Albania
24.6.-2.7.06
We went from Vienna to Tirana by aeroplain. After 2 hours flight Hamit Salkurit said welcome to us in the airport of Tirana. With a bus we went to Durres an the ocean, where we had the feeling to be in Italy. Then we went to Elbasan, to Ohrid lake and Korce. Here we had a wounderful dinner with friends of Albania.
Next morning we visited the bazaar, the beautiful icon museum, the old houses of Korce. We also saw many new houses.
Korce
Then we went to Prespa lake, where we had a rest and went for swimming.
Through the Galicica natioanl park we went to Ohrid and had a look at the beautiful valley of Crni Drim in Macedonia, then we went back to Albania and spent th night in Peshkopi.
Now we went to Radomire nar the Korab mountains, where we want to climb the highest peak of Albania.
We went through the littel village, had a look a a dairy and tasted fresh cheese of sheepmilk, walked through nice woods to a little lake, where we could swim a little bit.
We ha a baeutiful view to Korabi, the highest mountain of Albania, with 2764 m. You can see the summit on the right side. To walk up, you have to go near the brook and then come from the backside to the summit.
We started very early in the morning, went up and saw a lot of flowers and many, mny sheeps. There are about 25 000 sheeps. Every morning the farmers went to their sheeps and bring the milk down to the village to the dairy.
Soon were where on the border Albania - Macedonia- Kosovo.
Flowers
Up and down we went and reached th summit after 7 hours.
Down we went though an other valley and came back after 12 hours walk. Then we had a drink in the only pub and a look an the TV where we watched the soccer world shampionship.
On the next day we went with a bus to Peshkopi, then had a bath in the Drina, a nice river, and a meal of trouts. In the evenig we had an invitation to the house of Hamit.
The next day we went back to Tirana, had a look an Bulqize, Burrel and a beautiful valley
In the afternoon we went with a cableway up to Dejti, walked through the woods and had a beautiful view down to Tirana.
In Tirana we saw the national museum, the mosque, new buildings and many mercedes.
After that we went to Durres, then to Diviake, where we saw many old Aleppo trees, toroises, snakes, saw the Karavastase, a lagoon with many different birds and had a rest and could swim in the ocean.
To Fier and the ancient Apollonia we went on the next day.
Apollonia was in the old times on the shore of the ocean, now it is 10 km off the shore.
After a visite to the beach we went back to Tirana.
On the last day we visited Kruja, with a bazaar, the Skanderb museum and an old farm house.
An interesting travel to a country, which was some years ago closed to travelers ended.
Organisation: Austrian Alpin Club Wolfsberg , The members with our guides
Contact in Albania: hsalkurti@snvworld.com