The "girls" left Macedonia after a 6 day stay on Lake Ohrid. We drove North West around Lake Ohrid and through the Eastern part of Albania. We had been forewarned that the roads could be "rough" in certain areas of Albania, however we checked with several people familiar with the area (or so we thought) assured us that our destination, Berat, had good roads. We knew that the Albanian police were "overstaffed", and much like the TSA, enjoyed exercising their power by stopping cars to ask for car papers, and passports. We also knew that they had been warned not to harass tourists. With our German export plates, new Mercedes packed to the brim with luggage, and two very white females in the car, there could not have been a doubt that we were anything other than tourists. However, every 5 - 10 miles we saw police pull over cars and trucks. We were not stopped. Border crossings through all countries have the same anticipation that going though security at airports in US vibrate. It can be painless - present passports, and car papers - or they have the right to go though the car, and all of our luggage!! At most of the crossings the border agents are perhaps in shock that two women, in a newly purchased car, with American passports are visiting their country. We have always been treated politely, no hassles, and wished a pleasant journey.
Our destination for a three day stopover was Berat, Albania. The distance from Ohrid 96 miles, had posted a driving time of 3 hours 15 minutes. We found that the first 70 miles had decent roads, with many new model very expensive BMW's and Mercedes; the last 25 miles was a driving nightmare. Keep in mind that the Albanians have only been driving for 15 years and they are the worst drivers I have ever encountered. During the Commuinist Era 1945-1992 there were only two driving permits issued to non-government citizens. The last 25 miles to Berat took us over an hour. It would be unfair to catorgorize the Grand Canyon size chasms in the road merely potholes. My entire car could be buried in the deep gorges. However, the Albanian drivers passed on the right, drove down the middle of the road, drove on the shoulder of the road the opposite direction of traffic, and flew over the abysses that made up the road!!We finally arrived at our oasis, The Hotel Mangalemi, a former Pasha residence created in 1993 inside a 250 year typical house built in 1775. The hotel has 14 rooms, and the terrace is very near to where the balcony of the Gate of the Pasha, which offers miraculous views of the city where the traditional food is deliciously prepared. (Read Katherine's blog on the food texangirleatingdrinkingeurope.blogspot.com)
After a stiff martini, and a bottle of wine, Katherine and I relaxed in our new surroundings. Berat is a UNESCO site designated in 2005.The city is a rare example of typical Ottoman period architecture, a witness to religious coexistence and to the many cultural communities throughout the centuries. The discovery of two stone hammers along the castle walls, belonging to the Bronze Age, date the city to 1800BC. In the 6th Century AD, the "Codex Purpureus Beratinus" is written, one of the oldest codices of Christian literature worldwide. The Ottoman invasion in 1455 , captured the castle and ruled the country until 1912. World War I, the city was under the Austro-Hungarian rule; and in World War II, the city was damaged by Italian and German destruction and bombardments.
The worst period for the Albanians was after WWII under the Communist rule - 1944-1990. During this time, the Gjirokastra-born French teacher, partisan and all-around dictator by the name of Enver Hoxha ruled Albania, and forced the country into almost total isolation. He was one of the harshest of the many totalitarian regimes of its age. Hoxha created an Albania that was characterised by torture,poverty and above all, paranoia. His own brand of Stalinism involved turning the country into a fortress,embarking on endless failed industrialisation projects, the banning of religion and when he didn't get his way, extraordinary acts of violence including an incident when he shot a cabinet minister with whom he disagreed. The extreme personality cult that surrounded him continued until his death in 1985. Gorbachev took control of the Soviet Union that year, and despite the continuing popularity of Socailism in modern Albania politics, nostalgia for Hoxha is non-existent. During the Socialist reign, many properties of the citizens were confiscated. Unfortunately, even though the Democratic Party of Albania, founded in 1990 and the first "legal party" defeated the Socialist Party. The Socialist party refused to accept their loss in 2009, and still boycotts parliament. However, even under the "new" government, their is still evident a lot of injustice in the country. The elected officials have deep ties to the Socialist regime, and have refused to repatriate the properties that was taken from the citizens during the 1944-1990 era. There are no bodies monitoring government procedure which allows 140 deputies elected by the population to make all major domestic and foreign policy decisions - including declaration of war, and changes in the constitution. Some of the citizens have tried to legally, through the courts re claim their land. They have had mysterious deaths, and the courts have refused to acknowledge their rights.
I mentioned earlier on my comments that we saw may late model expensive automobiles in Albania. In a backdrop of a country that in many places the sanitation conditions are abysmal, as well as the 37% official unemployment number I found that there is a lot of illegal activities in the country. The Albanian Mafia is very powerful, controlling 55% of the heroin trade in the world. They have deep ties with the Italian Mafia, and 15 Albanian families control the trafficing of drugs through Alabania, Macedonia,Greece and Italy. Their distribution channels are international, and the US arrested in 2011 in New Jersey a large ring of Albanian Mafia. Sadly, they control a lot of politicians in the Balkans, and there have been many incidents of large amounts of cash being given to the local police authorities.
Our tour guide and friendAt the hotel where we stayed we met a wonderful "tour guide" who quickly became our friend. We climbed the steep hill to the Castle, Illyian-Arb city for our first tour. The castle is the most ancient momumnet of the city, with a surface area of 23 acres and rises on a 613 foot hill. It is located on the upper part of the city and is positioned in the shape of a triangle. The design of the wall is in the shape of an arrow directed north with 24 towers of different dimensions. Today 350 families live inside the castle. The magnificence and the silence of its stones is broken up only by the sounds of life of the inhabitants inside the castle walls. At one time 4,000 people lived within the castle walls.
The Church of St Theodore. There are magnificant murals in the church that were pained by Onufri, the most renowned Albanian artist during the 15th century. His use of red was magnificant, and is still a puzzle as to how he created the color. The communists ruined most of his frescos and threw lime on them. His icons were crushed, and few have been maintained. The icons of Onufri were exhibited for the first time outside of the country in 1974 in Paris. the style and color of these works were highly valued by the critics.
The Church of Saint Mary Blacherna. Built in the 13th century, and one of the oldest churches.
Mangalem
This is the area in Berat where the buildings of the houses in this quarter were constructed during the 15th and 16th centuries. The harmonious composition of the houses has reached a high level. The city is amazing to see the overlapping windows overlooking the valley. The streets of this neighborhood are so intimate and narrow. The houses sparkle with the whiteness of lime and the soft red of the tiles. The care and the maintenance of the houses and streets, as shown by the inhabitants, is an old tradition that makes the quarter very special.
We visited the beautiful home of a lady who had harboured a WWII soldier from Italy. In return for the refuge, he painted the most beautiful mural in her parents home.
Our hotel, the Mangalemi was in this area.
The Church of St Michael. Late Byzantine period. Beautiful location overlooking the valley.
The gate of the Pasha Palace is preserved and the palace harem temple was built after Appolina.
The Lead Mosque was constructed in 1553 - 1555. The mosque illustrates the religious tolerance and co existance in Berat. There is a star of David over the threshold of the mosque.
THE PEOPLE IN BERAT
Taking dinner home.....
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