Out of the box Albania
Albania was ‘like a box of chocolates’! The first taste was like picking that one chocolate in the box that you really don’t like but, hey its chocolate and you can’t leave it in the box. Our first point of contact with Albania was Durres harbour, a big commercial shipping and fishing centre. It was big, busy, noisy, smelly and hot. But we needed to clear into the country with the relevant authorities, so Durres was that place. We parked up in a little corner of the harbour being reinvented as a marina and the folk who run it were friendly and welcoming and super helpful in achieving all the necessary formalities for us. Once all that was done, we ventured into the city and initially I was uninspired. But not to be deterred, I hunted out all the ancient archaeological sites and we soon discovered some lovely pockets of green, a really cool cultural centre with restaurants and bars, and a big wide marbled square where every generation was out enjoying. It’s a common theme really in these European cities to see people who live in tiny apartments, maximising their outdoor spaces whenever they can. I love that the whole family come out into the public space to kick a football, chase bubbles, show off their new puppy or just generally enjoy the cool evening air. And of course, this is all happening alongside an ancient amphitheatre where no doubt families a millennia ago did the exact same thing.
Of course, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that Albania has been inhabited by so many different peoples over the millennia from the Illyrians to Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Venetians and Ottomans such that its culture today is a rich tapestry. Albania has been fought over by just about everyone in this part of the world at some point in time and then when Albanians finally gained some independence after the defeat of the Ottomans in the Balkan Wars, they then had to fight off Italy, Nazi Germany and communism. One of the fascinating parts of this history was the falling out between Albania and the Soviet Union as it was at the time of 1960s. Albania built 100 thousand bunkers aimed at aiding in its protection against the threat of invasion by the Soviets. It wasn’t until 1991 with the fall of communism in Albania that they established the Republic of Albania and they hit the ground running. Within a very short period of time, Albania established a market-based economy, introduced universal health care, free primary and secondary education for all, became a member of the UN, World Bank, UNESCO, NATO, etc etc etc. That is pretty impressive for what was a poor and war weary country only 30 years ago. It makes for an incredibly resilient people no doubt.
After leaving Durres, we sailed down the coastline into a large bay with the city of Vlore in the north of the bay and a little village called Orikum in the southeast. Surrounded by mountains, it was a beautiful bay with a long beach that while popular, it wasn’t touristy. We enjoyed that anchorage for a couple of nights before making out way south again along what is known as the Albanian Riviera, and it was gorgeous. The mountains in this region are magnificent, rising direct from the crashing ocean edge so that there are massive cliffs and ocean carved caves all along the coast. Tiny little bays dot this coast, barely room for one or two small boats to explore! There are lots of new residential and resort developments along this coast wherever there are small pockets of lower lying land so perhaps us being able to see this side of the wild undeveloped beauty of Albania is a gift as it will undoubtedly look different in ten years time.
We made out next stop at the southernmost city of Sarandes. Sarandes sits along the riviera coastline stretching out towards the border with Greece. In fact, you can see Corfu only a few nautical miles across the channel. I really liked Sarandes. While it is very touristy with lots of restaurants, bars and typical beach shops filled with hats, sun creams, swim wear, trinkets and kids beach toys, it attracts people from everywhere and that makes it fun and interesting. We even had a night out with a mixed group of sailors from all over the world, enjoying the talents of an Albanian Elvis!
As we were anchored off the main beach there for a week, waiting out some pretty nasty
weather and completing the formalities before clearing out and heading to Greece, we used this time to also do some exploring inland. Time off the boat is a good thing and Albania has some truly beautiful countryside and history to explore. We visited the Blue Eye, Syri I Kalter, which is a natural water spring with crystal clear blue water rising up from fifty metres below ground. On a stinky hot day, the whole area was lush and cool. We then visited Gjirokaster, an ancient city in the Gjere mountains rising 300 metres up the sides of the mountain. It’s a UNESCO world heritage site primarily because the city remains today a well-preserved Ottoman city with some amazing architecture and cobbled streets. Certainly, it was good for the calf muscles and the butt as there were plenty of hills to climb! The ancient castle at the top, because of course that was where it had to be….was worth the pain. Then of course there was Butrint, another UNESCO site – an ancient walled Greek city. In truth, the site of Butrint has been occupied since prehistoric times and has also been a Roman city, Ottoman city and then Venetian city….all building open the work of those before. It was a fascinating place to visit.
All in all, Albania has definitely grown on us, and the people are friendly, welcoming and proud of their beautiful country. It doesn’t have the glitz and glam of other Med/Adriatic countries with long established tourism industries but that perhaps is a blessing as it moves forward. With time to choose the when and how, it can develop its own individuality which is based in a rich history and an intriguing cultural background. I think I will return when next we venture into the Adriatic!
