It’s been a while since my last post, and for that, I apologise. I started 2020 intending to travel extensively in the region, conducting interviews each week, and writing on The Balkanista more than ever before. Then the pandemic struck and I was left with the task of raising a toddler, working, and trying to stay healthy and survive day to day!
While we did manage to travel in 2020, I wasn’t able to write as much as I wanted to. I hope this year will be different but I won’t say too much in fear of jinxing things.
Someone asked me recently if my absence from writing on this blog was due to the fact the novelty of Albania had worn off. After all, it’s been three years now- what else could there be to write about? This is not true. I am still in love with Albania more so than ever before. The longer I spend here, the more I love it and the more attached I become.
I am currently writing a new article that I hope will make you laugh, but in the meantime, here are the highlights of my 2020!
A visit to Spac
While this was not a happy occasion, it was one that will remain with me. In October, I accompanied a British journalist and two friends to the communist gulag of Spac. In a state of disrepair, no doubtedly intentionally left to rot by the authorities, ghosts of the past and sadly the present walk among the rubble. Perched on a cliff amid mines in the north of Albania, this prison was home to thousands of political prisoners and ordinary people who fell foul of the regime. You can read my account here.
A visit to Shkoder
Those that have followed my blog from the beginning will know that Shkoder is one of my favorite places. I visited it again in October 2020, staying at the lovely Shtepija Gjyshi and stopping at the Marubi Museum. Shkoder is not a place that can be visited and enjoyed in a day or even a weekend. It’s a place you need to visit during different seasons, different times of day, and throughout the timeline of the ever-changing world. Each time you visit and under each different condition, you will discover something different to admire. You can read my thoughts and those of my great-uncle here.
Various agritourism adventures
2020 was a year we tried our best to support local businesses, despite our economic challenges. We managed to visit some of the country’s most beautiful agritourism locations, enjoying delicious food, nice wine, and warm, Albanian welcomes. Agritourism Huqi is located just outside Manez, a short drive from Tirana, as is Fustanella Farm which sits below Petrele castle. We also visited Agritourism Gjepali near Shijak which was a delight as was Pema e Jetes in Durres. Agritourism Hylli Drites was also on our list (twice) and we were treated to a tour of local historic points of interest by the kind owner. But my absolute culinary highlight of the year was discovering Kantina Albanica in the hills of Fier County. Here we made friends with Dritan, his parents, and Jessie the dog and we have since spent several weekends there enjoying their food, company, and incredible wine.
A visit to Ohrid
I must admit, the first and second times I went to Ohrid, I wasn’t overly impressed. To be fair, it was wintery, grey, wet, and icy on both occasions. But in 2020, I visited during the end of summer and found it a delightful, relaxed, scenic location full of friendly locals and interesting places to explore. One of my favorite parts of the trip was seeing how Ohrid pearls are made and purchasing one for myself as the pearl is Dea’s birthstone!
Lavender fields in Koplik
Visiting the medicinal herb fields in Koplik had been on my agenda since I came to Albania. Sadly, the first year I missed their blooming, and the second year I was heavily pregnant and thoroughly pissed off. This year, I was determined to make it. Mid-June, we received a message that the flowers were in bloom, and off we went. We met with local farmers, explored essential oil production plants, and came home with bags of dried lavendin, lavender, and other precious herbs. Read more here.
A week in Himare
Following lockdown and as Dea’s birthday was approaching, we decided to head off to Himare for a week in the sun- socially distanced of course. During the week, we lazed on the beach, hung out in our cool chalet accommodation, dined on seafood, ate amazing ice cream and explored Himare and the local area. I wrote several articles about my adventures which you can find here, here, and here.
From the heart
I penned a couple of “from the heart” articles during the year, in between being a mum and working all the hours god sent. The first of which was the story of how I came to Albania. For those that didn’t read it, my story is one full of twists, turns, and strange coincidences that all seemed to align to bring me here and give me all that I have. The second was published on my third anniversary of living in Albania, which is coincidentally my partner’s birthday. In it, I detailed all the small and big things I love about living here and why I choose to make it home.
Interviews
I planned to do 52 interviews in 2020 but due to COVID, I was unable to. I prefer to do these interviews face to face unless it’s an audio interview for my podcast. My favorite was with Dr. Elona Prroj who told me her extraordinary tale of overcoming the horror of blood feuds, and supporting other families whose lives are impacted by them. It is an impressive but sad story of courage, fearlessness, faith, and hope. You can also listen to the audio here. Another favourite was with photographer and journalist Loreta Cuka. An accomplished photographer, Loreta has been taking portraits of Albanian people for the last few years with the aim of reaching a total of 999. The philosophy and approach behind her work is inspiring, you can read the interview here.
You can follow me on Instagram here to see what I get up to on a day-to-day basis, in-between posts.
Here’s to a better year!
Follow The Balkanista!
