“A very powerful monument right here is the individuals” says Elton.
Elton Caushi, our chief on the Albania Expedition, is taking us on a strolling tour of previous Tirana. We begin within the ultra-modern downtown a part of the capital metropolis but, in simply a few blocks, discover ourselves within the higgledy-piggly backstreets among the many pre-communist homesteads and decaying communist-era tower blocks.
He’s declaring the assorted landmarks and monuments to the previous; he reveals us vibrant murals adorning the edges of a number of tower blocks and explains how the then-city mayor (and now Prime Minister) Edi Rama commissioned these. Not traditional for a politician, he studied artwork at college and labored as a painter, author and even basketball participant earlier than embarking on a political profession. Then once more, Albania isn’t stuffed with ‘traditional’ individuals.
Within the coronary heart of previous Tirana now, Elton attracts our consideration to a stone signal on a whitewashed wall. He interprets the commemorative textual content that claims this constructing was as soon as the positioning of a printing press that made propaganda posters and pamphlets in the course of the communist period.
As he’s mid-sentence explaining the secrecy round communication mandatory throughout that point, a person, maybe in his mid-50s walks in direction of us, addressing Elton. It seems that he lives on this home and, naturally, he invitations us into the courtyard for espresso and to introduce us to his mom.
Edmond Karapici was too younger to recollect the poster making enterprise however his mom, Hirka, does. She additionally recounts how she used to work at one of the famend cocktail bars on the town. She might concurrently carry a tray stuffed with drinks whereas dancing.
We’ve solely been within the nation for just a few hours and already we’re touched by the openness and generosity of the Albanian individuals.
Our subsequent encounter with Albanian heat is after an extended, sweaty cycle round Karavasta Lagoon to the village of Babunje. Adriatik and Eva Rrasa welcome us into their house with a scrumptious glass of their neighbour’s selfmade crimson wine and we sit beneath the dappled mild of the overhead trellis of vine leaves, taking within the intricacies of our environment.
It’s extra like being in an historical Greek temple than a yard. Adriatik is a stone mason and metalworker and he has grand designs for his small patch of land. He wastes no time in sharing his abilities and enthusiasm with us and we get to attempt our hand at hammering sizzling metallic straight from the furnace and shaping moist clay into small pots.
Eva additionally possesses some secret abilities: she’s an professional within the historical artwork of espresso studying. She pours the thick Turkish-style espresso into delicate porcelain cups and tells us to drink it usually however to depart just a few dregs on the finish. She then swills some water round every cup and leaves it upturned on the saucer for a couple of minutes earlier than launching into our fortunes, translated by her daughter, Arnisa.
Apparently I’m going to return into some cash and I’m ‘very smart’ with it. She’s not unsuitable, I’d simply bought my flat and the cash is in a financial savings account.
A fellow traveller is informed she’s in a loving relationship however she’ll have a giant resolution to make quickly, one other learns that his path shall be beset with adventures (certainly, he’s planning to maneuver to Australia) and our chief Elton gathers he’ll get some official information (all of us recommend it’s most likely an official prize for his superlative guiding abilities).
Earlier than we depart, we share just a little glass of native raki with our newfound mates.
Raki is a neat spirit typically comprised of fruits like grapes, mulberry, raspberries. It’s a common drink in Albania, and also you’ll discover one thrust into your palm wherever you go. Later within the journey, we embark on a brief hike among the many Tragjas mountains behind the seaside city of Vlorë. Because the low solar turns the tops of the mountains an alluring orange, we make our method into the wilder countryside of Albania. We attain the homestead of Sofo and Dhurata as nightfall is falling and we’re welcomed with their very personal honey-infused raki.
We sip it in near-silence from a rocky overlook as we watch Sofo shut up his turkeys and goats for the night time. We additionally get to satisfy his canine who seem from nowhere: their barks shatter the silence and the sight of these barred enamel put a chill down my backbone. However as quickly as Sofo placates them and presumably reassures them we’re mates not foe, they depart us be and I calm my nerves with the comforting raki.
Again inside, Dhurata provides us petulla, a candy doughnut-like snack. She tells us it’s historically made for celebrations and at present she’s celebrating the delivery of a brand new niece.
Because the darkness descends and the nice and cozy autumn night air is filled with candy herbaceous aromas just like the mountain sage we pattern as tea, Sofo serenades us on his flute. He tells us that is how shepherds used to speak on the mountainsides and throughout the valleys. Now all of them use iPhones and are glued to Instagram, however he recollects easier occasions together with his melodies handed down by way of generations of shepherds.
I’ll confess, earlier than I set off on this journey, I watched all of the documentaries I might discover about Albania. Other than one concerning the sworn virgins (a captivating and must-watch perception to a dying custom), the remaining solely chronicled the underbelly of Albania and the connection to legal gangs within the UK. But, what I discovered by truly visiting Albania was a protected and welcoming nation with individuals solely too prepared to share their historical past, tradition and life’s philosophies – to not point out raki and low – with me.
All pictures by Diana Jarvis.