Feedback on Tirana?

[CintiPam]

I was just in Albania on the Nautica two weeks ago. We took the Oceania tour called "Berat: City of a Thousand Windows." I really enjoyed the tour. It was the most unusual tour of our trip. (We did both the May 16th and May 26th cruises.) What a great day we had! It was like nothing we’ve ever seen. We docked in the port of Durres.

 

Here is a report I emailed home while on the ship:

 

Our tour was called “Berat: City of One Thousand Windows.” We were warned by the Cruise Director and in the Currents that in Albania the quality of the bus and guides might not be up to the standards we’ve had so far. But it was the exact opposite was true. Our guide, Ervin, spoke terrific English and was extremely knowledgeable about the tour and world politics in general. The coach was the same as all of the others we’ve been on, huge and with A/C, and the driver was great.

 

Albania is a happy and sad, good and bad place. The guide was very happy that the communists were thrown out in the late 1990’s, but sad that the country is still in extreme disrepair. There are partially finished buildings everywhere. There are building skeletons everywhere. They are crumbling and unlikely to be completed. The guide said that a lot of people cannot get mortgages, so they build the first and second stories of their houses, and then leave the third story unfinished so that the kids can someday complete it and move in.

 

The road to Berat was very narrow and under constant construction. It was a 50 mile drive that took two hours. Once outside Durres, there was barely enough room on the road for one bus to pass another. The guide said the roads were narrow so that, in the past, invaders could not get quickly to the main cities. There are various world organizations that have given Albania money to improve the roads, but there is still corruption and the money does not all get to the road repair. About every 1/2 mile or so there is roadwork on the side of the road that requires the bus to slow down to a crawl. But the slow speed gave us time to really see the area.

 

There were lots of small fields, farmed by people using hand scythes. We saw many donkey carts for carrying farm tools and crops. Along the way to and from Berat we saw lots of donkeys pulling carts and lots of people selling produce along the road.

 

There was a lot of trash stacked up, especially around bridges. The guide said that the people are used to having the government do everything for them, so it is hard for some people to change. That is why there is so much trash, the government used to pick it up, but no longer.

 

The guide, however, was very bright and hopeful for the future of the country. He explained the history. He said that there has been much war in Albania, corruption, communism, and now a socialist government, that it will take a long time for the country to improve.

 

We stopped at a winery called Cobo. It is a small family winery. We had a nice tour and then tasted wine. It was very good. In fact, it was our favorite wine of all the wine we had tasted previously in Italy and France. We bought some and enjoyed it on the ship. I wish we had bought more. The family was very proud of the winery.

 

Then, we drove on to a 13th century fort/castle high in the mountains. Most of the fort is ruins, but there is a church inside that is now the Onufri Museum that has the most spectacular religious icons that are carved of walnut wood and then covered in gold and paint. The original frescoed ceilings were still visible and gorgeous.

 

We then had lunch at a restaurant across from the fort. It was a typical Albanian meal and was fantastic! First, we had chicken rice soup, then a spanakopita-type appetizer with zucchini, then steak and a marvelous flat meatball of beef that was the tastiest ever! We had local wine with lunch and a dessert of a spice cake. We were really impressed.

 

Next, we drove down the mountain to the Osumi river and Berat to see the one thousand windows. The houses are terraced on the mountain and all look similar, giving the impression of thousands of windows. It was really pretty.

 

There were many brightly-colored houses. The guide said that houses during the communist era were all gray, but after the communists were thrown out, people began painting their houses bright colors. We saw some very nice houses and many sad, not so nice, houses.

 

It is really hard to describe what we saw. As I said at the beginning, we saw a lot of good and a lot of not so good. But, if there are enough people like Ervin, the country may recover and make something of itself in the future. I sure hope so.

 

At the end of our tour, Ervin sang the national anthem for us. When we said good-bye when we got off the bus and told him how much we enjoyed the tour, he had tears in his eyes. I certainly hope Albania can succeed. It will take a long time.

 

I hope you will take time to see the country and, perhaps, help the economy in a small way.

 

Wonderful trip report. Hope this convinces some of the posters to give Albania a look-see. The icons museum and lunch certainly were the highlights in my opinion.

Edited June 17, 2014 by CintiPam

[spindrift]

What great reports and pictures. Thanks for taking the time.

[SellaVee]

Well, how many of your friends can say they have been to Albania? :D

 

Well, there's the other 1248 on the ship with me!! :D

 

Even if I spend the day in Durres I'll still be in Albania. It has a promenade, a long beach and some ice cream shops. I think that might do me. I do like to be beside the seaside and I'll have chance to people watch.

 

I must say, Pam, that I really appreciate the time and effort you've put in to the feedback you've given us on Albania. We didn't know a lot about the country before, other than it's location. Many years ago we were warned not to go too near Albania while sailing off the coast of Corfu for fear of pirates!

 

I did contact Luis and he was indeed charming. However we are seriously put off by the idea of several hours spent in a coach. If we were near Butrint it would be different. I really liked the sound of that and we may go there on another trip.

[SellaVee]

I was just in Albania on the Nautica two weeks ago. We took the Oceania tour called "Berat: City of a Thousand Windows." I really enjoyed the tour. It was the most unusual tour of our trip. (We did both the May 16th and May 26th cruises.) What a great day we had! It was like nothing we’ve ever seen. We docked in the port of Durres.

 

Twiga, thanks so much for posting your report. It's great to get such up to date and comprehensive feedback.

Edited June 18, 2014 by SellaVee

[china addict]

Thanks for the very helpful feedback, especially the detailed trip report from Twiga and the photos from Paulchili. Now I'm looking forward to exploring Albania and will use some of my OBC for the tour to Berat. Usually we prefer private guides, but I've got oodles of OBC and in view of the traffic challenges it seems wise to be on the ship's tour. I will do my best to support the Albanian economy, especially the wine producers! My thanks to everyone who contributes to these Oceania forums. You are the best!

[CintiPam]

Well, there's the other 1248 on the ship with me!! :D

 

Even if I spend the day in Durres I'll still be in Albania. It has a promenade, a long beach and some ice cream shops. I think that might do me. I do like to be beside the seaside and I'll have chance to people watch.

 

I must say, Pam, that I really appreciate the time and effort you've put in to the feedback you've given us on Albania. We didn't know a lot about the country before, other than it's location. Many years ago we were warned not to go too near Albania while sailing off the coast of Corfu for fear of pirates!

 

I did contact Luis and he was indeed charming. However we are seriously put off by the idea of several hours spent in a coach. If we were near Butrint it would be different. I really liked the sound of that and we may go there on another trip.

 

You're welcome. I thought perhaps that a private car or van would facilitate a much better experience than a large bus.

 

Butrint definitely is worth a visit, particularly when it is so close to Sarande. Before we toured, Luis stopped to treat us to a drink; I thought it was a rest top before another segment of the journey. Imagine my surprise when Luis pointed out that we were right next to the entrance to the site! :)

[wp bob]

We too are just back from a port stop in Durres. We had arranged a private tour for 15 through Elite Tours and customized what we wanted. We went to Kruja and saw the bazaar, Skanderberg castle and Ethnographic museum. Then drove to Tirana to the Natl museum, Ethem Bey Mosque and lunch. All for about 50€ per person. Albania has that Eastern Europe, communist look still but was more modern than I expected. Lots of construction and traffic with potholed roads.

 

 

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[Winner]

We, too, are on the June 30th Adriatic Medley cruise stopping in Tirana (Durres). We booked the O tour to Berat, the city of a thousand windows. I understand it is quite interesting located on a hillside. We also go to the castle, Kala; enjoy an Albanian lunch, and other various stops. It is a longer tour than we usually take (8-1/2 hrs.) but we thought this would give us an opportunity to see a bit about Albania.

 

We love going to places where we have not been (but are not dangerous right now) and meet and learn about cultures elsewhere. This is one great big world and so much to learn about others and see. Please don't get preconceived ideas about a place. It shades your opinion to a degree, I think. We can learn from comments, but go with an open mind. The Albanians will be glad that you are there and maybe helping to improve their economy.

 

We dn;t have that many years being in our 80's and 70's, so we want to see what we can. If you don't want to tour on your own, take advantage of one of O's tours. I'm sure you have many of the same on your trip as we do.

 

I will certainly report back when we return.

 

I, too, still cruise as Spindrift does and will continue to do so as long as cruises visit places new to me, or favorites of past cruises.

 

Cruise lines are always searching for something new for jaded travelers who have "been there, done that". Oceania is offering a rare opportunity to see a country seldom visited by Americans and is criticized for visiting a country about which little is known. Curiosity about a city/country/area can be satisfied by researching local libraries, travel literature or even Google.

 

My husband and I started cruising to see countries, cities, countrysides new to us. We were fascinated by histories, topographies and the people of the countries we saw. I will continue to cruise as long as I am able. There are always new adventures.

 

Please do not have a "sea day" because the roads are rough or the bus may be not be air-conditioned. There are too many experiences awaiting you--isn't that why you cruise? It is why I do. (I would love to travel with Spindrift sone day!)

[Twiga]

I agree 100% with Winner. I travel to visit favorite places, like Italy and France, but also to discover new places, like Albania. I would never have gone to Albania if it was not a port on the cruise. It turned out to be my most memorable place in 22 days of cruising!

 

I was just reviewing my photos of Albania yesterday. I have gorgeous photos of the countryside, hills, vineyards, the City of One Thousand Windows (Berat) and the castle. I really hope that others who stop in Albania will explore the country and not take a "sea day."

 

Yes, the ride was two hours, but we stopped at the winery along the way and the bus was very comfortable. Plus (and this is a very big "plus"), we learned so much from the guide that the entire trip was fascinating. We were never bored or tired. As I said before, this was my favorite excursion of all.