Albanian Riviera

A Weekend on the Albanian Riviera

Picture a ride over a steep mountain range, then dropping down to the crystal aqua waters of the Ionic Sea in a small town. Add the remains of a church built in the 1300s and this is Dhermades Beach.
We stayed in a clean simple hotel and enjoyed the AC in 90 degree heat.
You could see down to the bottom of the sea at 15 feet with an idyllic water temperature of 80 degrees.
The cost of a meal still hovers around $20 for two with wine.
Here are some of our observations we thought you might enjoy......Photos to accompany these observations are in the next post.

• Along the only road heading south from Tirana are stands with locals selling products. There may be the 2 km section where everyone is selling a big bag of potatoes or the next section it is honey with their hives cascading up the hill. Maybe the next produce is cherries on a string with the vendors out in the middle of the road to catch your attention.
• The tourist season along the coast is 55 days. Yes. It corresponds to school vacation. The hotels charge $75 per night versus $30 the rest of the year and if they are full 40 of the days during high season, they can live for the rest of the year.
• Most people in southern Albania speak Greek. Many have immigrated to Greece and put their money in the Greek banks but now Albanian banks are receiving many deposits as the state of Greek banks is not so dependable.
• No where did we see a one piece bathing suit...except yours truly. I look like I am dressed for the 1940s. All sizes dawned the bikini!
• Sadly along our route in the mountains a bus went off the cliff about a month ago and killed 15 students. We passes the scene with charred remains of the bus and many decaying bouquets.
• Peter and I keep a count of the number of hotels and houses we see that are fake castle imitations. 
• People here are hard workers. Most work 7 days a week and long hours.
• We passed a man in the middle of the main highway with no legs, begging for money. Peter did wonder if he lost his legs because he sat in the middle of the road.
• Even in this little town, there is building everywhere. Grrrr. We did see a log cabin, swiss chalet being hastily finished for the start of the season. It had a coco clock up under the roof.
• There is usually one communist building that is dreary, decaying and yet eye sore in the middle of a town.
• Peter continues to get us safely up and down these incredible roads as we enjoy the scenery in this country.