Two for the price of one

 

Pretty much a day in / around the hotel not fodder for a blog so combining a couple of days so as not to ramble on for no reason. Breakfast, sun lounger, reading, swimming , balcony, eating yada yada

Our sole activity today was a walk up to the Lekuresi Castle, we'd seen it from the sea on the way into harbour, and it certainly could see us, and pretty much all the surrounds down to Butrint.  No surprises that it became a key lookout point for the Ottoman Empire (someone has been asking about the Turkish influence) and constructed in the 1500s to defend against the Venetians.

Our purpose for visiting was strictly peaceful, we like to find viewpoints on our travels, and this was the one. Plus the way our friendly waiting staff advised us against walking simply threw down the gauntlet. This was a mere pimple to some of our previous ascents, and asphalt all the way, no chance of getting lost like ... well just about everywhere ... but Wales, Sardinia, the Lake District  With Carys on the side of active volcanoes I feel embarrassed for even calling it a climb.

Most go up for sunset but we prefer the blistering heat of the day to add a little bit of jepoardy, but was absolutely fine, took 45mins from sea level to summit, and we got the photos and panorama. Not just out to the sea, but back towards the mountains, which we will be back amongst tomorrow, there are bears up in that them hills.

Our walk down passed a shack that had set itself up as some kind of travellers beer rest stop, and we then witnessed the random sight of an olde shepherd man crossing a busy dual carriageway with his flock of a handful of sheep. We walked all the way down into Saranda as Chrissi wanted a Mr Whippy icecream, I went for the bubblegum option, very novel, very tasty.

One final swim back at the hotel pool where my fitness and skills in water improved over 5 days, sadly that will probably be that until the next summer type holiday unless I can get myself in gear and build on these. I really do want to do a triathlon.

Mid table Balkan Balcony Buze, Abanian brew, Elbar, little too yeasty for my taste but I can't completely slate the locals, so will give it a solid mid table finish which leaves the table 1. Montenegro 2. Kosovo 3. Albania 4. Greece 5 North Macedonia That concludes this round, there are 3 places there I have yet to visit and already trying to work out when a return to the Balkans may work well.

Its not hard to find something secluded and remote in this modern, but thinking hotel. Tonight, next to what must be the ocean suite, a shelf of rock we made our own for sunset. Lovely to talk to my mum and dad as the sun went down, flicking the camera towards Corfu for their viewing pleasure.

Last night and a restaurant we saw on the first night Manxurane but was just a notch up from our normal eatery (on price). The Greek / Roman / Orthodox gods were smiling on us as we were ushered straight in to a window seat overlooking the bay. 

We were upsold a bottle of Albanian wine which was wasted on me if not the establishments profits. Chrissi and I shared a camembert starter with figs and walnuts, this was all feeling like we were back in some old Roman dining triclinium, no couches though.  Octopus for main something like I've never tasted before, thin strips simply swimming in a bath of fruit, tangy vinegary sauce, pomegranate explosions and goodness knows what else.  Hail Caesar.

Was a hard farewell from Buze hotel today, tipped a couple of the staff who have been simply lovely. They all have to be fair, but we can't tip all of them, so will be making sure something is posted on trip advisor. Chrissi already been recommending in all the Albanian groups and if any of you readers are thinking of heading that way, its worth the extra few quid for a touch of class.  A final mammoth breakfast.

After the last bit of luxury it was a return to backpacking mode and the slug 1.2 miles down to the port. We like to live this paradoxical world of high life one minute, bare basics the next. It is a perfect combination and allows our travels to be a unique experience for sure. We had to hang around the less than salubrious bus station for the best part of an hour before getting on to bus number 2 towards Tirana. 

 

5 hours in total but it went quite smoothly and swiftly, decent air conditioned vehicle.  Read a bit, slept a bit, hang around and ate rubbish in a service station. Chrissi managed to trump her performance last time by literally heading off to the toilet as the last person boarded, the bus driver beeping loudly in the car park, gesticulating wildly at me and pointing to his watch.  It wasn't even me but I bore the brunt of it ... again.  Chrissi now banned from all Albanian public transport.

Watched a movie I'd downloaded on I Player called Denmark, about a welsh bloke looking for a better life in a Danish prison.  Harks back to our last trip I guess, so need one about a welsh bloke looking for an Albania prison next time. I have 24 hrs not to be that bloke.  We pulled up in the heat of Tirana bus station / car park, the last part of the drive through the less picturesque industrial areas after all the moutains. Chrissi haggled, and we were transported to the Hilton.

I'm not sure we were fitting the profile of their normal customer as we wandered into their lobby, but they were very friendly if not a little sarcastic. A winning combination in my world. Our room more functional here, but just above the fitness centre so able to stretch legs in air conditioning to make up for the long period of sitting down.

Quick turnaround and out into the Tirana evening. I'd mistakenly thought there was a football match on so heading down to their main stadium, a walk through the part of Tirana we'd stayed in a few days ago. The football wasn't on but the stadium incredibly impressive, a modern monstrosity, but surrounded by high class eateries; I wonder how many people bother going to the football, its not high level out here anyway.

Our final tourist stop of the night was in the Grand Park of Tirana (Rinia I believe) a very beautiful, ambient if not entirely natural construct. The lake appeared to be centre piece, and so many paths to get lost on and wind around. Every (wo)man and his dog ( ideal for dogs) out on their evening constitutional. Indeed this stretched beyond the park as we wandered the streets of Tirana, no matter what back street or alley we wandered up people were out talking, stretching their legs and a real community feel. All ages, all backgrounds, incredible feeling of togetherness. Am sure there are some dodgy districts somewhere, but it felt as safe as anywhere I've been wandering around at night.  

We found a couple of bars for a couple of gins. One looked very chic from the outside but on the inside it turned to be simply the neon downstairs of some very run down flats. Another had all the flags of the great football nations up, apart from Wales.

Getting on a bit and a little peckish so finished the day demonstrating that paradox I mentioned earlier. Last night was high dining, tonight was the Albanian equivalent of a gyros. called souvlaki, chicken/chips/mayo in a sturdier wrap than Gyros, and a very filling fast food end to the day.