Gjirokaster and Blue Eye

We started from Saranda with our knowledgeable and friendly guide Arjon towards Gjirokaster, that is an old city, one of UNESCO's World Heritage sites in Albania. We has never visited Lekursi Castle on top of Saranda Hills, only seen it lit up at night. Arjon was kind enough to take us there and we didn't regret it. The view down to the city and beyond was amazing. They were just getting ready to host a wedding, and it would, indeed be a perfect place to hold one. Arjon said that the views were even more amazing in the evening, with Saranda all lit up below.

From the Fortress on the hill, we continued inland towards Gjirokaster, passing olive groves, vineyards, cattle and bunkers.

We found this family just chillin'

The road was surprisingly good, albeit a little winding. The dirt road to our first stop though; Blue Eye wasn't so good. You would think that with the amount they get from ticket sales, they could at least fix it, but I guess someone else needs it more.

Blue Eye (or Syri I Kalter in Albanian), is a spring coming down from the mountains of crystal clear water with beautiful shades of blue and green. Arjon had many wonderful legends to tell about how it came to be, and you could choose your favorite one. 😉

The Blue Eye itself is so deep that people haven't been able to get to the bottom. They've been able to launch a probe down to 35 meters, but the force of the spring has always propelled everything back up before it reaches the bottom. The water in the pond, and the spring stays at 10 degrees C, which is way too cold for me, but there were lots of people taking their chances and jumping in. It's going to be a quick one at that. Plunging into the spring is not encouraged by the officials though.

You can rent paddle boats or even take a dip in the pool further away at a bar/cafe to explore the stream further.

If you are visiting Gjirokaster, Blue Eye is on the way, so it shouldn't be missed. Both of the sites can be done as a day trip from Saranda. There is a bus going that route too, but you would have to walk quite a long way from the road to get to Blue Eye itself, and in the parching heat, it's really not the best idea.

 'The Silver City' with its whitewashed walls was built along the hillside now looking down upon the New Town of Gjirokaster. In the olden days, the reason was for the local farmers to be able to keep an eye on their fields below. The old part of Gjirokaster was built around the 1300's, and having preserved the Ottoman-style of building, earned its place in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Upon arrival to the Old Town, you are greeted by statues of notable Gjirokastrians. Most notable of all, Enver Hoxha, the late communist leader of Albania. These days, Gjirokaster, along with Saranda have the biggest concentration of people with Greek ancestry. 

The city is also popular for its Old Bazaar, where local craftsmen and -women come and showcase their work for the visitors to take back home with. In the past, craftspeople were especially revered for their mastery of a particular trade, especially stonemasons. It was often that generations of families (mostly men) followed in their father's footsteps and took pride in their work. That isn't the case today, as it is very rare that craft alone will support a family, and whatever reasons there may be. There is, however, one stonemason's shop in the bazaar, where the son has continued his father's trade, and you can go see his work. It's a shame, in my opinion, as their exceptional talents should be appreciated for years to come. 

On the highest location of the town, stands the castle, guarding the town below. 

Clock tower in the castle

If you notice during the visit to the castle, square holes in the castle walls, do not suggest to your guide that they are used for shooting, should he ask the question. Doesn't go down well... Just know that they are a structural element, to make sure the walls stay intact and in good shape through the centuries, no matter what nature and time throws at them. Quite impressive, really.

The Castle is at the top part of the picture (find Waldo-style)

Looking out the castle window

A visit to the ethnographic museum offers an interesting look into how the old townsfolk lived their lives in the past. It's well worth a visit with a good guide who can tell you about all of the different aspects of living. I just realized that I didn't have any detailed pictures of the houses, which is funny, because I'm into architecture, but oh well, another time maybe. 

Surprisingly, seeing as it was all the way to September, our choice of accommodation was full at the time. The friendly receptionist of the hotel walked us to another hotel, which Arjon expertly negotiated for accommodation. We didn't have much to say, as the owner didn't speak much English. But the experience was wonderful, and we were showered with all sorts of goods from their garden, fresh peaches, fresh juice of unknown origin, and a surprise of a small pot of honey. It was a little too sweet even for my tooth, but pouring it in my tea worked fine too! 

Delicious natural, home-made breakfast. The flat breads to the left were made when we stepped in to have the breakfast. Very fresh!

I have this thing about both mountains and the sea, so of course I had to take pictures from the balcony of the hotel when there were mountains on sight.