Albania! Over the Hills and Though the Wood to…!

Evidently, Albanians love Americans!  George W. Bush visited Tirana and other areas of the Balkans in 2007 to promote economic and political stability.  They named a street for him in Tirana which is a little strange walking along!  He visited a coffee shop, and it changed its name also to the George W. Bush Coffee Shop.

We left city-life and headed northwest for a slower pace in a small town called Shkodra.  The rolling countryside looks similar dotted with white plaster houses, tile roofs, and small farms.  Occasional you will see a teddy bear, doll, or ram’s horn hanging from the front of a house.  This is to protect the house and its inhabitants from the curse of the Evil Eye by attracting the Eye’s attention rather than those living within.

As we traveled by private van, our guide discussed Albania’s educational system where children start school at age 6, and for 9 years, schooling is mandatory.  Afterwards, they can concentrate on certain subjects and state exams are administered around 18 yo in English, Literature, and Math.  Optional exams are available if you want to continue in Medicine…biology and chemistry, or choose a field of Business and Economics.  

Universities are both public and private, but if you do well on your state administered exams, public universities only cost about $285/year!   Private schools are for students who could not gain admission to public schools and cost much more.  Our guide said these students are said to have bought their diplomas!

An undergraduate degree is 3 years and a graduate degree is 1-2 additional years.  About 70% of students attend university; although, the government is encouraging young people to go into “professional school” what we call trade school.

We stopped by a local pottery maker who has been practicing his craft for 25 years along with other members of his family.  With our guide interpreting, he talked about harvesting the clay from the nearby mountains and mixing it in large pools with water to clean it and reach the proper consistency.  He demonstrated making a bowl, a vase, and a plate on his pottery wheel which are then fired in large kilns which gives the gray clay it’s terracotta color, then painted, and fired again.

  

It was raining steadily and our beautiful blue skies were long gone.  However, we stopped at a local farm where the owner returned to Albania to pursue sustainable farming.

One room held barrels of cheese being processed…

  

…while another room held the aging cheese rounds.


Smoked sausages cured next door.  

The newly constructed wine cellar held barrels of wine waiting for the perfect time to be served or bottled.

 

The farmhouse restaurant was an extension of his vision.  In a wood and stone house attached to a large grape arbor…and the grapes were still growing!, is a lovely restaurant packed with tour groups but popular with locals also.  A set menu is served, and the first of our ELEVEN courses arrived!  And they didn’t stop coming for over 1 1/2 hrs!

The meal..or rather the production!…began with a wine glass of fresh pomegranate juice, followed by a bowl of spreadable cheese, fruit, berries, grapes, and edible flowers.  Bread, leek pie, egg pie, eggplant, various pickled veggies, cheeses, and sausage and smoked meats followed.  We ate chicken, chunks of roast pork from a spit, and baby goat.  And then dessert arrived - a beautiful trio of fruit, cheesecake with pomegranate seeds on top, and a bowl of tiny cherries.  But dessert continued with blueberry tart, chocolate lava cake, and pistachio ice cream.  AND, I am sure I’m forgetting a few things!

It was a fabulous meal, and the baby goat was my favorite!  Thank goodness for stretchable pants!

We were scheduled to help with some farm chores…feed the chickens and goats, but with the rain pouring down, we continued on to Shkodra.  However, even in the rain, I enjoyed the planters made out an old truck and a bunker!

 

Shkodra is the most historic town in Albania with a castle we will visit tomorrow dating to the 3rd century BC.  During the communist regime, Shkodra was extremely reactionary perhaps due to the large number of Roman Catholics living there.  Many priests were tortured and killed.

We hunker down inside our rain jackets and take a short walk along the center of town as our guide points out shops and ATMs.  Their currency is the “leke” pronounced “lek” and the exchange rate is $1US to ~120 leke.  A bottle of water costs about 50 leke or $.40.  My gelato last night was about 350 leke or less than $3.00.  Thank goodness for my handy currency conversion phone app!

Signs on buildings are printed “Shitet”.  This means for rent….not cursing in Albanian!

Yes is “Po” and No is “Yo”.  It makes me sound like I’m from the ‘hood…and I don’t mean Williamsburg!

I mailed postcards to the grandkids today.  It only cost 100 leke each which is about $.84.

Another day ends with Travels with GJ!  After that lunch today, I don’t even want gelato!