Albania 4: Vlora and Apollonia

Lying just north of the ambitiously named Albanian Riviera, Vlora is roughly where Ionian Sea ends and Adriatic Sea starts. It is a sizeable city drawing its share of visitors, many of whom come for the sea and the sun. (There are ferries from Italy as well.) We walk along the main boulevard, and for the casual tourist, the downtown area is probably forgettable. We climb up stairs at Kuzum Baba, a hill named after a Bektashian dervish. The Bektash order derives from Sufism and is a visible religious sect in Albania. At the top of the hill is a welcoming tekke with a good view of the city.  In the rich history of Vlora, the single most defining moment occurred in November 1912, when the very first government led by Ismail Qemali was set up here after Albania declared independence. The building, a few steps from our hotel, has been converted to National Independence Museum. We enter as soon as it opens in the morning and are greeted by an enthusiastic and patriotic guide. She goes over important historical documents and artifacts on display, and I am beginning to like this small museum. She even lets me sit in the first prime minister’s chair and have a picture taken. I am really liking this place.



Vlora: view from our room

Vlora: Bektashi tekke



Vlora: seen from Kuzum Baba Hill

Vlora: Bektashi tekke

Vlora: Entry to Independence Museum. Cameras are somewhere between cigarettes and dogs.

Vlora: Independence Museum. Despite the sign above, I am allowed to pose at the original desk of the first Prime Minister. There are important artifacts in the cabinet.  

 Passing through Fier, we arrive at Apollonia, one of the most important historic and archeological sites in Albania. The ruins have only been partially excavated but yielded treasures from the Illyrian, Greek and Roman times already, many of which have been sent to the National Museum in Tirana. A local expert gives us an outstanding tour of the museum and the site. The Roman Emperor Augustus was studying here in Apollonia when he got the news of the assassination of Julius Caesar, his predecessor.

 

Fier: Our guide points out the cookies were made in Fier, as we pass this town on our way to Apollonia. I could not resist the pun, “so they were made in the Communist era?”

 

Apollonia: A tombstone with Illyrian names

Apollonia: An Illyrian shield, one of the important artifacts that they were able to keep in this local museum



Apollonia: Bouleuterion with Odeon in the background (right). This is a favorite site for wedding pictures and music videos in Albania.

 



Apollonia: Portico ruins

Apollonia: St. Mary's Church right in the ancient ruins. This dog apparently follows only foreign visitors and they actually use him to figure out if the tour bus arriving has foreigners in it!

 

Next stop is Ardenica Monastery. The church here hosted a wedding of Skanderbeg, the 15^th century Albanian national hero. It also has fine murals from the Zografi brothers inside the church, whose work we had encountered in the Korca area. Here also we receive an excellent (and private) tour from the caretaker. He remembers the day in 1990 when he was finally able to step into the church for the first time when the Communists were gone. There are few beggars outside the church but where are all the visitors?



Ardenica: the church where the national hero Skanderbeg got married in the 15^th century.

Ardenica: murals by the Zografi brothers

Ardenica: the second floor where the worshippers and pilgrims could stay. Murals by the Zografi brothers.

Ardenica: the caretaker picking flowers for us

 

 Before we head on to our next major stop, Berati, we swing by our guide’s hometown of Lushnja. His main job, outside the short tourist season, is to work for a local radio station, where he hosts a daily show. I bestow upon him the title,"Larry King of Albania." He insists on buying us lunch at his favorite byrek place. He takes us to what looks like a modest apartment block to visit his family. His mother is a gracious host. Her parents are from Bosnia and we briefly share our travel stories to Mostar and Sarajevo, which she has yet to visit. She is an expert lace maker and generously offers her work to take with us. 

 

Lushnja: our guide buying byrek at his hometown

Lushnja: Albanian byrek – spinage, meat, cheese, left to right

Lushnja: Our guide’s mother offers for us to take home this lace over the coffee table in a spontaneous gesture of exceptional hospitality.