Balkans                                          2016

Balkans 2016 Albania Kosovo Macedonia

Balkans - Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia - 2016

 
Although the weather today was mostly overcast, with just a few sunny bursts, the rain (mostly) stayed away and we managed to have an enjoyable — indeed, fairly leisurely — drive from Dhërmi to Berat. The distance was just 140 kilometres, but the driving time was about three hours. With stops, because there was quite a bit to see on the way, the time was considerably longer; about five hours. We left our idiosyncratic hotel in Dhërmi a little before 9:00am, and headed north along the coastal road towards Vlorë. Almost immediately, we found ourselves climbing, and climbing, and climbing a steep but well constructed road that zig-zagged up the mountain range that extended right to the coastline. We continued climbing to an elevation of over a thousand metres at Llogoraja Pass, by which time we were up in the clouds and driving through fog. The pass was marked by a restaurant named ‘Panorama’. In today’s weather, however, the panoramic view was, shall we say, limited. As we descended from Llogoraja Pass, the fog cleared but the overcast conditions remained. With strong winds blowing, it seemed that a frontal system was moving through the area. We drove through some hilly farming country before rejoining the sea again at Orikum, just south of the port city of Vlorë. We stopped in Vlorë for a while to walk around because it has an important place in Albanian history. It was in Vlorë that Albanian independence (from the Ottoman Turks) was proclaimed in 1912 and the nation of Albania was born. The red Albanian flag with the double-headed eagle was raised for the first time when independence was declared. A verdant park now marks the place where this happened, appropriately named Flag Square. In addition to a flagpole flying the Albanian flag, which is to one side of Flag Square, the square is dominated by a large bronze statue in the socialist realist style showing key figures in Albania’s struggle for independence. On our way out of Vlorë we stopped at one of the best communist-era mosaics I have seen in Albania. As communism was overthrown in Albania 25 years ago (in 1991), and the country has moved to become a parliamentary democracy with a market economy, and has even joined NATO, there are not many of these wonderful artistic mosaics left in the country. Most of those that do remain are in a sorry state of repair, with pieces missing, dirt and mould dulling the colours, and often with graffiti strayed across them. The one on the northern edge of Vlorë has certainly deteriorated with the passage of time, but it gives some idea of this national form of art that decorated the countryside for several decades. The art form lives on in North Korea, but in Albania, it is now just a relic of the past; a signpost into a historical past that I suspect will never return. We continued driving northwards to Fierë, where we turned east towards Berat. This took us through rich farmland with corn and wheat crops, and extensive glasshouses in which tomatoes were being cultivated. This area was employing more machinery that we had seen elsewhere in Albania, where labour intensive production had been more common. We arrived in Berat at about 2:30pm, and found our hotel, the White City Hotel near the town centre, with little difficulty. As the clouds were gathering above, we decided to start exploring Berat on foot even before bringing our luggage into our hotel room. It proved to be a wise decision as we made the most of the brief bursts of sunshine that punctuated the otherwise grey weather. Berat is one of the oldest cities in Albania, and one of the most picturesque. Its classic view of white houses climbing up the steep hillside towards the citadel above is almost an Albanian stereotype. The area has apparently been populated since the Bronze Age over 4,000 years ago, and the town grew over the centuries because of its important strategic location at the crossroads of several significant trading routes. The area was a hotbed of partisan activity during World war II, and it became the first seat of power of the Interim Government under Enver Hoxha when it (and he) came to power in October 1944. We began our explorations in the area of the old town, which comprises the white houses that climb the hills on each side of the Osumi River. During the Communist era, the zone was designated as a museum area, which saved it from high rise redevelopment. Since the fall of Communism, this area has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, which probably explains the excellent state of repair of the buildings, most of which are used by ordinary families as residences. After exploring the area at river level, we began a climb up through the narrow laneways towards the citadel. Unlike some of the other castles we have visited in Albania, this one still has residents, and several hundred people reside in dwellings inside the castle walls. In addition to the houses, there are eight churches, impressive for a fairly small area, but fewer than the 42 churches that once existed there. Impressive though the castle is, the most impressive aspect of the visit was the views it provided over Berat. I had felt the impact of the long climb along the steep, cobbled stone pathway, but it was only when I looked down on the town below that I realised just how high I had climbed. When we were at the top of the citadel, we met a delightful Albanian family from Tirana who were visiting Berat for the day. Although the older members of the family spoke no English, the younger ones all wanted to try their English on us They asked us where we were from, whether we liked Albania, what we liked most, and so on. When they asked whether I had learned any Albanian language, I truthfully answered “Just one word, shitet”. Shitet means ‘for sale’, and it can be seen everyone in Albania, on houses, on cars, on land, and so on. They all burst out laughing at that, because their English was so good, they understood why a speaker of English might be amused, or taken aback, at that common Albanian word. Soon after coming down into Berat again from the Citadel, it was time for dinner. We made a great choice for eating, choosing the Antigoni Restaurant that looks across the river towards the old town’s white houses rising up the slope. Because we eat early by Albanian standards, we were given the best seat on the open air balcony that provided a great view of the old town. Enjoying a great meal in the late afternoon summer breeze was a perfect end to the day; even the brief light showers of rain could not dampen our moods. Our final Berat experience came at about 9:30am. As most local men (and just one woman that we saw) were watching the Germany vs Ukraine soccer match on large screens erected in every restaurant, café and bar in town, we took a final walk along the banks of the Osumi and across the footbridge to the southern side to admire the floodlighting on the buildings of the old town. It looked wonderful, although what the residents thought of having floodlights shining into their windows I can only begin to imagine.Balkans_Travel_Diary_2016_14_files/IMG_8375.jpgBalkans_Travel_Diary_2016_14_files/IMG_7848.jpg

Day 14 - Dhërmi to Berat, Albania

Sunday 12 June 2016