Borders with open arms

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I really don't know where to begin, how can i already be at a loss for words??? I should probably just bring you up to speed and you might understand.....

The bus journey to Corfu from Athens was an experience in itself.....after strict instructions from your Greek bus driver that their will be no eating on the bus if someone has a plastic bag with food it goes UNDER THE BUS NOW!! I was slightly scared but deffinately more hungry as i had just bought a sandwich for dinner that i planned on saving for the bus....my hunger took over my fear and i slowly sneeked in a bite here and there!!! relieved i took a nap....until the bus jolted to a stop....yup he sure just slammed on the the brakes when he saw a random abandoned pumkin stand,stole one and off we went!!! the bus was histerical with laughter!!!! Serves him right to be stoped only 30 min later for speeding!!! this adventure just got better!!!!

We finally arrived in Corfu at 6am and greeted with none other than a shot of....you guessed it PINK ouzo!!! that was enough to knock me out on the beach for the rest of the day!!! well at least till diner time when the party began and never ended!!! During our 4 days in Corfu we managed to squeeze in a trip on Kayaks to enjoy the sourounding area....what a beautiful island this really is!! A stop to climb a cliff ended with a 5m jump in the crystal clear Ionian sea!!! not bad for a little adrenaline rush, oh and a bleeding toe!!! Nothing to call the doctor about though!!
We enjoyed some loca appetizers, wine with Pine sap and a ceremonial moonshine retual at a beautiful cliff in honor of the greek gods!!! The perfect day to sum up my time well spent in Greece!!

Seeing Mireille off to Africa and saying bye to Jo who we just managed to cross paths with again was tough but a new adventure was awaiting Malka and I!!!

Just a stone throw away from Corfu, and a 30min ferrie ride, we docked in Saranda, Albania for a heartwarming welcome from our new friend Gezim(Jim)!!! He quickly became our Albanian dad showing us all around his beautiful city. Not a lot of English and no Albanian for us but that didn't stop Jim's enthousiasm and our excitment when learning about such a fascinating culture!! It's only been 10years since Albania opend their borders to tourism, at the same time they were no longer considered a communist country. You can imagine their curiousity to see two canadian girls exploring the sites!! Everyone invited us with open arms, such a clean and safe place to be still unspoiled to the tourist route!! We visited a natural water source called Blue eyes with good reason, the purest bluest water i've ever seen!!!
A visit to one of the many castle for a panoramic view and a touch of history as we encountered bunkers and canons, evidence left behind from years of war and invasion. A day spent on the beach in order to take it all in and reallize where we were, only to be invited to the biggest feast, a three hour dinner that Jim and his nefew wouldn't take no for an answer. We indulged in some special mussels, pasta, salad, bread, saganaki (fried cheese), more mussels....water melon, a few bottles of wine and coffee and Raki!!! it just never ended till we were dying and thought our stomachs might actually explode!!!

It was sad to say bye to Gezim as he has made our experience in Albania something that we will never forget. You never quite feel like you can thank someone enough when they open they're lives and culture to you.

Making our way North to Tirana, again we found ourselves lost and immersed in a culture that so obviously values family and the people around. Sometimes you just can't help but sit in the city square watching families play in the park, old friends catching up over coffee and life passing by.

Content with our time spent in albania, although short, a wonderful experience....we continue our journey north into Montenegro.

staying safe
Sending hugs
Bridge

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Comments

[gina]

oh wow!!! Awesome pics and stories! Wish I could be there. Keep those posts coming!!

[Raymonde Shaw]

One lucky girl!
Hey there - I have of course been following your travels and must say that your time in Albania sounded extremely special. As you say, it always makes it that much more special when a family takes you under your wings! Happy travels and we miss you here back in the peg!