Hello Albania!

I have traveled on worse roads in Italy, have crossed paths with more impolite people in Andorra, and have tasted worse food in Germany than I have so far in Albania. But I haven’t yet experienced a landscape as beautiful.

After a long and entertaining mini-bus journey from Fier, whereby I counted 18 people at one point in a ten-seater vehicle, had a 17 year old girl sitting on my knee with bags piled high, and a grandmother who must have been close to 80 kissing and hugging everyone on the bus, including me, I arrived in Gjirokaster. “Bari,” the bus driver threw everyone out in the center of town in order to take me to my hotel on the hill, Hotel Kalemi. Presumably, he did return to continue with the journey to Saranda, but since neither of us had a common language, I can only guess.

It was nearly 1400 by the time I got to the hotel. Having only had a banana for breakfast, I wandered into the old part of town for lunch. I have no idea as to the name of the restaurant I ate at, or the type of fish that was cooked for me, but I do know it’s the best meal I’ve had since leaving England. Afterwards, I strolled up to the castle which overlooks the town and the green mountains and valley beyond, and then headed into the new part of town to look for internet access, which I found near the football stadium.

At this point I have no idea what I’ll do for the next couple of days but will sleep on it tonight and see what I come up with. I think I may leave Gjirokaster tomorrow and head over to the coast, to Saranda.

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