These superlatives contain the notable things from my 8 day Albanian road trip on the southern coast between Vlorë and Ksamil. Best Seafood The shrimp at Eni – Bar Kafe – Traditional Food, between Ksamil and Saranda. Yum it was perfectly cooked and so flavorful that I ate up all…

I’m honored to be here in Gjirokastra during the Festival Folklorik Kombëtar! The town itself is beautiful, and with the added events and visitors, it felt even more full of life. The entrance fee to castle was waived for the festival, an added bonus! Inside the castle, I saw authentic…

Gjirojastër is a beautiful town. I am excited to rent a car from here because that means that I will get to return. Serendipitously, there will be a cultural festival in Gjirojastër when I return! The car rental man copied my driver’s license and drafted up a contract. I softly…

Today is a day of adventure. I tried mish koke, soup made with the meat from the head of the animal. Mine was from the head of a cow. I ate pieces of meat that were brain and pieces that were tongue. I felt very brave and determined to eat…

Ilir’s friend, Juli, has a car. The three of us hopped in the car and headed to Përmeti. We were joined by Ensuid, Ilir’s friend from Tirana. We got a late start to the trip and left after 2pm. I expected that we might leave earlier in the day, but…

Traveling with a few Albanian men, I was able to ask about certain words, phrases, and traditions. I’m grateful for these friendships as they are deepening my understanding of the country and the culture. I enjoyed listening to the 3 guys talking in Albanian. I noticed at least in American…

Korçë has the first Albanian school. The Mësonjëtorja (it means “classrooms”) opened in of 1887, and was the first place where the written Albanian alphabet was taught to students. The building is now a museum. Knowledge is power, and the occupying Ottomans and the Greeks did not want Shqip (the…

Tirana is very walkable and bike-able, and feels safe. I could live happily here. There are a lot of cafes and it seems like there are a lot of things to do here. I went on the free walking tour with a local guide, Eri. He told us about the…

The town of Shkodër, “the city of bikes” is quite nice. Bikes rule the road and the cars must be very defensive drivers and yield to them. I rented a bike from my hostel and biked a route by Skhodër Lake. The bike seat wasn’t very comfortable, but otherwise it…

The hike between Theth and Valbonë is a famous hike in the Albanian Alps. When visiting Shkodër, I decided that I should do the hike, too. I had the option to start in either Theth or Valbonë. I opted to start in Theth due to time constraints. (If you start…