Nomad Weaver Visit to Albania

After my recent post about Weavers of Albania – I decided to take a short vacation there. I found it to be a very wonderful and beatiful country. The Albanian people are very friendly and hospitable. They don’t speak a lot of English but do their best to communicate and to help if you look like you are lost and in need of help. It is polite to at least learn a few words before you go, such as Thank you – Faleminderit.

I did feel lke a bit of a digital nomad when i went – because I found myself taking videos and photos of everything. For the first few days, I stayed in a beautiful hotel – Dinasty Hotel Tirana– that was built by the chef and owner – Jimmy. I was treated like royalty and treated to a tour of the kitchen.

I had rented a car and had great plans to travel to find all of the weavers and crafts people I had found on the Internet. I didn’t realize that Albania is such a large county. It was much like traveling through the mountains of British Columbia. I ran into some issues with the car rental, so returned it after 3 days and took a taxi to the beaches of Vlore, where I just relaxed, swam in the sea and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I will just have to go back soon and do some more exploring.

Vlore Beachwalk

During my stay I took many delightful walks along the beaches and swims in the crystal blue sea. There had been a big windstorm the day before I arrived – so plastic bottles and other rubbish had washed ashore. These must have come from tourists? and others sailing by in big yachts, not thinking what happens when the rubbish gets tossed overboard.

I think this must be nature’s way of trying to clean the environment up. I did hear many tourists remark and say why doesn’t somone pick this stuff up? Over the course of the next few days, I saw the locals gather on the beaches and do just that. Pick the rubbish up!

As I walked further down the beach, I came across a reminder of the WAR YEARS – left there so that we remember, and Never Start a War again.