Albania, part 1

Why Albania?

Way back in the 80s I was sitting on a beach in Corfu gazing at the beach on the other side of the sea.  I could see people sunbathing there.  Albania.  Communist country.  They weren't allowed out and we weren't allowed in.   Bad people according to the Greeks.

Since then Albania has come a long way.  When I discovered recently that you can get a ferry from Corfu, I couldn't resist. So this is an account of our amazing 12 day road trip around the south and east of Albania, July 2017.

Albania is a developing country which will appeal to those with a sense of adventure and probably not to those used to five star hotels and package holidays.  Its outstanding natural beauty together with the friendliness of its people and delicious food more than compensate for the litter, half build apartment blocks, peculiar bathrooms and crazy driving.  

Planning 

The only guidebook that seemed useful was the Bradt but it quickly became clear that a guide published in 2014 is already way out of date, the same goes for road maps. We bought the Freytag & Berndt map which includes the Macedonia side of Lake Ohrid. I scoured internet for info and found a couple of newspaper articles, a couple of tourist info websites but the best source of info is the travel blogs written by backpackers.  

https://www.heartmybackpack.com/blog/travel-albania-beach/
https://www.goatsontheroad.com/10-day-road-trip-in-albania/

   

https://www.amazon.co.uk

Corfu - Saranda ferry

Being a popular resort, there are cheap flights to Corfu from many destinations although we had to fly via Milan Bergamo from Spain.  

There is an hourly direct blue bus from Corfu airport to the port, passing through the town centre for 1.70€.   Takes about  half an hour.  Beware that the bus times on the bus stops seem to be incorrect.  Remember Albania is not part of the European Union so you should be at the ferry station at least half an hour before your ferry departure time in order to go through passport control and security.  We arrived at Corfu Port at 1pm for the 2pm boat but there is only one checkpoint so we had to wait while the tourists disembarking from the ferry passed through security before the boarding passengers could go through. 

Although my online research lead me to believe there are three ferries per day, it's not the case.  There are several companies operating crossings between Corfu and Saranda in high season (Ionian, Finikas and Sarris Cruises).   On most days, but not Saturday, the last ferry from Saranda to Corfu is at 7.30pm not at 6pm as indicated online.  Tickets cost around 23€ one way and can be bought online or in the port. The boats are busy but I doubt you would find you couldn't get a seat if you waited to buy your ticket at the port at the last minute.  The hydrofoil takes 40 minutes and the slow boat takes about 90 minutes.

Tip: Make sure you allow a lot of time for all your travelling as things invariably take a lot longer than you imagine or that Google Maps might lead you to believe.

If you are leaving from Saranda you might not easily recognise the port building . It is a big orange and brown modern building on Mit Hat Hoxha street but bizarrely does not have any identification sign on the outside. You will pass through Albanian security quickly. The slow boats leave from exactly in front of the port building and the hydrofoil a bit further along to the right.

Tickets to Corfu can be bought in the port building for some companies and from an office 5 mins walk for the other company.

Saranda Port building is anonymous

Currency

Everywhere we went in Albania we could choose to pay in euros or lekes, most menus list both prices. The same goes for Macedonia where the currency is Denars, although they are not interested in Lekes. This includes paying for accommodation reserved online in euros on booking.com and Airbnb.com. Of course there will always be restaurants that are only in the local language and that can be a problem in Macedonia with its cyrillic script. In Ksamil the Tirana Bank ATM was out of order and the bank teller oddly said she couldn't give us any cash so we used an exchange bureau which gave a good rate of 1.30 L for changing cash into lekes with no commission and an ATM in a petrol station which gave a poor rate of 1.26L for drawing from a direct debit card plus 700L commission. Try to calculate how much cash you are going to need and withdraw a large amount in order to avoid commissions.

Accommodation

We booked all our accommodation online in advance through booking.com and Airbnb.com Prices ranged from 20€ - 45€ a night for a triple room.  Details included later.

The cheaper rooms were very basic but clean and fairly comfortable.  One issue which folk new to the area might find irritating is the showers which are very often without a shower curtain so you spray the whole bathroom with water.  There is always a mop provided to clean up after but it is a pain. You probably won't have microwave, hairdryer, kettle etc.  but you will have enough to make a cuppa and a pan of spaghetti.  In our experience hosts will try to supply anything you find lacking.

Our Itinerary

Day

1     Corfu Town, Greece

2-3  Ksamil, Albania

4     Gjirocaster

5 -6 Korça

7-9  Ohrid, Macedonia

10-11 Saranda

Corfu Town is lovely, crumbly, relaxing place to spend a couple of days.  I had been there a couple of times before many years ago and on arrival, instantly regretted not programming more time there.  Next time I will definitely stay 2 or 3 nights. Accommodation Is pricey compared with the rest of the island. We paid 52€ for a rather tatty attic apartment in a decrepid old building. 

Saranda

Pebble beaches

Saranda is not a quiet place, nor is it attractive.  The boom in tourism has lead to the inevitable boom in cheap construction of apartment blocks. The boulevard is lined with restaurants and loud music blasts out of the bars from about 9pm til midnight.  Mainly eastern European families pack the grey pebble beaches which means a lot of litter.  On the plus side, the water is clear and warm, the food is good and the people are friendly. Here's a tip: buy a pair of rock hoppers (those rubber-soled shoes surfers wear) as rocky beaches are the norm.  

The bus to Butrint, which stops at Ksamil, leaves from opposite the Hotel Butrint, which is at the far end of the busy boulevard.  There isn't an actual bus stop sign but you will likely see people waiting. Tickets cost 100 lekes and the ride takes about 20 mins.

 

Ksamil

Ksamil - Not the paradise we expected

A sculpture of dancing people occupies the main square and the place to get off the bus. Photos of Ksamil promise a beach paradise but the reality is something quite different. Once again a formerly stunningly beautiful landscape has suffered irreparable damage due to tourism.  Half build concrete monstrosities are everywhere, and with the exception of the main road, the streets are mostly tracks.  But the bitterest disappointment was the beaches. Hundreds of sun beds and parasols crammed together with hardly an inch of space between them impede any sight of the fine white sand we know lies beneath. The beach is divided into small sections divided by ugly concrete walls which are rented by the restaurants.  Loud music blasts out during the evening.  The sea is warm and crystal clear though and the food is great and slightly cheaper than Saranda. If you like the holiday resort atmosphere you will like it but it wasn't what we were looking for.

We stayed in Villa Odin which I can recommend.

Butrint

The archaeological site of Butrint is easily reached by bus in 15 minutes and costs 100 lekes. However, we were approached at the bus stop by a taxi driver who offered to take us for 5€ which we gratefully accepted to get out of the baking morning sun. It is commonplace for people to offer to drive you for a small fee.

Butrint is a huge site, costs 700 L, the route takes at least 2 hours not including the castles on the other side of the river and involves a strenuous walk up to the castle. It is set in a beautiful location next to the river and is interesting if you like Roman ruins. Sadly the mosaics are not on display here, some are in the museum in Saranda. If you arrive in the morning you will coincide with various the organised groups, on the plus side you can listen to the guides explaining the features. If you want a quieter experience best go at lunchtime. There are no refreshments in the complex other than the cold drinks fridge at the entrance so make sure you take plenty of water with you. There is however a restaurant and hotel within walking distance before Butrint. We arrived at 10.30 and left on the 1.30 bus. In hindsight , it would have been nice to have lunch in the restaurant and then visit the sites on the other side of the river, I was especially disappointed not to go on the river ferry.

To Gjirokaster
We picked up a hire car in Saranda (320€ for 8 days, including extended insurance via rentalcars.com) and headed east. We stopped at St Nicolas near Mesopotami but were disappointed to find it closed for restoration.
 
Next stop was the famous Blue Eye Spring. Magnificent! Cars pay 200L to enter the National Park. We noticed several visitors who had come by bus but be warned that it is a long walk in baking sun from the main road. The spring water is freezing but we all had a swim. There is a popular restaurant by the lagoon serving decent, reasonably priced meals.

Freezing water but you have got to go in

From the Blue eye, the road winds its way up the mountain and through the valley to eventually join the main road to Gjirokaster, taking about an hour and a half. You need to have your wits about you as the road is busy and the Albanian drivers are impatient and not at all perturbed by overtaking on the bends or blind hills.

Gjirokaster is much larger than I expected. The narrow streets of the old town are surprisingly congested with Mercedes. The old bazaar is in fact a couple of streets filled with souvenir shops rather than the medieval market I had in my mind. You can drive up the hill to the castle whose vast entrance is very impressive although the rest is mostly ruins. Worth a visit though for 100L. We also visited Skendulaj House, one of the traditional houses which gives you an idea of how the rich lived in the 19th Century. Gjirokaster is a pleasant town but one night was sufficient for us.

We stayed in Tina's Apartment through booking.com Comfortable, airy and cheap, opposite the mosque.

To Korça

Here is where we really underestimated the difficulty and length of the journey, despite having already read that it would take 5 hours to drive 180kms. But yes the scenery through the valley is outstanding.

The problems begin when you start to climb the mountains. We stopped at Permeti for lunch and hoping to see the frescos at the church in Leusa. We had a great lunch in a restaurant called Biofood something-or-other on one of the side streets but unfortunately were advised against trying to drive to the church. It was a scorching day so we decided to head on to Korça. Little did we know the task ahead. From here onwards the road is hideous all the way to Korça. We regret not staying a night in Permeti, partly because a swim in the river looked very appealing, we wanted to find out more about the town and partly to break up the journey, We had left Gjirokaster at 12.00 and arrived at Korça at 8.30pm exhausted.

Old Bazaar

But we fell in love with Korça. It is not a particularly attractive town but exudes a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. The huge modern cathedral dominates the centre of town and is one of the liveliest areas in the evenings. What is known as the Old Bazaar was another disappointment. The Ottoman Bazaar, found west of the bus station, was formerly a square lined by little shops displaying traditional wares on the street. Due to a windfall of EU funding, the whole area has been revamped, the shops turned into trendy cafes and a small shopping mall added for extra sophistication. Out with the old, in with the new. Such as shame.

Medieval art museum

We managed to visit the Museum of Medieval Art despite some confusion as it has recently relocated to a modern building next to the Bratko Museum on the main street (Shetitorja Fan Noli). It is a must if you are interested in medieval art, open from 10am till 7pm, it appears to be closed but go up and ring the bell as they keep the doors closed to protect the exhibits from the heat, and costs 700L. The Bratko on the otherhand seemed to be closed all day so we spent a splendid few hours on a terrace opposite chatting with the locals who were wont to invite us to too many rounds of raki to keep us talking. Opposite the bus station you will find a market selling local produce as well as a heap of tat stalls. The area behind the cathedral is one of the oldest parts of town and looks intriguing but we will have to see it next time. We also drove 5 minutes or so to Mborja village so see the frescoes at St Mary's church

which is locked but we asked at the village shop they got the key holder for us. We had a nice lunch in the restaurant opposite the village school.

We were sad to leave Korça, and feel sure we will return one day.  

We stayed two nights in the Blue Eye Hotel a couple of kms north on the road to Tirana, (it is apparently closed though), but they have a great swimming pool open to the public.

So, that was stage one.  From here we headed to Lake Ohrid, Macedonia,  which will be the next blog.

From Ohrid to Berat

After 3 days in Macedonia we set off for Berat (150kms) and what was to be the worst road conditions we experienced during the entire trip.  From Ohrid we headed for Struga and the border.  The checkpoint was very busy with lorries and took about half an hour to get through.  From there we continued to Elbasan on a narrow winding road, trundling behind cars and lorries travelling at a snail's pace and very few overtaking opportunites (at least for a sane person!).  Just before Elbasan we stopped at a petrol station to ask about the best route to Berat.  We were informed that via Fier is 100kms but a better road and by Kocove is 58kms and pretty but not such as good road.   We made the huge mistake of taking the shorter route, as recommended by Google Maps.  Much of the road was being dug up and bedrock being laid in preparation for asphalting. The parts that were not in roadworks were gravel tracks.  The journey took 6 hours in total and we arrived exhausted.  Hopefully the new road surfacing will be completed soon. 

Citadel

Berat is a lovely town.  Again bigger than I expected although we didn't venture into the new part.   The citadel is beautiful, built out of white stone, with a labyrinth of narrow streets, marvellous views, a lovely icon museum and some nice restaurants.  The boulevard is lined with restaurants and runs along the river, which incidentally we couldn't swim in as there was hardly any water. It is another town with a wonderful relaxed atmosphere which makes you want to stay.  We were only there one night so we didn't get time to visit the mosques or the other museums.  Another place to return to.

We stayed in the Hotel Osumi which was great.

To Saranda

Google Maps told us two and a half hours from Berat to Saranda, and it was, but with the foot to the floor whenever conditions allowed, which was almost never, but at least the road is mainly tarmacked. We headed north-west on the Tirana road which is  good as far as Fier (almost dual carriageway but flyovers don't exist so every couple of miles you have to break for a crossroads).  You have to drive through Fier which is very slow, although they appeared to be building a ring-road around the town.

We ended our trip with a couple of nights in Saranda, but I wished it had been in Berat, Korça or Corfu town. 

We stayed at Apartment Kladji which was way up a hill but quiet and spacious.

Conclusion

All in all the trip was an amazing experience. The Albanian people are wonderful and will go out of their way to help you. The country is chaotic in many ways but there is an air of optimism that makes you feel good. Being able to get a room for 20€, a beer for 75 cents and a seafood spaghetti for 3€ is an added bonus.  



We have been asked lots of times if Albania is dangerous.  I can say that I never once felt uneasy.  Of course we were in small places.  My advice is to take the usual precautions you would take in any unfamiliar place in your own country; keep an eye on your bag, don't leave valuables on display in the car, don't put yourself in danger by being daft.  
 
Further tips:

Vegetarians don't need to be afraid, there are always good vegetable dishes on offer.

Driving is not for the faint-hearted. If you are going to hire a car, make sure you get full insurance.

Don't despair at the showers.

Take a torch. (I bought a brilliant one from a street seller in Corfu for 3€.)

Learn a few words, especially "faleminderit" which means thank you, and see how their faces light up when you say it. Take time to chat to the locals. 

Take out holiday insurance to cover your health care emergencies. (We used AXA)

A note about car hire. Take out extended insurance. Most insurance that comes with your hire car does not include driving on non-asphalted roads or damage to tyres. Also remember that many companies do not allow their cars to be taken out of Albania. Some will ask you to pay an extra fee ranging from 20€-80€ and you also have to buy a Green Card at the border which adds another 40€ to your costs.

We love Albania and hope to go back soon to explore more and revisit some of our favourite places.

River Viosa

Viosa Valley

For our return visit in 2018 to the Riviera and Tirana, go to:

http://albaniawow.blogspot.com/2018/08/2018-albania-revisted-coast.html

Las Medulas - Roman gold mines in Leon

Northern Spain is filled with marvellous sights: medieval villages, castles and churches, mountains and gorges; the list is never-ending.

One of the most unusual is Las Medulas, on the border of Galicia and Leon. These bright orange, pointed peaks are the remains of mountains which were hydraulically blown apart by the Romans in search of gold in the 100-300AD.  Being the biggest mines in the entire Roman Empire, they became a Uniesco World Heritage site in 1997.

View of Las Medulas from the Mirador (viewpoint) in Orellan

The peaks you see are what is left of one massive mountain. The Romans conscripted thousands of locals to dig tunnels into the mountain by hand, which were then filled with water channelled from the surrounding mountains.  The water pressure then blasted the side of the mountain off.  The rocks were washed to filter the gold.  It is estimated that 1,650,000 kg of gold was collected.

There's not much to the village of Las Medulas - a handful of restaurants, and a few little shops selling local produce.   We parked next to the Museum but didn't go in as we had the guided tour booked (3€).   If you speak Spanish, I highly recommend doing the guided tour before you go to the mirador, without which you can't fully understand what you are seeing. Otherwise go to the museum, or read up about the system the Romans used.
There are tours at 11.30, 12.00 and 17.00.  Book by phone as they require a minimum of 6 for a tour. 

It is an easy 2km walk around the base which lasts 2 hours as the excellent guide stops to explain in detail lots of info about the mines, the ancient people, the plants and wonderful chestnut trees.  Most of the walk is in the shade, so although it was 30 degrees, it was comfortable.  Trainers are perfectly suitable for the path.  (I wore hiking sandals.)  There are an awful lot of flies however, so a hat was handy if only the bat the buggars away!  

Maps showing the hiking routes are available from the visitors centre.  If you don't fancy the guided walk, they routes are well signposted. From the guided walk, the strong-legged can climb up to the viewpoint in Orellan, but it is a very steep, 900m, rocky climb.

We drove to Orellan (5kms) to visit the Galeria, which is where you can go inside the tunnels and view the mountains from the mouth.  It is dark  and atmospheric inside. The ground is uneven and rocky; a helmet is provided to protect your head from possible bangs on the ceiling, which is very low at some points and you have to crouch in places to get past. 
Opens 11 - 1.45 and 4 - 7.45pm.  Cost 4€. 

The Mirador viewpoint is right next to the Galeria and is free.  You have to park in the car park and it is a fairly steep 200m walk up to the Mirador.

Left:  The view from the gallery shows the lines of horizontal tunnels which were hand cut by locals conscripted into work by the Romans.



Orellan village is a lovely sleepy hamlet consisting of a handful of little houses.  We stayed in Hotel Lagar de las Medulas.  Note that after 830pm there is nowhere to eat or have a drink in Orellan.  

In Las Medulas, although there are a handful of restaurants, they don't stay open late. We were there at 10pm and everything was closed except for one great little bar in a wooden hut. 

Lagar de las Medulas, Orellan

From Las Medulas we headed to la Herreria de Compludo, south east of Ponferrada, which we had seen advertised in the information centre.   It was fabulous.  Hierro is Spanish for iron.  This is a 19th century forge, powered using water channelled from the river. The guide who runs it is the great grandson of the original owner.  He explains the history of the forge, shows you how it works, including melting iron and how the huge hammer is powered by the water wheel.  The explanation is in Spanish but it is fascinating to watch.  The visit costs 4€ and lasts about 45 mins.  Open 11:00 - 14:00, 16:00 - 20:00 but you must be there about 45 mins before closing as it is about 10 mins walk from the carpark and the last visit is half and hour before closing.  Note that the door is locked while visits are in progress.

Compludo village is a lovely medieval village with a bar and a restaurant.

Compludo

In conclusion,  the area of El Bierzo and the border of Galicia is one of outstanding natural beauty, delicious wines, rife with history and relatively untouched by tourism.  We had a marvellous weekend!

Mindboggled in Manhattan

 

It's odd that you can feel so confused when you step out of passport control in JFK, but it is big and we did.  The first necessity was cash.  There are cash machines dotted around, some weren't working, and there were queues at the others of equally confused tourists.  Hoever, we soon had dollars in our pockets and off we set to begin our adventure.

We had been given detailed instructions by our Airbnb host on how to get to Astoria by public transport; 2 trains and a bus, and although we had to ask for help several times, we arrived without any problems.  We were travelling with only carefully-packed hand-luggage precisely to avoid hassle on public transport.

Sightseeing

Big Apple Greeters  http://bigapplegreeter.org/   are volunteers who show people their neighbourhood,  a smashing idea, but in our case it just didn't happen. I emailed my request in spring, asking for a walk in Harlem, but never received an offer, which was disappointing but understandable.

Day 1
We took the train direct to Central Park, the ride in itself was fascinating, whizzing through neighbourhoods high up on rails before descending into the subterranean lines.  We emerged at Lexington and were immediately struck dumb by the enormity of the Manhattan skyscrapers.  We wandered the streets heading in the general direction of 5th Avenue, the Rockafella Centre and St. Patrick's cathedral. 

The Rockafella is a confusing collection of  buildings around a buzzing plaza with several entrances.  A map would have been a good idea.  I love Art Deco and there are many delights to enjoy.  The murals in the foyer are worth a look. We couldn't fathom the shops, so spent some time investigating the food market in the plaza.
I recommend studying the website and downloading the plans before you go.
https://www.rockefellercenter.com

From Rockafella, we strolled down to 42nd St to the Grand Central Station and the gorgeous Chrysler Building, before doubling back for a well-earned rest in Bryant Park. However, to our amazement, you can't sit on the grass, but there are chairs provided all around the green.  The Library is right next to the park, and is well worth a quick visit.

We then walked back up to the enormous Central Park to see what goes on there and had a beer in the Tavern. 

By now, having been walking for around 8 hours, we were exhausted, starting to suffer from jetlag, and it was starting to get dark, so we headed back home.    Our first day in Manhattan was a real eye-opener.


Day 2
All our carefully-laid plans went out the window.  We were dying to see the Statue of Liberty so headed straight there, which is miles from Astoria.  It took an hour or more to get there by subway.  It is a great boat trip though.  The river is full of life, the views are spectacular in both directions, boat trips are always

fun, and this one is free. We didn't hang around in Statin Island except to get a pizza slice, again because we couldn't contain our desire to see another of the most famous landmarks: Ground Zero.








We walked up from the South ferry station, through the business district and on the way saw Wall St., Federal Hall,  to Tiffany's, where we were invited in by the doorman despite our rather scruffy appearance.  The shop is wonderful.  Then on to Trinity Church and a short rest in the beautiful art deco lobby (see photo) of a centre whose name escapes me.

One thing we learned:  although the transport weekly pass seems pricey, it is worth it.  In the blazing heat of summer, you soon get tired of walking the streets, no matter how interesting they are.   By the time we got to Cortlandt Street, we were shattered.

Then we turned a corner and were presented with the new WTC Subway;  we were blown away by the Calatrava building.  It is stunning. Like a huge white dove. And when we could finally pull ourselves away from that, we were then mesmerised by the One World Tower, which disappears up into heaven.  We hadn't planned on going up knowing it costs 30$ each, but we succumbed.  And boy what an experience!  We went in around 530pm which meant we were able to see the views of Manhattan both in daylight and in all its illuminated beauty by night as it was dark by 730pm.  The lift is mindboggling for a start, showing a video of the history of NY while you whizz up 100 floors in a matter of seconds.  You emerge in a circular room with a cafe and gift shop in the centre, packed with tourists of course, vying for the best spot. The  9/11 museum was closed when we came out, but we wandered around Ground Zero, and yes you can feel sadness all around.   By 10pm, we were practically asleep on our feet and headed for the subway and the long ride back to Astoria.

Day 3
Baking hot day.   We headed to Times Square.  The noise. The lights. The heat. The chaos.  We couldn't take it.  We took the nearest quiet back street and slipped away.  Fortunately, we came across a great little grocery shop-cum-cafe that sold good pizza slices for less than $2.

Next stop was MOMA.  We arrived an hour before the start of the free session. There was already a bit of a queue but once the doors opened, it disappeared quickly as folk practically ran inside.  Be warned that you have to check in bags so there is another queue at the cloakroom.  The museum is huge.  There's a lot to see and a lot of people seeing it.  If you are really an art lover, I recommend paying to go at a quieter time.  If I ever go back to NY, I will. 

From here we walked back to Central Park, passing the cute Love sculpture on the way.   Exhausted by the heat, we decided to head back to Astoria where we had read there was a public open-air  swimming pool.  Well, we arrived to find a huge queue, in which we waited for almost an hour in th scorching midday sun.  The pool is huge,  the facilities old and extremely basic.  It was absolutely packed with families of all descriptions. The water was like soup, but even still, it was good to get in it. Suddenly, after half an hour of swimming, an announcement came over the tannoy ordering everyone out. Due to the heatwave, there were another couple of hundred people queueing to get in, and so the decision was made to allow them a chance to refresh themselves also.  It was frustrating to say the least, but understandable.

So we headed home for a bite to eat, then went for a stroll around the neighbourhood.  We came across Welling Court, adorned with great street art, then walked along the Queens side of the river towards Socrates Park (which was closed), and were captivated by the sun setting over the Manhattan skyline.

View of Manhattan from Astoria

And so ended another fascinating, exhausting day in the Big Apple.

Looking back,  although strolling around the cities streets means you get to see nooks and crannies you would otherwise miss, I believe it was a big mistake not to invest in the weekly transport pass.  It seems expensive, but I can tell you from experience that you will need to make many, many subway journeys.

Tune in next time for further adventures in New York state.