Albania: Photos

Position: 39°52’18″N 20°00’13″E

Until September, we had it in mind to head for Tunisia for a few days and on to Greece and Turkey from there. But based on rave reviews from our friends Robin and Bob, we reconsidered that plan and decided for the sake of convenience (and to avoid new Covid restrictions in Tunisia) to stop in Albania instead. Neither of us really knew what to expect, but we soon discovered Albania is quite delightful.

It’s the kind of place that no longer exists in Europe. The juggernaut of standards, from road signs to environmental compliance, that overbears everything in the European Union, ends here. That keeps prices (and per capita income) low. Diesel fuel for visiting boats is about a third of the cost of Italy. We learned that just last week a huge yacht took on 800,000 litres of fuel, saving about a million euros in the process. Tanker trucks were lined up end to end on the quayside. In the tourist port of Saranda you can buy a gin and tonic at the Elvis Bar for 2.50 euros, while dinner with drinks in a local restaurant cost us all of 15 euros.

Unique

It is a small country with less than 3 million citizens. When I asked our port agent, Agim, if he thought Albania would join the EU, he said he hoped not. As a cheap and convenient stopping point outside the Schengen area, he thought the cost of losing those competitive advantages would probably crush the economy. Thus, like many smaller satellite states, the young move away to study and work when they can, leaving a widening generation gap.

Albanian is one of the world’s oldest languages, something the locals are very proud of. And, while it has echoes of Latin and German, it is a fully independent branch of the Indo-European language tree. Education is highly valued, and English is taught from third grade on. As a result, it is widely spoken. A boon for the burgeoning tourist trade. We were regularly complimented on our clear English. Shucks!

Complex

Mountainous and arid, there are oil fields to the south and chromium and copper mines to the north. Historically, the country was a football kicked back and forth between the Romans, the Greeks, the Turks, the Austro-Hungarians, and most recently the Italians and Germans. Officially it is a secular state, but Christianity and Islam still duke it out for attention during the day. Peals of bells and calls to prayer are never far apart. This long and ancient history means there’s plenty of sightseeing down long, bumpy roads.

Places like 4^th century (BCE) Butrint. Named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992, there is still plenty of Roman archaeological excavation remaining. We stopped by the Blue Eye, a natural wellspring, on our way back from Gjirokaster, the ‘stone town’ known for its impressive castle. We also visited the 12^th century monastery of Saint Michael, and in late afternoon Ali Pasha’s (Albania’s own Napoleon) well-preserved early 19^th century fort. Each site a piece of Albania’s rich and complex puzzle.

Service

We stayed in Saranda for three nights. Agim Zholi has been the local agent there for all kinds of boats for the past 40 years. He knows everyone and will get whatever you need without issue. His is the kind of personal service that restores your faith in humankind. His arrangement with the local port authority meant we tied up at the ferry terminal under the watchful eye of the harbour police for 20 euros a night. It’s a heck of a deal. We wanted to spend a few extra days and explore Tirana and Albania’s Alps in the north, but the terminal dock becomes untenable in bad weather and someone had to stay with the boat overnight.

There is an eager earnestness in Albania. We sensed a strong desire to move forward, for people to take a meaningful role in their country’s future. Everyone we met wanted to make sure our first visit wasn’t our last. That we would go home and spread the word about what a fun and interesting place this is to visit.

Photos

These pictures should give you a small taste of our visit: