolutely wonderful.