Q: So can we see Albania now? We’ve been looking at photos of Greece for six straight weeks now, and we’re ready for a change.
A: Soon, but not quite yet. First, we should look at some after hours scenes in Corfu Town. Since Rachael did the laundry yesterday, I felt like I owed it to the team to make an extra effort and went out late last night for a look around.
The Liston ranks as one of my favorite public spaces.
Q: Well, that was nice enough I suppose, but now can we go to Albania? Please?
A: Unfortunately, our ferry doesn’t leave until four PM. In the meantime, let’s go out for a short loop south of the town. We’ll keep our legs loosened up, look past the mountains of garbage, and maybe see the pink villa where the Durrell’s live in Corfu eighty years ago.
Striking Vlacherna Monastery in Kanoni, about two miles south of Corfu Town
The walkway across the lagoon between Kanoni and Perama. I think the rise just ahead is the site of the Durrell house, though it’s since been extensively redone.
We’re biking away from the coast up a twisty one way road, going the wrong way. Coming the other way are about 10 tour busses, because at the top is the Achilles, a palace built by the Empress of Austria in the 1890,s. It’s one of the main tourist sights on the island. We didn’t stop in, because it was too crowded, we don’t have a lock, and we don’t have time. And I didn’t even know what it is. We were just happy to avoid getting crushed by the busses.
I’ve lost track of what these villages were, but they’re all great. On this one, I looked down this alley and saw a carpet being flung over the wall and went to take a closer look. Looks like it’s cleaning day in the Church.
Hard to believe that cars can make it through some of these village streets, even this is the main road. Rachael had to wait her turn and then hurried through before another car showed up.
Q: pretty nice, alright. I can see that those amazing interior villages are worth a look. Thanks for sparing us the garbage, too! Now, please, please, please can we go to Albania? That’s really the only reason we’ve stuck it through with this journal for so long. We’ve never seen anything about Albania, and are very curious. please?
A: Oh, OK. Let’s go.
Boarding the flying Dolphin for Albania, and receiving very welcome assistance with the bikes. I’ve never been on one of these before - on other Lin’s, they generally don’t take bikes. They’re very fast - the crossing took 30 minutes.
2000 leks is roughly a $20 bill. We were happy to get this, at the second ATM we tried. Ou cards were rejected at the first one, and we were starting to consider our options.
Andrea BrownParkinsonia aculeata, native to Mexico and a noxious introduced weed in Australia. But very cool. Reply to this comment 6 years ago
Scott AndersonTo Andrea BrownOh, for goodness sake - a second palo verde species. I only knew of the blue ones. I knew the trunk looked familiar, but couldn’t quite place it. Reply to this comment 6 years ago
The flip side of yesterday’s scenes. We’re looking across the narrow strait at the north end of Corfu. Amazing that they’re so close, and Albania was closed to the world for so long.
I’m out of time now, and we’ll be back in Saranda in a few days for a longer look. For now though, I’ll just say that it’s great to be here - not at all scary, and quite different. The next two weeks should be amazing.
