tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66924496660087527342024-03-13T05:49:26.070-04:00World CallingChronicling my travels around the world. Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-79799946237684001562018-09-24T12:59:00.000-04:002018-09-24T12:59:10.052-04:00Final MusingsIt has now been weeks since I've been back. I haven't changed my mind wanting to go back to Albania and starting my little Bed and Breakfast.<br />
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I want to thank Aneta, and all the people she has introduced me to, for helping me to work towards this dream. I am now so much wiser and more knowledgeable of what is needed and what needs to be considered.<br />
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Albania has unfortunately earned an unfair reputation that has still stuck. I could hardly find any traces of <b>communism</b> in the everyday life of Albanians, apart from the bunkers. Tirana might have some more remnants of the era. I can't say if the citizens were better off back in those days, there is quite a bit of poverty in Albania these days, as not much of the wealth is trickling down to the ordinary people.<br />
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Many youths are talking about moving to neighboring Greece to find better work and for bettering their lives. Most of the people working in the tourism industry in the summertime also head to Greece to work in the winter, if they don't have another job in Tirana waiting. The salaries in Albania are very low, and it's very difficult to get proper education or hospital services, and those who can afford it, go aboard for all this.<br />
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Some people are also worried about <b>crime and drugs.</b> I didn't see any of that during the time I was there. Well, unless you're talking about the extortionate prices they demand from tourists. The furgon rides, food and drinks in restaurants etc. Even during my quest for a plot of land, I was told the price per square meter was 120 euros for one particular lot, when in reality it wasn't worth more than 60 euros, if that. But apparently they have seen the prices asked in Spain and Italy, and feel like the same applies to Albania. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6kZNTKPRUt6TuklMO4His_4ytmYfqQb0_cLtC26Y4SAXgt2Cf-FZnCGW328CRiwIstZCYOtKQX2FlarMY-HJPt6nWXHswM9rA_CzAz69SsSCqNs01hFJwLoFxmyM9C9IMdeqf8VoRig/s1600/Lukove+lot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="600" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6kZNTKPRUt6TuklMO4His_4ytmYfqQb0_cLtC26Y4SAXgt2Cf-FZnCGW328CRiwIstZCYOtKQX2FlarMY-HJPt6nWXHswM9rA_CzAz69SsSCqNs01hFJwLoFxmyM9C9IMdeqf8VoRig/s320/Lukove+lot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is actually one of the reasons a lot of the people I talked to, dislike this practice, and feel, rightfully so, that this is a deterrent for more tourists visiting Albania. The short-sightedness of some people, wanting to get as much as they can today, will hurt them tomorrow. The tourism has already gone down from last year, whether it was due to the heatwave raging through Europe this summer, or the issue above, can't tell.<br />
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Albania is so rich in natural beauty and <b>natural resources</b>. So many resources that could be used to bring more wealth to Albania, but one thing that has carried from the communism days is <b>corruption</b>, which is still a big problem in Albania. Rights to these natural resources are sold to foreign corporations, resources drained and sent abroad, and money kept for the high-ups. The nature ruined for good. Greasing particular people's pockets also helps things moving along.<br />
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<b>Religion</b> was also one of the issues that I was warned about before going to Albania. Islam is the biggest religion in Albania, and this can be heard almost everywhere, with Calls for Prayer sang from the Minarets in almost all bigger cities in Albania. It was strange when you heard it the first time, but then you got used to it, and eventually it was an exotic charm related to Albania. However, at 5 a.m. the charm was sometimes difficult to find. You could sometimes see a woman in a hijab, but that's pretty much it. You can see the same almost anywhere else in the world.<br />
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Arjon told me about Albanians view about religion, which is basically 'mind your own business, and I'll mind mine. How about a game of dominoes?' It just doesn't factor into people's relationships with others. I find that very admirable, and that's how it should be. Majority of Albanians are Muslims, as said, but there is also a large number of Greek Orthodox people, as Greeks make up quite a big minority in Albania.<br />
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Another problem is also <b>littering</b>. Which isn't that different from any other developing country. Locals don't mind throwing their trash out of the car window, and a lot of the roads and beaches too are littered with all sorts of trash. Maybe providing more trash bins everywhere is a solution, and just education.<br />
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Someone might ask, with so many negatives, why would you want to go back? Because there are also so many positives. Most of the people are very nice and friendly, willing to help you out and treat you as a honorable guest to Albania. They are obviously proud of their country and its beauty. I would just say that I'm going in with my eyes open. I don't think Albania is a paradise, but then again, what is? It still has a lot of developing to do, but hopefully they will see tourism as a way of enriching even the ordinary people.<br />
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I love the scenery of Albania, the mountains, the coast, the small villages littered here and there, the laid back life in said villages. There is still so much I have to explore in Albania, so I'm far from done yet. Expect a part 2 of Albania sometime in the future! 😘<br />
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Oh, and should Aneta or Arjon have any corrections to make to what I've said, please let me know.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-84907038988451323532018-09-24T11:27:00.000-04:002018-09-24T11:27:01.161-04:00Back to Saranda As the days got fewer, we were heading back to Saranda. If things had been perfect, I would've had a car, and stayed in Himara, driving to all of the small beaches to the North and South of the town. However, that wasn't the case, and as Mom wasn't very appreciative of sometimes wavy Ionian Sea, a decision was made.<br />
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Another furgon ride and I felt robbed, as I explained in an earlier post. But that's how some of the Albanians roll.<br />
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We stayed at a friend of a friend's hotel near the previous one in Saranda. It wasn't right next to the Promenade, but very close, and much cheaper than the original was. The rooms were very nice, owner and staff very friendly and breakfast very good. So I would suggest it to anyone.<br />
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While back in Saranda, I met up with <b>Aneta</b>, who had made things happen for my hunt for a nice beach lot for a B&B. A very nice young couple drove us to see some lots near beaches all the way up to Borsh, which was over half-way to Himara.<br />
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I saw so much along the way, and met many people. There were also lots of animals minding their business along the road, and didn't seem bothered by us trying to get through.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horses at Lukova Beach</td></tr>
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Luckily, I had Aneta with me, and with her help, we were able to get information out of the locals. When I come back though, I need a better command of the language!<br />
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On our way, I friendly guides took us to one of their hotels, as well as a pretty old village of Lukova.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_b0u7Bv7ZoIu_k1INvw3LJOJVhJWjqpp0Lx452crCCskUSAa0qBxqYchAymHvWv71N0NToPNAEyMF0Pwb17B_x7BcVbQEXlrLJTe6vqhZ64HMnkfIpg6WCw41pXKQy4RCRDwxwCw2snA/s1600/Lukove+village+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_b0u7Bv7ZoIu_k1INvw3LJOJVhJWjqpp0Lx452crCCskUSAa0qBxqYchAymHvWv71N0NToPNAEyMF0Pwb17B_x7BcVbQEXlrLJTe6vqhZ64HMnkfIpg6WCw41pXKQy4RCRDwxwCw2snA/s320/Lukove+village+garden.jpg" width="252" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdrgYqj4nY9W4jTWYWYcroOAiAsaO7kPVJRRaOnzX0JaWksgFLXgiJhpYHk8vLgXOIIWL5L8GLIROiCzAS8eiYApVXQiI8RYNNbUb4tcRPVzdKis-w5YX-n2TkSTRXqJMkfNgbsBQGJU/s1600/Lukove+old+village+street+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdrgYqj4nY9W4jTWYWYcroOAiAsaO7kPVJRRaOnzX0JaWksgFLXgiJhpYHk8vLgXOIIWL5L8GLIROiCzAS8eiYApVXQiI8RYNNbUb4tcRPVzdKis-w5YX-n2TkSTRXqJMkfNgbsBQGJU/s320/Lukove+old+village+street+3.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
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Aneta wanted to move to this pretty little village :) </div>
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I didn't enter into the negotiations for this little donkey, sorry <b>Juhi</b>!</div>
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The village gets its water from a nearby spring, and it is ran to each house through this channel.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_y_rkLrbjbD7hlvHYNpvuhesUEQfdhHQHnDlEVJvmDGo9Yp38rchRmTMxv5eqHl27UJvvo-ifbO3hDEsktd0hyphenhyphenwiZMiPq3RTvxEHEEAV9UGKgeP_X8ZOIFetD0vddA5D8OfbB-zuYxJM/s1600/Lukove+village+srtreet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_y_rkLrbjbD7hlvHYNpvuhesUEQfdhHQHnDlEVJvmDGo9Yp38rchRmTMxv5eqHl27UJvvo-ifbO3hDEsktd0hyphenhyphenwiZMiPq3RTvxEHEEAV9UGKgeP_X8ZOIFetD0vddA5D8OfbB-zuYxJM/s320/Lukove+village+srtreet.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-83064650554554741952018-09-24T10:40:00.000-04:002018-09-24T11:28:09.883-04:00Llogara Pass and HimaraOne of the reasons I chose to take a furgon from Vlora, was that I wanted to drive through Llogara Pass. The normal bus route goes further inland, which makes more sense, but I had wanted to experience the views and thrill of driving up a mountain and then back down again with breathtaking views wherever you look.<br />
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Currently the only coastal road from Vlora to Saranda goes through the mountainous area.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRKsPY-pX2xWAMFktbYSslP_Rkk4Q-ugf08FF1N3sEi4bn9SiBsJuPv6jYDbLI8k75GuOfy5D_YhbYdzz67zTZYA0qp838J1yVAw7MJ4hsXiHwZx7R06Uc5cnfqftWP0JuAk7Fk7IJPU/s1600/Porto+Palermo+fortress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="600" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRKsPY-pX2xWAMFktbYSslP_Rkk4Q-ugf08FF1N3sEi4bn9SiBsJuPv6jYDbLI8k75GuOfy5D_YhbYdzz67zTZYA0qp838J1yVAw7MJ4hsXiHwZx7R06Uc5cnfqftWP0JuAk7Fk7IJPU/s320/Porto+Palermo+fortress.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Porto Palermo</td></tr>
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Llogara Pass is the highest point of the road, and at certain times of the year, the road takes you through the clouds. To my disappointment, this wasn't that particular time. The highest point of the road is over 1,000 meters above the sea level. The route also goes through a National Park, and there are hotels within the park for the nature lovers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOkb_NxfESGdhSb_NS-EKqEo_UAigQZwBDqItriJYyggaxYaVPKsr2cw6IhCTPCOTrb75lj7IVjE6CmrA7bUw6mijYje8_zpst3CWakI5sztpk4Ainz0IUbC8_9_k5sFLYYc_C5JkqbHw/s1600/llogara+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOkb_NxfESGdhSb_NS-EKqEo_UAigQZwBDqItriJYyggaxYaVPKsr2cw6IhCTPCOTrb75lj7IVjE6CmrA7bUw6mijYje8_zpst3CWakI5sztpk4Ainz0IUbC8_9_k5sFLYYc_C5JkqbHw/s320/llogara+4.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
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I was told that there are plans to build a coastal highway closer to the ocean, which will, of course, impact the beautiful beaches that dot the coastline. We'll see when that happens.<br />
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These pictures don't really do justice to the trip, as they were taken inside a rattling and bumping furgon that didn't really care about passengers taking great pictures. I'm just very happy that the lady from our earlier trip wasn't travelling on this one *shudders*.<br />
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Arjon told me that according to one story, the road from Vlora to Saranda was designed by an Italian engineer who had a donkey travel up first, then marking the way the donkey took. He based it on a fact that donkeys are essentially rather lazy, and try to find the easiest way anywhere. It makes perfect sense! However, the road is very winding, and not for those who get easily nauseous. </div>
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I didn't find the driving to have been particularly dangerous. The driver didn't speed through the hairpin curves, and although there were cars passing us on the serpentine road, there weren't any dangerous situations I noticed. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honey seller's tent along the way</td></tr>
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There were a lot of honey sellers on the way, and usually they were right next to the hives. You can't get it any fresher than that! </div>
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Eventually we descended from the mountains and started passing one beach after another. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtBGhVf11G9Hm4lKVoG-MDeL7DqAyLI0waR57GKLjzue5kkVn9HpjIFPboz1EIQpuVq7tg29mSXl_QmhnWtL4XBMylim-m19lgxgqGZqEwn-s3Gqi_nW1zdcQ-oZgsseJD1-ckNskwI4/s1600/Loong+beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="600" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtBGhVf11G9Hm4lKVoG-MDeL7DqAyLI0waR57GKLjzue5kkVn9HpjIFPboz1EIQpuVq7tg29mSXl_QmhnWtL4XBMylim-m19lgxgqGZqEwn-s3Gqi_nW1zdcQ-oZgsseJD1-ckNskwI4/s320/Loong+beach.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And finally arrived at a small beach town Himara. We were left at what seemed to be the center of the town, but had no idea where the hotel I had booked the night before was. I tried to ask some taxi drivers that were gathered at the city center, but no one knew where it was. I tried to call the hotel, but there was no answer. Finally a driver who already had passengers waiting called the number again, and this time got an answer. He quickly got the coordinates and explained them to another driver. Then all of a sudden he was gone, before I even got to thank him! </div>
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Well, this other driver started us off, it was only about 55 minutes' drive from the town center, and we were greeted by the hotel owner, who loaded us with out luggage to his car, and proceeded to drive us a small dirt road to his hotel. It really was only about a minute drive, if that, but it was very nice of him. Especially when we were way early, and they hadn't have time to get our room ready yet. </div>
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He was very apologetic about it?! I tried explaining that we were the ones who were too early, but he then proceeded to offer us coffee and I finally got the <b>Mountain Tea</b> I had heard so much about! I think I read about it somewhere, and finally the lady back in Vlora had told me if I came to Himara, they would sure have it. And she was right! </div>
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The tea is made of particular flowers that grow up in the mountains... Of course. It tasted delicious, and it's only later on that I realized that is something I should've taken with me as a souvenir! Well, not the tea from the cup, but find the packages... </div>
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The owner was also a lifesaver; there is quite a good Wi-Fi coverage all over the hotels in Albania, which was rather surprising, but sometimes you just need a bit of data on-the-go. I had bought a tourist sim for my phone, with calls, messages and data. The calls and messages worked fine, but it was the data that didn't. The owner called T-mobile service line, even though I didn't have the number, and tried to figure out what was wrong. Eventually he had to give up, and said they had told him I hadn't paid for the service, which certainly wasn't true. But just like that, a few minutes after that call I got a few installation messages, and after installing them, the data package started to work!! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BOX6g3i1y0DoO5NSaoS-q8FZ5Uf_OMqMgkT_uUOP-KhvtXRGhDgLLaYwNImx-bCriWbE4VaQo8-qii-Nj-vUqKagzUfgB-kBaIPouZI4FPzx74Haj6zPX_aK8ahx7yGZJ9Z1fKtOejs/s1600/Himare+beach+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="600" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BOX6g3i1y0DoO5NSaoS-q8FZ5Uf_OMqMgkT_uUOP-KhvtXRGhDgLLaYwNImx-bCriWbE4VaQo8-qii-Nj-vUqKagzUfgB-kBaIPouZI4FPzx74Haj6zPX_aK8ahx7yGZJ9Z1fKtOejs/s320/Himare+beach+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Of all the beaches I saw on my trip, the ones in Himara were my absolute favorites. Of course a lot of the beach towns have many beaches, hidden and not so hidden, and they could've been how beautiful ever. But I'm going with what I've got. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZshPyXBDpFBJRQ1mEq1Z-B5fB-8aVm3eBW4t-hV0OiA7ja1QS7lkt4WwvQssIF5mT-KgMm-MFmZehzXMNR07IvhcWpOjTO2XuBBYMtsE4rFSYrb-ngk-EpCAg2KBET99U_KBh5qbNXk/s1600/Himare+beach+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="600" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZshPyXBDpFBJRQ1mEq1Z-B5fB-8aVm3eBW4t-hV0OiA7ja1QS7lkt4WwvQssIF5mT-KgMm-MFmZehzXMNR07IvhcWpOjTO2XuBBYMtsE4rFSYrb-ngk-EpCAg2KBET99U_KBh5qbNXk/s320/Himare+beach+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5S5REnmKRSq_vsgVkmbon5xm8_CGNGyqPBjaeBjFywXcbUaqX10vyeQ2Xi1yjZUIatcmu6KTqdajLZgHJvHVWr8rDxHkXYcLxRk4miXusCSzKIgkcczv0obofTssVC7UgMrfa2EnWP6g/s1600/Himare+beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="600" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5S5REnmKRSq_vsgVkmbon5xm8_CGNGyqPBjaeBjFywXcbUaqX10vyeQ2Xi1yjZUIatcmu6KTqdajLZgHJvHVWr8rDxHkXYcLxRk4miXusCSzKIgkcczv0obofTssVC7UgMrfa2EnWP6g/s320/Himare+beach.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It was obvious that the season was over in Himara too. So many restaurants had already closed, or working with a limited menu. More often than not, you got a 'sorry we're out of that dish' even if you ordered from the menu they gave you. It's a pity, as our hotel owner said that he was fully booked still for the whole week, and was going to stay open until end of September. I do think that was a smart choice from him. There's still lots of money to be made in September.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0Himarë, Albania40.1034715 19.75023839999994440.0548875 19.669557399999945 40.152055499999996 19.830919399999942tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-80356883590907479812018-09-23T13:38:00.002-04:002018-09-23T13:39:01.964-04:00From Berat to VloraThe hotel manager had promised Arjon that they would call us a taxi to take us to the bus station down in Berat new town in the morning. We agreed the time we would be leaving, and for 4 euros, the taxi showed up, and took us right at the furgon that was going to Vlora, our next stop. The service at hotel Mangalemi was very good. There was an option of taking a bus, but it sounded too complicated; we wanted the easiest option, for a change. And there was no way we would've walked there with all our luggage.<br />
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At the bus station, there were lots of buses and furgons (mini-buses) waiting to take people into different directions. Like I said, we could've gone directly to Saranda, but it was going to be a long trip, plus I wanted to go through Llogara Pass, which I'm going to talk about later.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from xhillineshqiperi.wordpress.com</td></tr>
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As the furgon filled up, we were finally ready to go. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of it. It was a sight to see. I think it hadn't seen any TLC for decades. The road was winding, as usual and the furgon rattled and bumped along.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from teachtalktravel.com</td></tr>
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We were fine, looking out at the lively scenery outside, when an elderly lady in front of us put her head out the window and started projectile vomiting. Fortunately for us, the window was open where she sat, if not, it could've been much worse!<br />
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Somehow people found plastic bags that they gave the lady. Now, I understand how that works, having been sick on airplanes, but the lady spat in the bag, tossed the bag out the window (don't get me started on how people just happily litter away everywhere), and proceeded to vomit again.<br />
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At this point, people were starting to move away from her proximity, even those who were further than us. Not to be trapped, I ushered Mom to move to the very back, next to the window before any one of the elderly could get there. (I can be ruthless sometimes! Survival of the fittest!) However, there was some projectile on the window at the back too, and instead of fresh, vomit-free air, it stank to the high heavens. Needless to say, I closed the window, God forbid there was going to be any more projectile heading my way!<br />
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All in all, the furgon rides were entertaining, to me, at least, not so sure about Mom, I think she would've preferred Arjon's car. No complaints from me either. A lot of the drivers were happily smoking, stopping to get some groceries, there was even a grocery bag left for them on a traffic sign! Sometimes they stopped and delivered the packages to people along the way. It was actually quite convenient and made sense to deliver things that way. However, if you're in a hurry, I suggest you don't take a furgon.<br />
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You paid the driver after the trip. They don't give out tickets to locals, and I assume their rates are much lower than ours. The fare at the hotel's list for the trip was 300 lekes, but it was 450 when it was time to pay up... The worst was a furgon from Himara to Saranda, the trip was short, and it was almost double the longest trip from Berat to Vlora: 810 lekes. A friend said when he used to travel from Himara to Vlora, he paid about 200 lekes for the same trip. Well, I wasn't going to start arguing with the conductor, we needed to get along... But just so you are aware. You will have different rates than the locals. You might be able to 'negotiate', I didn't even bother trying.<br />
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So, our first stop was Vlora, another port town and maybe the site of the future airport. I didn't really feel Vlora, it left me cold. The sea didn't look that inviting for a dip, and maybe it was that our taxi driver took us to the wrong hotel, and the one we ended up in was more expensive, but that didn't show in the quality... Someone had also nicked the batteries out of the A/C remote, and so the lady at the reception had to hunt down another remote to replace the one we got.<br />
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By the time we got everything settled, we were quite hungry, but didn't want to frequent the empty beach-side restaurants. We popped in to what looked like a restaurant, but it was actually a bar that was also a betting parlor. They had a few minutes of fun when the owner told the locals two dumb tourists were trying to buy food from them...<br />
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We tried a couple more, but they had already closed, as it was September, and not many tourists were around anymore. Finally we had to go to a pizzeria by the beach, and got huge pizzas. They were nice enough and offered us to box them so we could take to the hotel! As it was off season, our hotel had stopped offering breakfasts too, so we went to a store and bought what little we needed. I was stubbornly trying to stick to my diet, for what good it did, especially with the pizza waiting.<br />
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The next morning, the owner had kindly promised 'a boy' (at least a 35-year-old guy) would stop the furgon to Himara for us. Fortunately, the furgon would be passing by the hotel, as it was situated right along the highway to the South coast. We didn't need to call taxis to haul us back to another bus stop. While we were waiting for our furgon, the lady offered us coffee and tea, while we watched a Finnish family enjoy their breakfast on the hotel... The lady explained to us that they got a breakfast because they had a busy day with excursions ahead... Ok...Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-9700506929051067152018-09-23T11:25:00.004-04:002018-09-23T12:30:36.861-04:00Berat and Cobo WineryAfter a delicious breakfast from Esmeralda at Guesthouse Ahmetaj, our very capable guide Arjon was ready at 8:30 sharp to take us to our next stop. This time, we (I) wanted to explore another Ottoman city that was in the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Berat.<br />
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We had to take a detour, as the road from Gjiro to Berat wasn't in the best possible condition. At a crossroads, Arjon suggested we could go to Tirana and other places instead of my original plan Berat, but I stubbornly wanted to see Berat. No one tell Mom! She later on told me she would want to go see Tirana, but in my defense, I didn't know it then. Had she known we were that close to going to Tirana instead, I would've been voted down by the majority 😯<br />
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The drive was pretty long, but there was a surprisingly lot to see. During our driving along the countryside, Mom reminded how my brother, when asked, had wished for a donkey as a souvenir from Albania. There were lots of donkeys, and we even entered into negotiations with this feller:<br />
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Arjon said that we could actually have him for free, and have the milk it was carrying as a bonus! Eventually we figured the logistics would be a nightmare, and gave up (Sorry <b>Juhi - </b>you can thank me later<b>, Domi</b>!). After thinking about it though, as Arjon was negotiating in Albanian, I had no clue what the terms were. He could've been bartering Mom for the donkey for all I knew!<br />
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Donkeys, mules and horses are still used to work the land, and as load carriers. We sometimes saw donkeys carrying meters-high hay bales on their backs, let alone merchandise. It was fascinating to see Albanians in their every day tasks, you can't really see that in tourist centers. Arjon was sure to show us all the possible donkeys, sheep, horses and bunkers there were, to such degree we were starting to think he had a weird fixation about them bunkers. It was only later that I figured out he kept our attention away from all the roadkill we encountered, and I totally fell for it!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bunker in Saranda</td></tr>
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There were lots of bunkers though, it seemed that every 100 meter there was a bunker of some sort though. The former communist leader had become rather paranoid towards the end of his reign and commanded these bunkers to be built in case of an invasion. Little did he know that it would be his own people who'd had enough of his antics that finally disposed of him.<br />
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There were also a lot of wedding processions going on. Arjon told us that Albanian weddings usually start on Wednesdays and carry on each day with different formalities, until the final stage of celebrations and customs on Sunday. Phew, that's a lot of work! I wonder how many couples just elope? Hmm.. should've asked Arjon that.<br />
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On our way to Berat, we first stopped at the Cobo Winery, which is the biggest and most popular in Albania. The granddaughter of the founder the family-owned winery took us to a tour of the facilities. They were getting ready to start processing this year's harvest, which according to one of the owners was going to be poorer than previous ones, due to the heat and drought experienced in the region.<br />
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After the short tour, we were taken to the restaurant for a tasting. For 14 euros, which was the cheapest option, you got to taste 2 of their whites, 2 reds and finally raki made with green walnuts, accompanied with all bread, feta cheese, olives etc. you could eat. One of the owners eventually took over from his niece who had first showed us around, as apparently she was wasting perfectly good wine when she didn't coat the glasses with wine correctly in the first place. I was a little miffed at this; he could've berated her away from prying eyes, but I guess that's not a consideration.<br />
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Normally, I don't like dry white wine, let alone Brute sparkling, and I much prefer reds anyway, but their white and the sparkly one were pretty good. However, the reds were a little disappointing to me, and the raki... I really wish I could've learned to like raki, but... I didn't. The glasses of wine we were offered weren't tiny ones, and eventually we noticed the effects. Luckily Arjon was looking out for us, and tempered the process. There might have been a little self preservation involved; carrying us both out of there wasn't an inviting option, I'm sure. <i>On a side note</i>: Arjon didn't have any of the wine because he was our guide and driver; just so you know you can trust him.<br />
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The older owner also came to show us a video of their upcoming Harvest Fest, which looked like great fun, and we were sorry we weren't going to be around for that. But if you happen to be around there (2018 the date was September 12th), it looked worth going to.<br />
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Our drive to Berat, which wasn't too far away, was rather quiet, as I tried to concentrate on getting my head straight after the wine tasting. Not that us Finns are a talkative bunch anyway... First we took a tour of the castle on top of the hill, with magnificent views over the city.<br />
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The castle is actually still used to this day, as housing, and many restaurants, hotels, mosques and churches are also located within its walls.<br />
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The castles like this and in Gjirokaster aren't actually just one structure, but consist of many outer buildings and layers, where people in the old times would carry out their lives and trades just as in any other town.<br />
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Berat, as many other cities in the region was fought over by many different nations; Greeks, Romans, Byzantians, Slavs, Ottomans, and that is visible throughout the city. However, it's mainly known for its Ottoman architecture, as Gjirokaster. It also shares similar names with Gjirokaster, as the 'White City' the 'City of Thousand Windows'.<br />
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After the tour of the city, and late lunch, we were relaxing in the hotel, I started feeling nauseous and got a horrible headache that even a 500 mg ibuprofen didn't conquer. I don't know how I ever survived without google, but according to it, I likely suffered from a sunstroke. It was a very hot day, it should've been around 28 degrees, according to a weather forecast. We actually had a discussion with Arjon about this. He claimed it was at least 33, whereas I stuck to my guns (when don't I?) and claimed it's got to be 28 as forecast. Well, turns out it was 35 that day, and I owe Arjon a drink 😕 I can admit when I'm wrong, and I was surely feeling it.<br />
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I couldn't spend all evening cooped up in a hotel, so I dragged myself out of the bed and we headed to the Promenade by the river. It was rather busy, with families and children playing around, teenagers going to meet their friends and people just hanging out. Eventually I started feeling better, although the headache was still my constant companion.<br />
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We also stopped by at a local convenience store, and the little boy who was helping his granddad with English customers asked us where we were from. The excitement in his voice when he told his granddad that we were from Finland! I don't suppose many Finnish people travel to Albania... yet.<br />
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Before leaving the next day, I had time to take a little stroll through parts of the Old Town where we were staying. I wish I had more time for it, but the sun got the better of me the day before :(<br />
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<br />Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0Berat, Albania40.7086377 19.94373139999993340.6604932 19.863050399999935 40.756782199999996 20.024412399999932tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-10751505022343541072018-09-21T12:48:00.002-04:002018-09-21T12:49:22.392-04:00Gjirokaster and Blue Eye<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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.<br />
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From the Fortress on the hill, we continued inland towards Gjirokaster, passing olive groves, vineyards, cattle and bunkers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxS3RPZ2-Bwn8SiBkXLa-x5JYOVur3Uu1lh1GTjKHmu7n31awoKGah5_NhhSSbCY0HMpMisSD23kVZIWj12oXFrSq6eHjdCyBIG4t_D-PCkz_XL1zPDsE-Cha62sJrlYP4FMtdBdnQJ7U/s1600/Whatcha+looking+at.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxS3RPZ2-Bwn8SiBkXLa-x5JYOVur3Uu1lh1GTjKHmu7n31awoKGah5_NhhSSbCY0HMpMisSD23kVZIWj12oXFrSq6eHjdCyBIG4t_D-PCkz_XL1zPDsE-Cha62sJrlYP4FMtdBdnQJ7U/s320/Whatcha+looking+at.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We found this family just chillin'</td></tr>
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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.<br />
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Blue Eye (or <i>Syri I Kalter </i>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. 😉<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkefMeA86fI7ye4yjlq7h6bpG-PB-QtmuQfgdIsuE9ebdlqRui7ZYByFdNyUXEkjp4xhgGzJ-M7N2jxLUHByUHMWvomWWU0zP7Eb2g1qxhrjZ8fW5VuYiNfbBOUtrZ_a5MMzX48n1F-w/s1600/Blue+eye+stream+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="500" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkefMeA86fI7ye4yjlq7h6bpG-PB-QtmuQfgdIsuE9ebdlqRui7ZYByFdNyUXEkjp4xhgGzJ-M7N2jxLUHByUHMWvomWWU0zP7Eb2g1qxhrjZ8fW5VuYiNfbBOUtrZ_a5MMzX48n1F-w/s320/Blue+eye+stream+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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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.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTUCeKvJPllDkO8nZRu82KVLk_uB8WHDBjYUbKQpwfMaxAohbiazT7sFpUFMzBXfPvBmH35Sksitqay_z0wP93v6b-WsTZvLa7VBBv1tbW9eDzQog8nvLTPqNcxm2TAWluasdSPT0vkw/s1600/THE+Blue+Eye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTUCeKvJPllDkO8nZRu82KVLk_uB8WHDBjYUbKQpwfMaxAohbiazT7sFpUFMzBXfPvBmH35Sksitqay_z0wP93v6b-WsTZvLa7VBBv1tbW9eDzQog8nvLTPqNcxm2TAWluasdSPT0vkw/s320/THE+Blue+Eye.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can rent paddle boats or even take a dip in the pool further away at a bar/cafe to explore the stream further.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdqCG5JWIcA6X_GAvPblDOYDjoryu5v2GyniBRCBb4Cq8OQQoFi3aegmex1pbMXUfWm9jdn2eK55vXgTNcdNHnAepfsOrjy8L74_nIAfrVYaFDunzMiQ_DkNX2YBeGDsAQDYV0Uy2FkI/s1600/Blue+eye+paddle+boat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="500" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdqCG5JWIcA6X_GAvPblDOYDjoryu5v2GyniBRCBb4Cq8OQQoFi3aegmex1pbMXUfWm9jdn2eK55vXgTNcdNHnAepfsOrjy8L74_nIAfrVYaFDunzMiQ_DkNX2YBeGDsAQDYV0Uy2FkI/s320/Blue+eye+paddle+boat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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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.<br />
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'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.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1n2n3mjTdL4XqiZhw5fE1l92E62I6eUrsFhAnfAsLuGvU8oAedRMObpS79DgRXEKTLxd3yfbW_C3CB709sbzeO7nGjWshL7XLEXIgVKEOz3a4Pl1_bgxvL9JU7Pdd75pFbpNrCce5PFQ/s1600/Gjiro+castle+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="500" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1n2n3mjTdL4XqiZhw5fE1l92E62I6eUrsFhAnfAsLuGvU8oAedRMObpS79DgRXEKTLxd3yfbW_C3CB709sbzeO7nGjWshL7XLEXIgVKEOz3a4Pl1_bgxvL9JU7Pdd75pFbpNrCce5PFQ/s320/Gjiro+castle+view.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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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. </div>
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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. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p-9vEcHxsHqFcXzFvlECFpwKGrad61eUkxyNEGNBYRCOuH_4_jFmQCrTK_8aXeO5Kj9qADT6viPxAEB7BGlxGU-ZkcsqYfiGJ8iCzr8_hFQ_ptS-QpTIkd8bN_v-xM-57U8LDrFCr90/s1600/Gjiro+bazaar+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="500" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p-9vEcHxsHqFcXzFvlECFpwKGrad61eUkxyNEGNBYRCOuH_4_jFmQCrTK_8aXeO5Kj9qADT6viPxAEB7BGlxGU-ZkcsqYfiGJ8iCzr8_hFQ_ptS-QpTIkd8bN_v-xM-57U8LDrFCr90/s320/Gjiro+bazaar+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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On the highest location of the town, stands the castle, guarding the town below. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fLs-F38IKQef5Hk7Ej4BYlZMbeG9JFFgGaF_ZzH01TntwGiQFzTg8d8xA8po3MhiefqrIAz09WWYvLCssQMv6KXPzCxA_bKr8ayjHIDAftZ0UFlSoHdumrI3ee7LbBlGw7dxqd1Pb5U/s1600/Gjiro+castle+tower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fLs-F38IKQef5Hk7Ej4BYlZMbeG9JFFgGaF_ZzH01TntwGiQFzTg8d8xA8po3MhiefqrIAz09WWYvLCssQMv6KXPzCxA_bKr8ayjHIDAftZ0UFlSoHdumrI3ee7LbBlGw7dxqd1Pb5U/s320/Gjiro+castle+tower.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Clock tower in the castle</span></td></tr>
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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.<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbyuHRhXoIZvUi6QFsjOHQ5Wne7K7edoO8m0FLRO8n9Wpze8iE1GCPl-sKH_OR9FaY0Jy55UPWzeYr6q8_t4QVHbPaij7hgnFGR-u5zAG85QrTYXsnUfBR93Gopz2G8CbfPAX-szi95s/s1600/Gjiro+castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="500" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbyuHRhXoIZvUi6QFsjOHQ5Wne7K7edoO8m0FLRO8n9Wpze8iE1GCPl-sKH_OR9FaY0Jy55UPWzeYr6q8_t4QVHbPaij7hgnFGR-u5zAG85QrTYXsnUfBR93Gopz2G8CbfPAX-szi95s/s320/Gjiro+castle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Castle is at the top part of the picture (find Waldo-style)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzga0S590kiPV6EMOfpn6wY963eMAVA8vm3hpjv2UslWiARFWwdupcQGJy-ekPT9iKqKaoqWQ3-uSNZ1tuPvw0tXQFCcq7C4oJfQ2rWCFfL6-fsUnVlYWlxXdyP9ySViUxD6Px50FR8Y/s1600/Gjiro+castle+window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzga0S590kiPV6EMOfpn6wY963eMAVA8vm3hpjv2UslWiARFWwdupcQGJy-ekPT9iKqKaoqWQ3-uSNZ1tuPvw0tXQFCcq7C4oJfQ2rWCFfL6-fsUnVlYWlxXdyP9ySViUxD6Px50FR8Y/s320/Gjiro+castle+window.jpg" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out the castle window</td></tr>
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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. </div>
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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! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious natural, home-made breakfast. The flat breads to the left were made when we stepped in to have the breakfast. Very fresh!</td></tr>
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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.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QI_aajnMR0ME4Dja0-N79hyphenhyphenPAbrr97FlYZnODwV69kfxSuaqNbx1Xxz5UK1-3bwummrlx8oprMtoYgxP9KiqTZ5v24XR-08HyDCvZyi_xiSeTk2BH0eui7nMV05fH0FOXxcHkeDT45M/s1600/Gjiro+hotel+view+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="500" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QI_aajnMR0ME4Dja0-N79hyphenhyphenPAbrr97FlYZnODwV69kfxSuaqNbx1Xxz5UK1-3bwummrlx8oprMtoYgxP9KiqTZ5v24XR-08HyDCvZyi_xiSeTk2BH0eui7nMV05fH0FOXxcHkeDT45M/s320/Gjiro+hotel+view+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-73936651050843238412018-09-20T11:19:00.001-04:002018-09-20T11:19:21.782-04:00The ancient site of Butrint and Beach in KsamilNeither my Mother, or myself are people who could grill themselves on the beach for days on end, so to keep things interesting for Mom, and just because I myself wanted to explore different places, I had planned visiting different places around the Southern part of Albania.<br />
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On our second day upon arriving in Saranda, the ancient city of Butrint south of Saranda was our destination. Mom isn't too fond of ruins, but I dragged her on a trek around this UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 30-degree heat. In my defense, if we waited for a cooler day, that never would've come. Just make sure you've got lots of water with you; there aren't many facilities inside the site to buy any.<br />
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We took a local bus from the bus stop near the synagogue at around 9:30. There weren't many people going to Butrint, most of the tourists got dropped off at the beaches of Ksamil. The bus only cost 100 leke per person, one way (under a euro). However, the locals readily accepted euros as payment, so the trip could be paid as 1 euro, they even accepted a dollar as payment!<br />
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Getting off at Butrint was easy enough, as it was the last stop, and they do shout out each stop. However, we should've checked when the bus returned to Saranda there and then. The drop-off stop wasn't the same as the pick-up stop, which was behind some rubbish bins further along. In any case, it leaves once every hour in the daytime, now you know :) So just remember when you were dropped off, whether it was half past etc. Some people had even come in with a taxi, and asked them to wait outside, until they were ready.<br />
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Butrint is said to be founded by the exiles from Troy after its fall. The earliest sites date from the 8th century BC and is culturally very rich: ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Ottomans have all made their statement in the city. Walking around, you could get a good feel about how big this important port city actually was.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXFdaJOd6jRgY1peGRmCJtLOMGfFyR46aRrfPk0QAkRzKQPSP_nhu0vLUzRfhqtGnpl3gP68xLuIWWEa1rgx4cGmYDX3Z5X9N7q9lW3nWbcEHL9OYyhX0B7YTpUWO9od269EZwUay2l0/s1600/Butrint+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="500" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXFdaJOd6jRgY1peGRmCJtLOMGfFyR46aRrfPk0QAkRzKQPSP_nhu0vLUzRfhqtGnpl3gP68xLuIWWEa1rgx4cGmYDX3Z5X9N7q9lW3nWbcEHL9OYyhX0B7YTpUWO9od269EZwUay2l0/s320/Butrint+map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As I like ruins, I took quite a few pictures, but I'm considerate enough not to load everything here :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpax_Z9OMhgPTVai24weslGha2jsBklmnpxzv-jy9A39lm62nU8hLygjmjTK5JJOw0t0Ww3rOf9D_12Smn_0QGgZ-PY7I9JaqoQucjxUDYuo6eRpqv4nt9yE8ToWJvv8y78VoN3WtVkQE/s1600/Butrint+amphi3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="500" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpax_Z9OMhgPTVai24weslGha2jsBklmnpxzv-jy9A39lm62nU8hLygjmjTK5JJOw0t0Ww3rOf9D_12Smn_0QGgZ-PY7I9JaqoQucjxUDYuo6eRpqv4nt9yE8ToWJvv8y78VoN3WtVkQE/s320/Butrint+amphi3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Amphitheater</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHuPXVFKdRCmBKNArZS3AO0RmLTEeb-1qWMQgIJZdp7pKmG7ud7uwEvHftxOQdmj4ejjvigpqkHr6tBhV7KrkE0ottDOBIm6nzOOkfUqECDHQb_OJwLV5J_HRHl8IrSR67yp8-lz_ZayQ/s1600/Butrint+basilika.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHuPXVFKdRCmBKNArZS3AO0RmLTEeb-1qWMQgIJZdp7pKmG7ud7uwEvHftxOQdmj4ejjvigpqkHr6tBhV7KrkE0ottDOBIm6nzOOkfUqECDHQb_OJwLV5J_HRHl8IrSR67yp8-lz_ZayQ/s320/Butrint+basilika.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall in the Great Basilika</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMt0H865UNWtZ2Yec3Xx5eNI9cdWfnP4dxkXFhifglHeFYiTL2Onu2uLe6GgtvsOw7qdVW78-PZKXwdx6pqBPV421jqNFu_1zNGWs7PCZ8IdYpp79z4A3l3XmUUKlMX-mE0vEu4VGoZY/s1600/Butrint+Bath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="500" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMt0H865UNWtZ2Yec3Xx5eNI9cdWfnP4dxkXFhifglHeFYiTL2Onu2uLe6GgtvsOw7qdVW78-PZKXwdx6pqBPV421jqNFu_1zNGWs7PCZ8IdYpp79z4A3l3XmUUKlMX-mE0vEu4VGoZY/s320/Butrint+Bath.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman Bath</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9M4KivM1XyTBjZVoZfMTjUFVdtCFfdpYWSmh4-4whFzLseKjM1njz5GcB8fJ_RcmVHshG11F5ly8DHhj6eTpdNLgYKNO6E8cT_xNamxyXbLNYiGGp5JvXY7sgys-3jJXbNt4o9Y-KOaM/s1600/Butrint+bazaar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9M4KivM1XyTBjZVoZfMTjUFVdtCFfdpYWSmh4-4whFzLseKjM1njz5GcB8fJ_RcmVHshG11F5ly8DHhj6eTpdNLgYKNO6E8cT_xNamxyXbLNYiGGp5JvXY7sgys-3jJXbNt4o9Y-KOaM/s320/Butrint+bazaar.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agora/Forum/ Marketplace</td></tr>
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The Baptistery (where they baptized people) is known for its incredible mosaics, but unfortunately for tourists, it is now covered in sand as to protect it. Therefore I borrowed a picture from the time it was still available to be admired.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAsbRDDe5ZRbl0ZDSWLOzJpzA5kZBhOgSL8d1OXHPHACs6vmk4FbzGddmhMETF45bLfLYv756NalsQTWgY9NIvjfFGZWCko5mGU6Ln8KnZe6BpGKMwOlD1L26YbKB1FkNrnyqEQECd0vY/s1600/ALBANIA-Butrinto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="500" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAsbRDDe5ZRbl0ZDSWLOzJpzA5kZBhOgSL8d1OXHPHACs6vmk4FbzGddmhMETF45bLfLYv756NalsQTWgY9NIvjfFGZWCko5mGU6Ln8KnZe6BpGKMwOlD1L26YbKB1FkNrnyqEQECd0vY/s320/ALBANIA-Butrinto.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">auroraviaggi.com</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguomUpitJN0J7CuW94Bb1vWCJnPDES4_9AbORHKEl83o6W5MvDjmrUJlI3t-GQXjxqdIxr0CibhARegez8RdRdOTh3xsGMyCsvawKkOR8ztfGrsT7WQjVDEXKao2rA4i0GSPtLncQyPfA/s1600/Butrint+lake+gate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="500" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguomUpitJN0J7CuW94Bb1vWCJnPDES4_9AbORHKEl83o6W5MvDjmrUJlI3t-GQXjxqdIxr0CibhARegez8RdRdOTh3xsGMyCsvawKkOR8ztfGrsT7WQjVDEXKao2rA4i0GSPtLncQyPfA/s320/Butrint+lake+gate.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lake Gate</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRn_gedpbBpE5r6_mH9TsLC0i2PNhHYUxEPztbQ2cC6SRKT2uMx2QP7d8Yn0ke0mUSVekF1pfiHurFjtGH9RPEG6VgLs_ZrFfrjFGhMYKZRCd8Df6Y7z4DfOj5R5KcrUKGdLlpcI0v9W0/s1600/Butrint+lake+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="500" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRn_gedpbBpE5r6_mH9TsLC0i2PNhHYUxEPztbQ2cC6SRKT2uMx2QP7d8Yn0ke0mUSVekF1pfiHurFjtGH9RPEG6VgLs_ZrFfrjFGhMYKZRCd8Df6Y7z4DfOj5R5KcrUKGdLlpcI0v9W0/s320/Butrint+lake+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake view</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnB_H6H85DMp_qQZqkgFKEKET5EpQ_HbQ9KtK_JXqNqJgsNqrFIzPUaNPF6Mwt1ubnsv1nNDGiX2XFkbgbyk1l4lcECzNIHiiFc1_dxNM4c4sLq2oew3Et9ZIlHsY1lxF6rfKHqkX2mw/s1600/Butrint+lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="500" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnB_H6H85DMp_qQZqkgFKEKET5EpQ_HbQ9KtK_JXqNqJgsNqrFIzPUaNPF6Mwt1ubnsv1nNDGiX2XFkbgbyk1l4lcECzNIHiiFc1_dxNM4c4sLq2oew3Et9ZIlHsY1lxF6rfKHqkX2mw/s320/Butrint+lake.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the combination of water and mountains</td></tr>
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There was a lot of climbing and uneven, sometimes slippery pavement stones involved in the experience. I wouldn't suggest anyone with mobility issues to try it, especially all the way to the castle. Some people were even wearing flip-flops, which is rather extreme, seeing as my shoes were comfortable enough, other than the soles were a little too smooth. Sneakers/trainers are the best option, unless you want to go extreme and use robust hiking boots.<br />
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The archaeologists have done a great job, uncovering so much of the ancient city and hopefully that will be preserved for generations to come.<br />
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Ksamil </span></h3>
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If you are taking the trip to Butrint, do stop by at Ksamil. It's a small town with famous beaches. Famous as in it has the rare white sand and turquoise water that usually isn't found in Southern Albania, which has more pebbly beaches. Best option would be to come by car, as you are rather limited of choice, even though the bus does take you to the town. </div>
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After a decent lunch in the town, the waiter directed us to a nearby beach, which even in the beginning of September was packed full. But as we had come this far, we would go in and enjoy the swim. We paid 1000 lekes for 2 chairs and a beach umbrella, which is a little under 10 euros. </div>
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None of my pictures do Ksamil justice, so here's something from the Swedish Nomad. The beach we went to wasn't the best, but it was the closest and we were able to have a swim or two after a hot day of walking.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cUm7QB4w1Sw781lnlwyTgYleRZQtoQf7P_QF6eIaCPhRXBfYz0WEbcPBucsMvAcQNfNYOojaxCuwXFLiYU47-CnLyDCptuQbY8vEnzsWhgAPgWlw5Q97FFqk8GUtnvG6WpfNLa2pGiw/s1600/Ksamil-albanska-rivieran-500x383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="500" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cUm7QB4w1Sw781lnlwyTgYleRZQtoQf7P_QF6eIaCPhRXBfYz0WEbcPBucsMvAcQNfNYOojaxCuwXFLiYU47-CnLyDCptuQbY8vEnzsWhgAPgWlw5Q97FFqk8GUtnvG6WpfNLa2pGiw/s320/Ksamil-albanska-rivieran-500x383.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Swedish Nomad</td></tr>
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0Butrint, Albania39.74424 20.02507000000002814.222205499999998 -21.283523999999971 65.2662745 61.333664000000027tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-61091096569406977202018-09-19T06:27:00.001-04:002018-09-24T11:05:57.122-04:00Reflections of SarandaYou can't really tell that Albania was a communist country until the 1990's, at least in Saranda. The town itself could be anywhere in the tourist region of Europe. The numerous hotels and restaurants erected by the seaside, beach umbrellas and sun worshipers abound.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJgW6fCP18VyzjbX37c5Kowcyy6gReT396UAt2cklow6BhuHJ7c-G-l9CgUrlK4bw4XH0VYfMFGfVMeafu7j-cW0jwPi0mVmrnjfRkVNRZTRN0uryFktlzqdLgrMBk6EsBz0iab7Ts5Y/s1600/Saranda+hotel+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJgW6fCP18VyzjbX37c5Kowcyy6gReT396UAt2cklow6BhuHJ7c-G-l9CgUrlK4bw4XH0VYfMFGfVMeafu7j-cW0jwPi0mVmrnjfRkVNRZTRN0uryFktlzqdLgrMBk6EsBz0iab7Ts5Y/s320/Saranda+hotel+view.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Saranda has gone from a small fishing village to a tourist hub with no end to expansion in sight. There are still bargains to be had, if you want to buy an apartment by the seaside; you can get a 1-bedroom apartment with €34 k, and that's just the tourist price. <i>(In my experience, there is one price for tourists, and another for locals on everything.) </i><br />
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Most of the tourists in Saranda have arrived there by the convenient ferry from Corfu. And it's very common to do day trips both ways. For now, Albania's only airport is in Tirana, but there are discussions about building one in Vlore, and maybe even Saranda. That would mean even more tourists, as a bus drive from Tirana to Saranda in the South takes several hours.<br />
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There are many unfinished buildings all around Saranda and Albania. I was told this was because of the complicated building permit, title ownership and documentation practices in Albania. It appears you can start building, but if a recent change in the council regulations require your building to be 2 floors, instead of the 3 you were approved for, the building will be halted. Or it might not be clear who actually originally owns the land, even though you've got a title for it. <i>(We had same issues in Nicaragua.)</i> Sometimes this is handled by passing some '<i>incentive</i>' to the appropriate hands.<br />
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The Bay area of the town is really the tourist hub of all. The Promenade is a gathering point for tourists and locals alike, a place to see and to be seen in the evenings.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlkBvQU9xjJVFIL1v5Wy3uGMEGmJECXyLaEVZoBZ-Dt5RRESn7AAu3rw_0kkjb5U2AVPWhy5XB4zaBUPL-NhbME8X91SFIWPnhyJKtIhd3_KSXtwa4Zq_zQSpWfLKcsSu4wJDYJUVeuM/s1600/Saranda+dusk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlkBvQU9xjJVFIL1v5Wy3uGMEGmJECXyLaEVZoBZ-Dt5RRESn7AAu3rw_0kkjb5U2AVPWhy5XB4zaBUPL-NhbME8X91SFIWPnhyJKtIhd3_KSXtwa4Zq_zQSpWfLKcsSu4wJDYJUVeuM/s320/Saranda+dusk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Children with their parents come out to play and it's finally cool enough for the dogs to come out with their owners. One thing I appreciated was that dogs were allowed to swim in the sea and go to the beach, which is unlike so many other countries. And yet, there was no dog poop on the beaches that I could see.<br />
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It was also nice to observe all the different yachts and cruise ships that anchored on the bay. The passengers were ambling around the Promenade, and different vendors set up their goods just for the occasion of having the passengers come visit.<br />
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We even met a lovely elderly gentleman from Florida, who had given the cruise for himself as a birthday present 💓He had almost skipped Saranda altogether, being wary of the bad things he'd been told, but as we talked to him, he said he was very happy to have taken the chance and explored the lovely place. I do hope the rest of his trip went well.<br />
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Saranda was built on a hillside, just like so many Albanian coastal villages, as the country is very mountainous. Therefore, there were lots of steps to climb if you wanted to explore the city away from the Promenade. Most streets closest to the beach were unsurprisingly littered with souvenir - and tourist shops, but on the 2nd street from the Promenade, there started to be more mainstream shops, grocery stores and local fruit stalls. This is where the locals lived, as they've been priced out from the beach areas.<br />
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This picture is probably a more well-to-do area in any case.<br />
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During the hottest part of the day, you could see locals set up a cardboard mattress under a tree in the central park, and families sat there watching their children play as the tourists were grilling themselves on the beach.<br />
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There were a few beggars on the streets too, and the women unabashedly used their children as preps. There were also children walking around selling fruits and berries in cups. Mom often mumbled about child labor...<br />
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So, there aren't any traces of the communist regime that I can plainly see in the town. In Saranda, tourists can have a good standard of living, even on the inexpensive side when you know where to go. The beach restaurants are obviously more expensive than those further away. But there are also differences between the beach restaurants themselves. such as Restaurant Gostivari and its neighbor Fresh Fish Joni. Having enjoyed a relatively inexpensive meal at Gostivari, we thought the Joni next to it would be about the same price. It certainly wasn't! And the food was badly made, but that's something for TripAdvisor, not here.<br />
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Which reminds me of this yummy dessert though, I don't know its name unfortunately, was something local and Albanian. Very sweet and filling. It had some sort of cake on the bottom, then some custardy kind of filling, fruit and whipped cream... As you can see, I was half way done with it, before I realized I should probably take a pic of it before it was all gone. It doesn't look as pretty as it did untouched.<br />
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If you want to exchange currency, the several money exchange offices on the 2nd street from the Promenade have much better rates than e.g. banks, or even taking money out of the ATM. Even then, there are slight differences in the rates they give, so if you're particular about it as I am, do check them, they are clearly posted.<br />
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Had we spent all our holiday in Saranda, it would've been a little boring. You really should be mobile and explore all the different areas around Saranda and Southern Albania. More about that later though...<br />
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There's a lot to see up north too, but that would be for another time.<br />
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The main roads aren't in such a bad shape as years ago. There are still some improvements to be made when it comes to traffic culture, but as long as you are aware of our surroundings and don't go competing with local drivers, you should be good. However, if the police stop you, you shouldn't get out of the car, or pay them what they request, as it is against the law. That might have been my only point of hesitancy in this driving yourself business.<br />
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If you'd like to explore the country with someone else doing the driving, and a very knowledgeable guide, I would definitely recommend contacting <b>Arjon Hila</b>. He speaks both English and Finnish, and as a local, knows the country, its history and people. He can be found on Facebook, or you can ask me for his WhatsApp information.<br />
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Most of the time, however, we took the bus or the <i>furgon</i>, which is a kind of a minibus. Definitely an experience all by itself. Just be aware that you will get the tourist rates that the locals don't have to pay...<br />
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You may also see places having 2 different forms of names, such as Saranda and Sarandë. The first is the definite form, which is alright to use speaking English, and the second is the indefinite form, which is often seen on street signs or buses.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-43216493158571858122018-09-17T11:09:00.001-04:002018-09-18T08:11:40.854-04:00Crossing the Ionian Sea to Saranda, AlbaniaThis, as a lot of the posts are basically for those considering maybe taking the similar kind of trip as we did to Albania, and are really about the journey itself, nothing noteworthy happened. But I feel it's good to write things down to give tips for the next person, if nothing else than not to make the same mistakes...<br />
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After spending the final night in Corfu, it was time to set sail (okay, okay, take the ferry - not as idyllic) to Albania and the port of Saranda that I could wistfully glance at from the shores of Corfu.<br />
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We had bought our tickets from an office by the port the previous day. They had told us the terminal was about 200 meters from the office, not a walk at all! Hauling our luggage in the early morning heat, we came to realize it wasn't quite the 200 meters they had told us. Fortunately for Mom though, she had left half of her clothes in the closet at the hotel, so hers was a little lighter 😂<br />
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We followed other tourists with luggage, and they were also just dragging along. Finally, after maybe a kilometer or so, we came up to what looked like a bigger terminal, and went to ask ticket counter for directions. They showed us which way to go, about a 200- meter- trek again.<br />
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Well, it wasn't another kilometer, but it wasn't 200 meters either... We did finally end up on the other side of the harbor, with a big building for security, passport control etc. Apparently this was the area where the ferries to Italy and Albania left. In hindsight, taking a taxi might've been an option, but again, Mom was soldiering on!<br />
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After checking for our tickets and passports, we took a seat in the lobby, and bought a couple of bottles of water from the small Duty-Free store. We were told to be there 45 minutes before the departure, but we were well ahead. People just kept coming in, and finally it was packed full. However, this little fella' didn't mind anyone, just continued snoozing without a care. The waiting room was nice and air-conditioned, so I don't blame him!<br />
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At some point, the crowd started moving towards the door, and we got up also to get decent seats. However, it eventually came about that they were there for another ferry, that left an hour before ours. I went to ask one of the officials, and he checked for me that our ferry wasn't boarding yet, and that they would call us when it was ready. So we could just sit down and continue to wait. Well, unfortunately, our previous seats were already taken, so we just queued until we hit a few seats that were left empty.<br />
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When the waiting room emptied out, we just minded our time, chilling, when we noticed a couple of hurried-looking officers come in the room. They asked us which ferry we were taking, and as we told them, they told us to hurry along, as our ferry had also already docked and was open for passengers. so, we went for our ferry, which was much less crowded than the previous one had been, but saw familiar faces that had disappeared with the earlier crowd. I hope they didn't recognize us...<br />
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We went inside from the car/loading door and left our luggage there, next to the wall, then climbed up the stairs to the upper deck. The places next to the bar under the shade were already taken, but we took a seat anyway. Unfortunately there wasn't anything worthwhile to eat at the bar, just some chocolate bars, soft drinks/soda and hard alcohol. When we set out, it eventually got too hot, so we decided to go to the upper deck, where we could at least get a better breeze.<br />
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As hindsight is always 20/20, we should've maybe picked up the seats on the sides of the boat. They were still shaded, but got a little more of the breeze. Well, the upper deck had the best views, but once we got out from the shelter of Corfu, the wind picked up and tossed us about quite a bit. I'm so glad we took the old-fashioned ferry, and not the catamaran-thingy, which would have been faster, but... I would've tossed up my breakfast for sure. The ferry trip takes about an 1 hr and 20 minutes, whereas the catamaran probably takes ca. 30 minutes.<br />
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Oh, and the Corfu time was same as in Finland, EST, but going East to Albania, it was CET, Central European time. A little confusing, but oh well...<br />
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I did take a few pictures with my phone's camera, but as the sun was mirroring everything on the screen, I wasn't able to see exactly what I took pictures of, just aiming and hoping to catch something. All I can say is that the sky was clear, and there were apparently nice cloud formations in the sky...<br />
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Upon arrival to the Saranda terminal, we were greeted by calmer waters, and after passport check, a bunch of taxi drivers. Luckily they weren't that pushy, and took 'no" for an answer. I knew that our hotel was close enough, along the beach boulevard, and after about a 15-minute walk, we had arrived!<br />
<br />Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-76403670624395513692018-09-16T12:07:00.000-04:002018-09-17T10:17:03.670-04:00Kassiopi in CorfuNext day, after another noisy night, we sauntered off to a nearby bus stop near the ferry terminals to catch a bus to Kassiopi, a small fishing village north of Kerkyra that had been recommended on TripAdvisor. It took about 20 minutes for the bus to show up from the city centre to our stop. Usually the buses had the destination marked on the front, but we couldn't find it on this one. Luckily, a local lady was going on the same one, and confirmed that's where it was going.<br />
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Unlike elsewhere, you actually entered from the doors in the middle, and instead of paying the driver upfront, we were methodologically seated (as methodologically as you can do it in Greece), and when the bus started, the conductor went around collecting the fare from everyone. The trip was 3.90 EUR per person to Kassiopi. The bus picked up people along the way, mostly tourists heading to where ever they were, and they were all seated in an orderly fashion, didn't care if families or friends were separated. Eventually, we had picked up so many people that some had to stand.<br />
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The road through the mountains was winding with hairpins turns that the bus negotiated with reasonable ease. Using the other lane for leverage wasn't unheard of, and if a car happened to come by on that lane, it was their duty to move out of the way. When a car filled with young tourists didn't realise this, and challenged the driver, nothing good followed and they had to give in. The rest of the journey we then listened to the driver's discussion about tourists. Luckily that was all in Greek, so we didn't understand it. </div>
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When we finally arrived in Kassiopi, we didn't really know where to go. Consulting a map beforehand might have been a good idea, but hindsight and all that... I do as others do, so follow the people who seem to know what they're doing. Finally, we found a small beach and decided to have a couple of ciders by the restaurant/bar and watched the tourists drive by. </div>
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I had a feeling of "is this it?" Should I stop trusting TripAdvisor on these things? Finally, I sacrificed enough mobile data and googled where we were. Turns out we were on the opposite side of the village, from where all the action is. Well, Mom was sporting enough </div>
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to start walking by the scenic, oceanfront route, with its many beaches and sunbathers. </div>
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We even managed to catch a glimpse of Saranda on the Albanian side. </div>
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and eventually we came to the actual village centre, where the harbour/port was. It was a hive of action with tourists flocking to the restaurants and souvenir shops. There were also lots of different vessels moored in the harbour. </div>
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We ended up having lunch at a restaurant by the harbour, where I had the best ever beef stifado. And that's not saying it lightly! Wish I remembered the name, but oh well. The return trip seemed to go through a road closer to the coast, which meant we could see even more places on the way. The bus dropped us off near the harbour and terminal, although there wasn't really a designated stop there, the driver just followed a passenger's instructions on where to drop her off. Fine by us!</div>
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-87176795622147740652018-09-14T13:37:00.001-04:002018-09-14T13:46:29.926-04:00Corfu - the island of the peaksTo get to Southern Albania, as was my main goal, we took a TUI flight to Corfu - Kerkyra airport. The trip made much more sense than flying directly to Tirana North Albania, where Albania's only airport is situated. I would've been happy with just a 1-night stay, but Mom, who was a little apprehensive about Albania wanted to spend more time in the civilized Corfu LOL<br />
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Even though the weather was warm enough when we left Finland, the real tropical warmth was balmy to my heat-craving body. The arrivals - part of the airport was small, and we quickly got out to hunt for taxis to take us to the hotel. </div>
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The airport of Kerkyra is close enough to the city, so we could've taken the bus, but as we weren't quite sure where the hotel was, taxi was a better choice in the middle of the night. The driver took us to the hotel for 17 EUR, which I think was rather hefty, but beggars can't be choosers. </div>
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The taxi driver took us to the hotel, not the friendliest driver possible, but he knew the hotel. Hotel Europe was one of over 70 EUR a night, and I guess by Corfu standards, it was fair. At such a late booking time, I wasn't able to get a better price at any of the better hotels by the port.</div>
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But, if you want a hotel by the port (to catch the ferry to Albania), don't choose this hotel. It is very old and dated, and VERY noisy. However: credit to them; Mom had left some of her clothes in the closet when we left, and I had left my coat... They had held on to them, until I was able to pick them up on our way back to the airport, some 2 weeks later.<br />
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Oh, and an important reminder: DO NOT throw toilet paper down the toilet!! I guess it's one of the rules for visiting Greece. Well, the only other time I visited Greece was in Crete, so I don't know about the mainland. </div>
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We were exhausted after the journey, and looked forward to a restful sleep, which didn't come. In my desperation, I had to resort to borrowing earplugs from Mom, that's how bad it was. The hotel didn't offer breakfast, but the older lady at the reception was kind enough to show us to the nearest cafe about a block away. Due to her kindness or the difficulty of speaking English... The cafe/bakery seemed to be mostly frequented by locals, as was the area of the hotel. Lucky for us, they spoke and understood good enough English so we could get our order in. For about 8 EUR we got a coffee, tea, sandwich and a pastry. </div>
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Our hotel was better situated for the port, and not the Old Town. It was about a 20-30 -minute walk to the Old Town by the seaside road. The difference in time was due to mother being a bit slower. She insists she walks at a normal pace, it's the others (myself included) that are walking unusually fast. I do have to give her props, never did she complain it was too hard on the uneven cobbled stones, or that we walked too much throughout the trip. She is a real champ! </div>
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So our daily trek to the Old Town took us by the seaside/harbour, until we hit the New Fortress.</div>
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To us it looked mighty old, but it appears there's a fortress that's even older, hence the name. (Never got to visit the "Old Fortress".) Finally, turning to walk along the fortress, we came to the streets of the Old Town and all it's shops and restaurants. There were lots of touristy shops abound, with souvenirs, spices, woodwork, soaps and so on. </div>
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We wondered around quite a bit every day, and after each day, weren't quite sure how to get back to the hotel. We knew that if we saw the fortress, we could find our way back, but it was more difficult than one could imagine... On the first night, we accidentally managed to find our way back, but on the second night we were totally lost. We asked lots of people, with the help of the map we had acquired from the hotel, and everyone gave us different directions. The GPS on my mobile didn't seem to be much help either. I guess google wasn't too familiar with the the zigzagging streets. We picked up a better map at one of the ferry offices, but that was when we were about to leave already.</div>
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Finally, a guy in a restaurant told us to forget about the map, and just listen to his directions. And just like that, we had a clear view of where to go. Just go to the main shopping street, take a left turn after M&S and follow the street, you'll soon see the fortress. In any case, I now definitely know who I've inherited my sense of direction from. Or the lack thereof. </div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0Corfu, Greece39.6242621 19.92167770000003238.841148600000004 18.630784200000033 40.4073756 21.212571200000031tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-55187504517384375982014-06-19T13:57:00.000-04:002014-06-19T13:57:05.026-04:00Trip to the Devil's BeachOne weekend, we set off in our car to check another beach on the Caribbean side of Panama, to see if it would suit our purposes.<br />
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To get to it, we had to drive the only road from us to the Caribbean side; the freeway to Colón. This time, we actually had to cross the Panama Canal in order to get to the other side. At the time we hit Gatun Locks,<br />
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There were already a couple of ships waiting to pass, so we had no other choice, but to wait.</div>
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Finally it was our turn to drive through the locks. </div>
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Once we passed through them, we continued on a decent road through the jungle,</div>
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until we hit what we took as a National Park. The attendants said Playa Diablo, where we were going was closed, but we saw a few cars parked in front of its gates, so we decided to chance it.</div>
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The car was hot, so as soon as Kaleb was released, he headed for the waves. I wasn't too excited about the wave action; having had enough of being in the washing machine of Nicaragua's waves, so I just let Kaleb get himself wet.</div>
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Chuck really liked the beach, but I wasn't as happy with it, because of the waves (swimming would be difficult) and its proximity to the Canal, and its high traffic.</div>
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On out way home, we passed through an former US military base, Fort Sherman. </div>
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Nice views for army barracks.</div>
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There were also some hotels and restaurants built on the side of the Canal, but we decided to head home.</div>
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-3980204008274475452014-05-30T15:48:00.001-04:002014-05-30T16:04:11.523-04:00To the Mountains we goOne weekend we thought we could try a change of scenery, and decided to explore the nearby mountain town, El Valle. The town itself wasn't much to write home about, very touristy, but the scenery leading up to there was pretty. This post is just for some pictures from the trip.<br />
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The air was balmy, not as hot and humid as down by the sea-level. It was quite possible to drive with the windows open, which we had to do since the car overheated going up and down the mountain roads.</div>
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Chuck likes the mountains, whereas I prefer the ocean, but we reached a compromise and will look for a little finca (farm) up in the mountains too, where we can grow apples and berries we can't grow down in the tropical zone.<br />
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This last picture should show the ocean shimmering far in the background...</div>
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<br />Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-33180680516084204972014-05-05T13:09:00.000-04:002014-05-05T13:09:04.327-04:00Congratulations to the new President of PanamaLast night, there was a general election in Panama and a new President was chosen for the country. The voter turnout is usually 70 - 80 %, which means that most of those who can do vote.<br />
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The banners and ads were out in full force at least 3 months before the election, when we moved here in February.<br />
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On the Saturday, before Sunday's election, stores stopped selling alcohol at noon, and restaurants stopped serving it until the election was over. The stores must've been busy before the noon deadline... On election day, the buses were free, and there were no tolls collected on the roads. </div>
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There are 3 major parties in Panama, and none of the parties have been in power more than 1 term in a row since Noriega. It is perceived that Panamanians don't want any party to rule beyond 1 term... or there is a danger of dictatorship (somehow I'm reminded of Nicaragua, go figure.)</div>
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So it came to be that a center-rightist Juan Carlos Varela was elected President by a 7% margin. </div>
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Jose Domingo Arias, despite being backed by the incumbent President, spending lots of money, and having the president's wife as the vice-presidential -candidate, lost.</div>
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In general, it's not expected that a lot will change with the new president, and why would it? Things are going well for Panama, with the growing economy. However, in the local congress, the new president-elect's party has only a minority of representatives. This means that he must seek to cooperate with the 3rd party, in order to get anything through the congress. He cab't go to Arias's party, because being the former vice president, and later falling out with the president doesn't grant him a warm welcome there...</div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-11580093995715993722014-04-23T12:44:00.003-04:002014-04-23T12:44:39.599-04:00Our first trip to the Caribbean PanamaLast weekend we made our first reconnaissance trip to the Caribbean side of Panama. Panama has two coastlines; one on the Pacific side (where we live now), and one on the Atlantic side. The distance between the 2 coasts is 50 miles at its shortest. So we headed off towards Colón on Corredor Norte. Driving in the shadows of the jungle made us happy it was daytime, especially with the car's tinted windows.<br />
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Colón is the biggest city in the Caribbean side of Panama. It's got a big port, and it's a hub for commerce. They have tried to get rid of its seedy reputation by adding tax-free incentive zones and a huge tax-free shopping area. We didn't go there, but approaching Colón we could see all the different ads for the stores. (many pics here, but not all...)<br />
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Our intention was to drive around Colón, but with our less than accurate GPS, we ended up driving right into it. Luckily we were able to skim through the outskirts of the city, and not into the inner city that all guide books and forums warn you about. We did, however, notice how run-down everything was, and by the looks of all, I was glad it was daytime.</div>
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Finally, getting past of Colón, we continued our journey east, with the intention of reaching the town of La Guaira with its beautiful beaches. On the way there we stopped to enjoy the scenery here and there. The ocean breeze was warm and refreshing, and we started liking the coast very much...</div>
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The Easter weekend (Semana Santa) is one of the biggest holidays in the Latin America, and all the beaches were packed, like the small town of Portobelo, we drove through on our way. </div>
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There's also an ancient fortress right as you drive into Portobelo, where you can still see the cannons lined up. The area was very popular with the pirates, and it's said that some of them might even found there last resting place in the town.<br />
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As we continued on our way, we were flanked by the palm trees and crystal waters of the Atlantic on one side, and the rolling hills of the inland on the other. </div>
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When we got to our destination, we found that there were so many people packed in the beach that we couldn't even find a parking spot. With one last look, we decided to head back home and try again another time. I did manage to snag a few pictures of Isla Grande tho, a very popular holiday destination for many Panamanians with it's beautiful white sandy beaches.</div>
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On our way back we saw an interesting looking "Castle" on top of a hill. El Castillo is apparently a hotel, and its commanding presence overlooking the sea and the road made it intriguing. Like a toy castle.</div>
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Also looked like the CIA had a branch here. The Caribbean way.</div>
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So, we never got to splash around in the water, but we felt strongly that the Caribbean side was where we wanted to set up our place at. They seemed to have wi-fi in many places, so it wasn't as technologically challenged as we first thought either. We'll be back!</div>
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<br />Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-89317507820921506022014-03-24T13:36:00.002-04:002014-03-24T13:36:26.978-04:00Life is a BeachOn Sunday we packed up the exuberant Kaleb with us in the car, and headed off to Playa Santa Clara, to check out the beach about an hour away. Kaleb was so happy not to be left behind, home alone, which usually happens. <br />
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Here are some pictures of the beach. (You can click to enlarge them.)<br />
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And finally it was time to jump in!</div>
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Then it was time to head home. I have to say, I loved it, and so did Kaleb. We didn't have our ears and noses full salt water, didn't have to gag every other second to purge the water out of our breath. I didn't have to hold on to my bikinis for fear of them falling off at the waves. And it didn't hurt that the water was nice and balmy. Yes, I think I'm going to love it here!<br />
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<br />Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-41842552536096764172014-03-20T12:01:00.000-04:002014-03-20T12:17:11.213-04:00Glimpses of Panama CityWe've had to drive to Panama City quite a few times, mostly when buying our car. The traffic there is crazy, I'm so happy Chuck is doing all the driving. Here are some pictures of the city that the locals just call Panama. (It was a little confusing at first.) Here are pictures of the skyscrapers by the ocean (no ocean pics tho...)<br />
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Our attorney's office was in one of these buildings, and we were in awe, having to first introduce our business to the front desk to get a "ticket" to go in through the gates (like subways). Then we had to take the elevator up to the particular floor. Believe it or not, we needed assistance to figure it out. Apparently you pressed the button to call for the elevator by choosing the floor you wanted to go to. The number it then showed on the display was the number of the elevator you had to go to, and not the floor number...<br />
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This house (above) I thought had a pretty look: there were flowers hanging from the balconies and a cute rooftop garden also. </div>
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And of course there is a nice-looking church in town too. (you can click the pictures to make them bigger)</div>
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These are pictures from the old town Casco Viejo.</div>
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And here, just one example of the traffic in Panama. This is actually a 2-lane road: 1 lane each direction. Our car is in the middle lane, the only official lane.</div>
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<br />Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-72066918381672674202014-02-20T11:34:00.001-05:002014-02-20T11:34:27.263-05:00Move to PanamaWhat a trip... We love our Kaleb dearly, but next time... it's going to be a kennel and an airplane for him. We're not driving across borders ever again! Just saying.<br />
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Our driver came to pick us up at 5:45 AM. AM?!?!! I like my morning sleep, so this wasn't all happy turn of events. However, we had the alarm go off at 5'ish, so we were prepared. Grudgingly so. We had packed most of the stuff in the car the night before, so it was a quick lift-off, saying bye to our dear friend Carlos, who got up just to say Adios to us. Our driver, Miguel, didn't speak much English, so this was an intensive Spanish class for us.<br />
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It took us about an hour to reach Peñas Blancas, the border crossing to Costa Rica. We parked out car, and went to the passport control. Luckily the lines weren't too long, since we were there so early in the morning, just as the border opened. I had to pay about $20 for one day's overstay, but we already knew that, altho.. it was more expensive than the original $5 we thought I'd have to pay. Still cheaper than flying out of the country to keep the date. After getting through the passport control, we went to the Agriculture-side of the area, and got Kaleb's paperwork stamped and cleared. Then back into the car, and driving to Costa Rica.<br />
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We stopped at what you might call a no-mans's land to switch cars. Apparently you can't (or it's very difficult) to take a Nicaraguan car across the border, so we changed and packed to a car with Costa Rican plates, and off we went to the Costa Rican side of passport control. When going to CR, you'd need proof that you had a ticket out of there too. So you wouldn't want to stay and enjoy their tropical paradise without paying taxes to them. We thought our driver would've gotten us to the Ticabus booth to buy us return bus tickets, but he had expected us to do it ourselves, before entering the passport queue. Well, thanks to my quick thinking .. ahem.. we had our Panama address on Kaleb's vaccination papers, and that was enough to convince the official that we were actually going to leave the country. Phew!<br />
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Another trip with Kaleb to the Agriculture-portion of the area, this time he was seen by a vet there. He checked and stamped Kaleb's papers, and then gave me a lecture about how to travel with Kaleb in CR, not to upset their fragile eco-system with a foreign dog or something. Didn't get much of it, since it was in Spanish, but I kept nodding like I understood. The driver of the Costa Rican car was bff's with Kaleb from the start. He was so nice, making sure Kaleb had a nice drink before we continued our trip.<br />
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Miguel, who is actually a Costa Rican, I think, and just lives in Nicaragua, wanted to take another route to the border, one that would take us along the coast. The beaches there were indeed beautiful, but I had read some traveler complaining before about Nicaragua not having as lush flowering trees and bushes as CR has. I didn't see any of that in CR. It was pretty much the same green as Nicaragua, I would even venture to say there were more flowering trees and things in Nicaragua, than what we saw in CR. There are probably more maintained green areas in the tourist spots, since CR is a richer country than Nicaragua. But at least Nica has the Trees of Life! (slightly sarcastically)<br />
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After a few stops for potty breaks and food, we arrived at the Paso Canoas border crossing at around 4 pm. The area is also a tax-free zone, which means a lot of stores are selling their wears there and it can get really crowded. So no wonder we missed the Costa Rican side of border control. Oopsie. We had to walk back there, get our passports stamped and then go back to the Panamanian passport check. The passport controls are somewhere in this area:<br />
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Finally at the Panama passport control. Of course they were asking us when we get out, and what do we have as proof of that. Still don't quite know how we got out of that, mostly, I'm sure, by Miguel's invaluable assistance. Until it was time to have Kaleb admitted. Across the border that is. Apparently the vet in this border crossing only works from Mon-Fri.. in any case, not the weekends. We had a choice of leaving Kaleb there, and coming back on Monday when the vet was there, or stay there until Monday. So much for that.<br />
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After getting that situated, they wanted to see all of our luggage, and we had to carry it to the customs office. Chuck actually dropped his computer and associated equipment there a couple of times. Not a good start. Finally they let us continue towards the border, where we were stopped once more by a police/army patrol, questioned about our motives and having the dog with us. Eventually we were allowed to cross the border through a decontamination shower for the car.<br />
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It was getting late by now, and we would rather find a place to sleep overnight, than to drive all through the night, so we decided to drive to Santiago, some 4 hours from the border, just to be a little closer to our final destination. It was already dark, so I didn't get many memorable pictures of entering our new home country, but what was memorable tho, was all the police/military stops and inspections we went through on our way to Santiago. I think we were stopped 2 or 3 times before reaching the destination, every time our paperwork and luggage being checked. Miguel told me that one of the officers had even asked for a "donation" to let us pass, but Miguel told him he had already paid enough at the border, and wasn't going to pay a cent more! So, so happy we had Miguel with us!!<br />
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Apparently the fact that we had Costa Rican plates in the car made us a special target for these little rough-ups with the law. Officially the want to crack down the drug trafficking, but I think it's just to scare the tourists and maybe get some donations (or protection money) while they're at it. At that point, I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay in such a police state.<br />
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In any case, we got to Santiago eventually, with no arrests, and checked into a motel that seemed to me might have hourly rates too... Unfortunately a nicer hotel along the way was already fully booked. At $36/night, no wonder why they were booked. This motel had only one room available, with 3-beds. Well, it all went well, altho when Miguel, even tho tired from a long drive didn't return to the room until the wee hours, Kaleb decided to "welcome" him back.. loudly.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-71885147760870935882014-02-07T15:32:00.000-05:002014-02-07T15:39:05.749-05:00Nicaragua MiaNow that we are starting our life in a new country, it's time to look back to the country we left behind. The reasons why we left were varied, but mostly to do with the government, and the political situation we think might be ahead. We felt that the current government and those in power are going to a direction we don't want to be a part of. Hopefully, things don't come to a pass that's going to make my Nicaragua suffer.<br />
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It was also very important for Chuck's work that we changed to a country with more stability in electric and internet grids, and less restrictions on internet use.</div>
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My Nicaragua, with your crazy traffic</div>
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Mobile advertising</div>
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Local wild- and not-so-wild life.<br />
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The beautiful beaches</div>
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The relaxed beach life.</div>
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Kaleb's garden of a bathroom</div>
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and especially his Best Friend Forever Marvin</div>
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We'll miss all of Blanca's and Marvin's delicious, local cuisine.</div>
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And most of all, we're going to miss our friends; thank you for coming to our little farewell party, and we'll see you again! And last but certainly not least, our precious Nicaraguan family: Carlos, Blanca, Marvin and Valeska. Thank you for having us a s a part of your family, seeing to our needs and helping us whenever we needed it. You will always be in our hearts, and we will meet again. </div>
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In the words of our friend Carlos, this is not a Goodbye, this is a See You Later.</div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-41987025928821661872014-01-22T11:44:00.001-05:002014-01-22T11:48:58.473-05:00Shopping in MasatepeHere are some pictures of a trip I took with Bonnie to buy some patio furniture from the local artisans. On the road to Managua there are a lot of areas specialized in their particular handicraft. The small villages are called Pueblos Blancos; White Villages, and each village has their own specialization. This day we went to Masatepe to look for new patio furniture for Bonnie.<br />
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Here are some pictures of the furniture. This shop was on the village square, some sort of a guild for furniture makers. Most of the other shops were much smaller, and along the road.</div>
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So this is the local, handmade furniture, cheaper than what you would have to pay in the USA, but not "dirt cheap" as it might have been in the days past. There were a lot of woodworker shops, with handmade wooden rockers, dining sets etc. also. </div>
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This was a local candy-stand. I couldn't resists and grabbed one of these delights. Unfortunately, I forgot it into Bonnie's truck, and by the time either of us got to it, it was already too late and all the sugary goodness was beyond consumption. So I can't tell you what they taste like :(</div>
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Bonnie also needed some new plants for her garden, and lucky for us, we didn't have to go all the way to Caterina, the nursery village, but there were a lot of roadside stands for plants in Masatepe also. </div>
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So this is the stash that we finally started heading home with:</div>
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-70498246853598252162013-10-05T14:34:00.000-04:002013-10-05T14:34:01.587-04:00Nica Beaches - Playa OstionalNext on our journey to find our own piece of paradise was Playa Ostional. It is to the south of SJDS, close to the Costa Rican border. For that reason, before we even got to the property, we were stopped by a soldier at a military outpost maybe a kilometer away still from the border. He was very angry with our landlord, for failing to stop at the imaginary line you weren't supposed to cross... (There was some sort of a painted pole on the side of the road that should've told him to stop...)<br />
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Anyway, we finally got to continue the trip. Here you can see the coast of Costa Rica on the other side of the bay. Foreigners aren't allowed to buy land too close to the border, therefore one side of the beach was out of limits for us.<br />
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The only piece of land available there, was a parcel some 200 meters from the beach. There was a straight road to the beach, so nothing could be built on it, to obstruct the view or access, but it still wasn't ON the beach. The price was good tho, for being so close to the beach in this area: 30,000,00 USD for almost 1.7 acres.<br />
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It was late in the evening, and it was cloudy, as you can see.<br />
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<br />Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-65048937967419312022013-09-25T12:12:00.000-04:002013-09-25T12:12:10.796-04:00Life on the BeachLike many of you already know, we are looking for a lot by a beach to open a hotel on. The other day, some friends took us with them to show us some beaches to the North of San Juan del Sur to see if there was anything suitable for us out there.<br />
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Our first stop was Playa Jiquelite, where an international surfing competition for under 18-year -olds is held every year.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifM8m8cEFih4fujIi1juYFYMb5eU6enbkzsb0xdGhxiFfKtuS041hfiHWe1adKf8z50XROH02htt5sQL9LlQPGnAVpbP-_pbW2YZowUBo5DX92GuT8ESHROQwN2Aygr9jom31fwKsJlrE/s1600/Playa+Jiquelite+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifM8m8cEFih4fujIi1juYFYMb5eU6enbkzsb0xdGhxiFfKtuS041hfiHWe1adKf8z50XROH02htt5sQL9LlQPGnAVpbP-_pbW2YZowUBo5DX92GuT8ESHROQwN2Aygr9jom31fwKsJlrE/s320/Playa+Jiquelite+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(by Bonnie Hayman)</span></div>
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The waves were a little too high for our taste, so after a little snack by a beach side bar, we moved on.</div>
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We heard from the locals, that Playa Brito was worth checking out. A yet undiscovered gem. I remembered hearing about it before, but couldn't quite place it. The trip through the jungle on a bumpy and at places knee-high muddy road was interesting, to say the least. No wonder the beach isn't more popular... This was the scene that greeted us upon our arrival:</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(by Bonnie Hayman)</span></div>
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Our friend Bonnie was excited about the ruggedness of the beach, whereas I was ready to move on. We asked the locals living in their tin houses without electricity, what was the name of the beach. They said "Boca di Brito", Mouth of Brito. We didn't quite understand it then, but later found out that it is the area Brito River flows back into the ocean..</div>
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We waddled through the little stream, and finally arrived to this:</div>
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The beach was exactly what we'd been looking for! After a hot drive, the waves were destined to call our names and we all dipped into the warm water. Bonnie told us an interesting fact about the waters. She said that during the rainy season, the water is really warm, whereas come dry season, it gets colder. </div>
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After our little bathing session, I wanted to walk down the beach (a looong beach) and see what was on the other side. We found a cool "Bat cave", which would fill with water during high tide. As would most of the beach.</div>
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After we came home, we told our landlord about out trip, and finally found out why I had heard of the beach before. They are planning to build the rival to Panama Canal, through this beautiful, unspoiled, perfect beach! </div>
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-69181073235136550372013-09-04T12:18:00.000-04:002013-09-04T12:26:21.690-04:00New Life for School BusesAs this article describes, when old, yellow school buses are replaced in the US, they don't go to the junkyard, but retire to the tropics!<br />
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<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2013/0828/Once-a-US-school-bus-now-a-Central-American-taxi">School Buses</a><br />
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Here are some more pictures of the buses in action here at home. They are called Chicken Buses, probably because the locals use them, if need be, for carrying their chickens to the market. They usually paint the buses in all sorts of colors and sometimes whimsical ways.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKdb46K2QH_FKODc5IYhc1Qk2DqGhwe_7OspVL3rkXn67nr8IzpsJWbOOvsgSDGCpKVxJdcgIWMBRv0Twf1N89AknJRPGxjAZfGGzwrObn0wrHIHvnUhyphenhyphenMT_o7rkiamaTfl35vx-uhYQ/s1600/Bus1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKdb46K2QH_FKODc5IYhc1Qk2DqGhwe_7OspVL3rkXn67nr8IzpsJWbOOvsgSDGCpKVxJdcgIWMBRv0Twf1N89AknJRPGxjAZfGGzwrObn0wrHIHvnUhyphenhyphenMT_o7rkiamaTfl35vx-uhYQ/s320/Bus1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sometimes they keep the same colors, and even the old "Stop" sign.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmGkfXz22TojBOsUXXwGNHkgtb2eyW098KFajM5JK6f2GxZEKw55VYlHt7oycvfYS-dMcKNCCmydPQinD5rODy5ooGu-SgeMnyir-csnDlQxIIM39ozqsWdq43Nm06peK1Rfp1w5ZzBsU/s1600/Bus+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmGkfXz22TojBOsUXXwGNHkgtb2eyW098KFajM5JK6f2GxZEKw55VYlHt7oycvfYS-dMcKNCCmydPQinD5rODy5ooGu-SgeMnyir-csnDlQxIIM39ozqsWdq43Nm06peK1Rfp1w5ZzBsU/s320/Bus+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And some of the buses are the usual kind, but packed to the brim. And if there's a lot of luggage on the roof, there are sometimes handlers that travel on top of the buses. Just don't leave anything of value in the roof luggage, that is if you want to see them again.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglhstIViotgL-pqMFHqfcA2BTG197csysnb2zpoZydkfdxi8Gbs27eisnSTFTD0taENOG48VRDb-r2iBPOY_inFSqqY9IJyUxhv_9f7ZUx3t-w8U6VtJ09oA3SwyCXLdIrJ_2EFtbMPR8/s1600/20130422_152308_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglhstIViotgL-pqMFHqfcA2BTG197csysnb2zpoZydkfdxi8Gbs27eisnSTFTD0taENOG48VRDb-r2iBPOY_inFSqqY9IJyUxhv_9f7ZUx3t-w8U6VtJ09oA3SwyCXLdIrJ_2EFtbMPR8/s320/20130422_152308_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-66947501802485110632013-06-25T16:46:00.001-04:002013-06-25T16:46:43.282-04:00Souvenir ShoppingAs our trip home to Finland is fast approaching, it was time to do some shopping for souvenirs to take home. Fortunately, a friend of mine has the same dilemma, and we decided to take a girls' shopping day, leaving Chuck and Kaleb to spend quality bonding time at home.<br />
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Everyone knows Masaya's Handicraft market. It's a market created for tourists, and the prices are accordingly. However, less known is the handicrafts section at the Masaya Municipal Market, with much lower prices (maybe one fifth of the price).That's were these savvy shoppers were headed!<br />
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It's not as fancy and clean, as the tourist market, but that's part of its charm. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Picture by Hans Sterkendies)</span><br />
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I just had to share what I bought and at what price. I was amazed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4a6z-zHhdY7R5nN4z63jUWLIzC0fdHDHVsppVN43ERCwQ1KjZhKWObxF82ftMBXdRLBeYUDXv1h2JewxIIGxE-nPXoWb8AAHrZWflHNp0Ie7aUviDYBPzPvmavWjs5Vct4fwq4uOItw/s1600/Juhannus+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4a6z-zHhdY7R5nN4z63jUWLIzC0fdHDHVsppVN43ERCwQ1KjZhKWObxF82ftMBXdRLBeYUDXv1h2JewxIIGxE-nPXoWb8AAHrZWflHNp0Ie7aUviDYBPzPvmavWjs5Vct4fwq4uOItw/s320/Juhannus+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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So, I got a wooden bowl, made of different local woods, a ceramic, decorative house, a t-shirt, wrist band, hair band, chandelier earrings and a woven bag for the total of $ 32! Oh, and if my folks are reading this... now you know what you'll be getting...<br />
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After the exhaustive time shopping, we went for lunch at a "best, most authentic" Mexican restaurant in all of Nicaragua. We had yummy enchiladas and margaritas for lunch, and it only cost $ 17 for two, including a 10% tip. Oh, and best of all, we didn't have to pay any "gringo-taxes" to the local police on the way!Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692449666008752734.post-833064630849196532013-05-29T17:17:00.001-04:002013-05-29T17:23:20.039-04:00Glimpses of Ordinary Life<div style="text-align: center;">
Here are some pictures of ordinary things around the house, things that are a little different than what we're used to back home, whether it be in the USA or Finland.</div>
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Here's our dishwasher. Well, that's mostly me, but there is a technique to it, that I have to admire. Requires a lot of water tho, and elbow grease :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlBpeJjMr7D8VsHywApISWx6wdzEzutrYaxZmbDPxpGvIf6A9iLRoun3zMkJXm2BbDSkNNRtMyQPdICzQvgyIZmJLxCIdV8Ln0RbaOCrK3x4CiFD3aYLllM40Olwrtn8xSUXrCYfgksiw/s1600/Dishwasher.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlBpeJjMr7D8VsHywApISWx6wdzEzutrYaxZmbDPxpGvIf6A9iLRoun3zMkJXm2BbDSkNNRtMyQPdICzQvgyIZmJLxCIdV8Ln0RbaOCrK3x4CiFD3aYLllM40Olwrtn8xSUXrCYfgksiw/s320/Dishwasher.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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So, you have a sponge and a tub of dishwashing soap. You grab some soap on the sponge and wash the plates and all under the running water, at the same time rinsing them. We have a drying rack, so we don't have to towel dry them, at least. This method is fine when it's just a few plates and things, it'd be a lot more work for a whole family! Oh, and there is no hot water, everything is tepid.</div>
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Another tidbit about living in Nicaragua. Most of the plumbing here is so old and the pipes so small, that you can't throw your TP in the toilet, but put it in the wastebasket. Luckily here in San Juan del Sur, trash is collected everyday, where we live, many times a day.</div>
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The maroon toilet set was purchased by our landlord (editor's note).</div>
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With so much poverty in Nicaragua, it's important to keep your items and home safe.Therefore, even the poorest houses have wrought iron bars on the windows. </div>
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Because there is no postal delivery in town, and the newspaper can only be bought in the store, advertising is done more creatively.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCAVKdZJEl-H79CSAkw0yf3oWn2l8onX3SH5Znf_drcr0BIUOYPApK63w11QohBAax2iy-E4RFjqKoPvrPV9ZYAl_VodKmWIvPXeXYN1IlodqPDmbpD3Ys9B2k3rrKeBaOAjr_VWpKBc/s1600/Advertising.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCAVKdZJEl-H79CSAkw0yf3oWn2l8onX3SH5Znf_drcr0BIUOYPApK63w11QohBAax2iy-E4RFjqKoPvrPV9ZYAl_VodKmWIvPXeXYN1IlodqPDmbpD3Ys9B2k3rrKeBaOAjr_VWpKBc/s320/Advertising.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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All sorts of cars, here's just one example, drive around town with loudspeakers on top, playing recorded messages from our advertisers. We don't understand much of it yet; what we thought was an animated, high-pitched political speech from a Hitler-wannabe, turned out to be an ad for a circus coming to town. The only ad we have understood was our friend Bonnie's for El Timón restaurant. It was in English.</div>
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Electricity is a little sketchy here as well. Sometimes you have it, sometimes you don't. Like with the rainy season upon us, and the thunderstorms we've been having, the power goes out more often than not, during those storms. Here is an example of a power pole in our 'hood.</div>
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Made you go "no wonder" huh? :) </div>
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My life is a dream tho, especially when I found a local store that actually carries Diet Pepsi, or Pepsi Light, as it is called here! Party on!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrKvw4Old4AfckNxlH4p0rKWO5F7BQY5aZyJGhX5Jz2ckUVoWdz-LDVuiVDacFABHZLncyDLgpXWjfyN0yIBXJUYocxVO45_l2j2svu3fjoYYMaSflVsar97nKJqXx8-VW6IX1nNOImE/s1600/Pepsi+Light.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrKvw4Old4AfckNxlH4p0rKWO5F7BQY5aZyJGhX5Jz2ckUVoWdz-LDVuiVDacFABHZLncyDLgpXWjfyN0yIBXJUYocxVO45_l2j2svu3fjoYYMaSflVsar97nKJqXx8-VW6IX1nNOImE/s320/Pepsi+Light.JPG" width="125" /></a></div>
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18429934425679821477noreply@blogger.com0