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Post by Raised_By_Wolves on Aug 15, 2015 6:54:22 GMT -5
Has anyone here been there? Stories? Albania board on TT/LP is very slow, I've also been reading TA and the guide book. Food is mostly Italian but at least they have own wine and native grape varieties. Seems like a challenging country but I'm not discouraged.
Not even on my list and I'm going there next month. Promised an acquaintance (a pensioner) to accompany her. Must be one of the dumbest things I have ever done. She's the extroverted rudderless-go with the flow-hippy type whilst I'm a meticulous planner, researcher and extremely introverted... It's infuriating. We won't be spending 24/7 together though, this I have made clear.
Feta with everything everyday (?).
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Post by wombatrois on Aug 15, 2015 7:21:34 GMT -5
I live in Albany and the locals are called Albanians.
Sorry, not much help am I!
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Post by Raised_By_Wolves on Aug 16, 2015 4:47:12 GMT -5
^ LOL...
I do hope to eat real Albanian food, which is a mix of Greek, Turkish and Balkan. Interestingly, no garlic is used in Albanian cookery. No garlic in Greek and Turkish food... simply unthinkable.
Shall get my fill of garlic when I reach Thessaloniki (stay a week there before heading home).
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Post by sprite on Aug 16, 2015 7:04:43 GMT -5
i heard something on the news about albania, and a new trend for little stuffed animals which act as evil eye protectors.
despite teaching a few people from there, i've never been.
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Post by Raised_By_Wolves on Sept 26, 2015 16:36:46 GMT -5
I ate a sheep's head, oh yes I did. It's normal food here. I've seen Romas and so far they are all beggars. ETA: I was told, half way through, to eat it with my bare hands but I really had no trouble extracting the bits with my knife and fork.   |
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Post by sprite on Sept 27, 2015 13:37:20 GMT -5
that's one of those dishes i'd probably enjoy but would need to be a bit drunk before tucking in.
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Post by Raised_By_Wolves on Oct 2, 2015 16:50:14 GMT -5
After the last hike ( Villarrica crater, Chile) I told myself it would be the last hike ever. Well, after this one just the other day I told myself that again. Theth is a village within Theth national park in the far north of Albania. From here I hiked 8hrs to Valbona. This trail is the only way to get to/from these 2 villages. Locals do it in half the time.  (posting from the capital Tirana now) PS: maybe Sprite likes Albanian qebap more than sheep's heads... (there's an outdoor beer event going on right now)  |
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Post by sprite on Oct 3, 2015 16:55:58 GMT -5
that looks pretty good!
i've done a couple of those hikes where the local go rings around me!
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Post by rikita on Oct 10, 2015 17:48:05 GMT -5
I am jealous, i always wanted to go to albania ...
But it is quite likely you've seen roma that weren't beggars - you just didn't know they are roma ...
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Post by Raised_By_Wolves on Oct 11, 2015 9:38:53 GMT -5
^^ Yes, most likely. They face extreme discrimination in Albania. What I notice almost straight away about Albanians is how kind they are to travellers and strangers. If they can't help you they'll grab someone in the street, or call their friends and ask for you. Some stare hard (though not anywhere near what you experience in China), no one bothers or hustles me. Fantastic nature, less developed in the north, new roads are being built everywhere now. People say the changes are like night and day since the collapse of communism (how they have suffered). Go now/soon when it's still cheap and capitalism hasn't totally taken over (just a matter of time). Once you leave Albania and enter Greece almost everything hits you in the wallet. But Greek olives and oil blow Albanian olives and oil out of the water. Quick trip to the coast   Remnants of former Ottoman empirer can be found in architechture and food/drink.    Crossed the border into Greece and stayed here for 3 days. Monasteries atop steep rocks are spectacular!  I have just arrived in Thessaloniki, Greece's greatest gastronomic city. Shops are closed on sunday but one can still get gyros or souvlaki any time. 9 days of that and mezes then I have to get back to my workout routine. |
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Post by sprite on Oct 11, 2015 12:02:59 GMT -5
you are making me hungry!
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Post by rikita on Oct 11, 2015 12:51:54 GMT -5
i suppose the discrimination is similar to that in romania, for example?
back when i first wanted to go to albania it was due to a guy telling me about his journey in the late nineties. he said at the time he thought it isn't a good idea going without knowing anyone there, especially as a woman traveling alone (though he is a guy, so i guess he can't know that part for sure) - but from what you write, traveling alone is okay these days? he might have been one to exaggerate a bit anyway ... would you say it is a country where it is okay to travel with a small child? i might try to talk mr. r. into going there sometime in the next few years ...
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