Italia 2017 - Albania, The Monastery at Ardenica and Daily Life

This post is actually going to cover only half of what we did today. This is what happens when you take 125 pictures in a day. Before I go into the pictorial part of the post, I want to talk a bit about impressions of Albania so far.

Economically you are clearly in a place that has it a lot harder than many. Not only that there is such a ton of baggage that comes from its history, from the centuries of it being occupied by either one power or another, by the recent history of the Communist regime of Enver Hoxha and the incredible waste of resources he imposed on the company. Looking only at the modern and vibrant capital of Tirana one can come away with a very distorted view of the country. Going out into the countryside brings a whole different light to the socio-economic condition.

You learn as you travel the world that the external friendliness that Americans assume is just good manners is completely out of place most other parts. But there is a real reserve here in the countryside...until you can do something that proves you are genuine. Then you get these most incredible smiles as if they are coming directly from the people's souls. Migen says this is because Albanians are naive. They don't know how to play social games like they do in the modern cities. So the emotions are genuine. If someone doesn't know who you are or you seem out of place, that is going to show clearly on their face. But when you show you are interested, care, have respect, the happiness is equally clear. Anyway on to pictures.

Morning in Berat

The breakfast room in our hotel was on the third floor and offered a view of the city

Walking a bit before we started driving we saw what our guide told us was the separation of the town into Muslim section

And Christian section by the Ottomans

Divided by the Gorica Bridge

Looking at the fortress wall

And other scenes around town

Then we went by a demobilized Hoxha era air base where we played spy

Taking forbidden pictures of aircraft and field

We next drove through a Albania's oil producing area. 

Looks like West Texas in the 1920's

Albania produces enough oil to serve its needs but has not refineries

So all the oil is sent to Italy and finished product is brought back - not the best situation economically

I tried to take pictures of the countryside and towns from the car as we made our way to give you a real feel for the country.

Migen's Flat

Rather nondescript Communist era building

With a really nicely done interior...much like we saw in Tallinn

Then it was on to the Orthodox Monastery at Ardenica

Founded in the 13th century it was added to in the 18th century

Happily it avoided the fate of many religious sites destroyed by Enver Hoxha

The exterior

Photography is not allowed inside

This made me very sad as it had the Orthodox style of frescoes I love

But we were the only people there and Migen got the keeper to okay our taking pictures

Happy

Work done by two famous brothers from the 18th century renovation

And older work done by those of the 13th century

My preference is on the older stuff

At this point it is a little past Noon and there is much more to come...

But in the next post

Italia 2017 - Albania 2 - Ruins And Experiences

After waking up and finding we couldn't get any hot water to our shower, our day went uphill from there. We headed out to the coastal city of Durrës. Today Durrës is the main port of Albania. It is a container port and gets ferries in from all over the Adriatic and Mediterranean. It has all the hall marks of Mediterranean coastal city.

We went out on the pier for a coffee and caught the view of the shore line

Our guide Migen

A palace of the King in the early 19th century, King Zog...NOT beloved.

Nice place for wedding pictures

But we were not there for current culture. We were there for history.

For Durrës is the Dyrrachium of Roman fame. The western most terminus of the famous Via Egnatia linking Rome to Byzantium. All the greats from Sulla, to Pompey, to Caesar, to Mark Anthony, to Trajan, and Constantine set foot here. This city was important for centuries and centuries. After the Romans and Byzantines, all the powers of the Mediterranean, the Venetians, the Normans, the Angevins all sought it as well. It was only after the Ottoman conquest that it lost its importance. As such there is a wealth of archeological finds to be seen there. But because the city has been continuously inhabited, there has never been a complete archeological exploration. Most of the finds have come as the result of someone building something and stumbling into things. We went to its Archeological Museum which covers from the Illyrian period to the end of the Roman Empire (the collection of Byzantine and Medieval items awaits improvements to other floors of the building.

Then there is the ruins of the Amphitheater 

The largest in the Balkans, it seated 15,000, about a third of the Colosseum in Rome. It was destroyed in a massive earthquake in the fourth century AD and then rebuilt.

 

Megin takes Wife through the ancient corridors

"Love, I once read about this Roman Emperor who fed his accountants to the lions because they were too diligent about pointing out his spending."

A fuller view

Rebuilt section

Original work

During the late Roman period, parts were converted to a church

View of the old city wall from the Amphitheater

Some street scenes right around the Amphitheater

Next we stopped in our guide's home town of Lushnja because he needed to get somethings.

We had our first taste of Byrek, basically phyllo dough filled with things like meat, cheese, or vegetables.

Here we had meat, spinach, and cheese

Then we went to a residential area where Migen went to pick up some things.

We were in a parking area between a number of  six/seven story apartment complexes. 

As we were just waiting, Wife and I got out of the car with our cameras. This was NOT a tourist place. We could see people staring at us from windows of the apartments. There is this moment of discomfort. Are you invading others privacy? Are you someplace you shouldn't be? 

Then comes the ice breaker, usually some young people

And the attempts to communicate begin

Then someone older like this grandmother comes by. Oh how I wish I had Albanian. She was annoyed with the boys but in a sweet way. I think because they left trash around the parking area.

Now we are in full communication mode

I think one of the things I have noticed most in Albania is the genuineness of the smiles

Migen came back and he took us to see one of his two other jobs in addition to being a guide...being a radio host.

Radio Lushnja is the largest regional radio station in the country

"Love I bet they'd love to have a couple of travel bloggers put a show on their station."

"Hmmm you really think so?"

"I suppose it could be our big break"

Some views of Lushnja from the radio station office

The color of buildings here really strikes me

It was getting late and we still had to get to the old hill fortress at Berat where we are spending the night (in the town below actually)

(And no comments about yet another Medieval hill town...this is an Albanian one)

It was massive

It covers the confluence of major valleys of communication hence its strategic importance

There are about 50 families that live up in the citadel

Here is a typical window style

The famous Emperor Constantine that took the Empire to Christianity was an Illyrian of background. There is no proof that he was from Berat but they like to take credit anyway.

The sun was setting and there were great views of the modern city of Berat below

Before we went down to our hotel, Migen asked if we wanted to try Raki, the local spirit. Sure why not. He got some from a woman (a very cool woman who was making intricate sewn goods with a peddle driven sewing machine - you will have to go to Wife's blog for those pictures and her take on our conversation with the woman).

According to Migen you can tell the quality of the Raki by whether it will burn on your finger tip.

This was evidently good

Gëzuar!