The Trip to Permet
So last Saturday 8 of us met to travel about 5 hours south to a valley town called Permet. It begins as all trips begin with coffee at one of 1.000 cafes in Tirana. We were 4 Albanians and 3 Americans and a Nicaraguan in two cars. At hour #2 we stopped in a coastal city of Vlora and had....yes another cup of coffee. The folks are terrific mostly women working in great projects here.
Genci, the driver of our car had telephoned all his friends and decided to take this new road (under construction...remember this part) to save a bit of time. The hours in the car fly by as there is so much to see with everyone walking, riding donkeys, working in the fields, selling cherries by the side of the road and the local police standing around looking to stop speeders and add a bit to their wallets. Then there is the occasional flock of sheep to avoid on the curvy road! Anyway, we soon take our 4 wheel drive cars and drive up the side of an embankment to get on the unpaved, soon to be (maybe in a year) highway. We are in the first car but with the dust we kicked up, the second car hits a concrete bunker and smashes the bunker to bits. Believe it or not, the car is still able to run but Genci has to bandage up the front grill and bumper with bunjy cords. Meanwhile the highway men are scratching their heads, wondering if we will sue them! Occasionally another car or semi tractor trailer whizzes by. After the repair work, we proceed down the highway, cruising around the heavy equipment. Occasionally there is a barrier across the "highway". I am not sure why because the man next to it just raises it and gives us the nod to proceed. (See photo) Anyway, we begin to enter this magnificent valley. Snow capped mountains run right down to the river. Hot sulfur springs flow into the river at certain points with aqua blue water. There are 400 year old bridges and restaurants that this crew knows about where we stop to eat. Lamb is being cooked on the grill off to the side, quail, and baby piglet. There have these plums in a light honey sauce and yogurt different from others we have had. The excitement of these folks in anticipating these specialties is fun to be around and their expectations were met at every meal.
We pulled into the town of Permet and were met by this young affable mayor. At the hotel in town, Peter and I had the special suite for $30/night. Much merriment and lively conversation about politics, culture and language.
The following day we met up with a rafting outfit called "Outdoor Albania" and did a fun (but not as dramatic as Ottawa rafting, Elizabeth and Brian!) 5 hour trip down the river, gazing up at the snow in the mountains while it was 80 degrees on the shore. A television channel was filming this to promote tourism with the mayor and our crew. At one point with the cameras rolling, two women above us on the cliff, throw down three big plastic bags of garbage! The mayor goes up to talk to them and ask them to find another solution. To his dismay, the young woman was a student who just the week before had been part of the day long clean up the city initiative in the city of Permet! It is discouraging and a bit amazing to comprehend how people think the garbage will 1) reach the water, 2) float down the river and not get caught on branches and 3) land in the sea and do what there???
We had another fabulous meal around 5 and typical to the pace here, got home around 11:00 pm. Another amazing experience, for which we are grateful and cultivating new friendships to add to all of you back home!
