From the sweet little campsite in Permet I drove a little further north to Berat
This town has a complex history and a unique style of architecture
It is built on two sides of a river
One side mostly Christian, the other side mostly Muslim
Both communities living in harmony with each other
I squeezed through the castle walls
And spent the night within the fortress
People still live and work within the walls and it was like stepping back in time, watching people casually go about their day to day lives in this historic site
Within the walls is also this gorgeous little 15th century orthodox church built in the Byzantine style by the medieval Albanian noble family of Muzaka
When I was at the farm in Permet, Frank and Femke recommended that I visited a restaurant in Berat called ‘Lili’s’. They said that it was more like being at a dinner party at somebody’s house than eating out. There are only 4 tables squeezed into Lili’s own little garden. Lili is an extravagant character who welcomes the guests and serves the tables. He remembers everybody’s names and speaks to them in their own language. When Frank and Femke were there, they heard him speak Dutch, French and Italian. He also gets everyone talking to each other so that by the end of the night new friendships are formed. Lili’s wife makes all the delicious traditional food and his dad makes the wine and raki. I went there for lunch and it was exactly as Frank and Femke described. Just the perfect way to spend an afternoon. I enjoyed chatting to the other guests, eating such good food and drinking homeade wine. I heard Lili speak in Spanish, Croatian, German and Mandarin as well as English.
After leaving Berat I headed to the coast to make a quick stop back in Vlorë. I spent 3 days there with some of the people who I had met at the hotel down in Butrint and who were now also in the same area. We had a great time by the sea and going out partying in the city.
I then drove all the way to very north of Albania to a city called Shkodër. The weather took a turn and it was really raining. I’m so grateful for the bright, warm sunshine I had for pretty much my whole month here. I didn’t let the rain dampen my spirits and I climbed up to Rofaza castle
Legend has it that a woman was built into the walls. You can read the full story here
From Shkodër I crossed to Montenegro. Albania has been a real gem. I had no idea what to expect but it is really a fascinating and beautiful country and I had an amazing time.