Most Inspirational Moment
There were several. Krujë was not only a beautiful city, with the Panorama Hotel being the best hotel of the trip, but it had historic significance for me. Porto Palermo and a stop in Himarë were also beautiful and meaningful for me. Gjirokaster was our first city where the weather was excellent and we could visit many historical sites. It was made all the more fun as we were one of the first tour groups of the season and were interviewed and appeared on local television. The ruins and our guide at Butrint were also very interesting. The visit to the Apollonia ruins with one of the chief archaeologists of the site was also superb. There was an overall good quality of food, with the lunch at the mountain restaurant just after the pass above Himarë standing out with its fresh lamb and homemade yogurt/honey dessert. We also tried many of the different sorts of raki, which was always an adventure.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Erion Puca was a very experienced and considerate guide with excellent English and Italian. He understood what we wanted as tourists. He had a good sense of humor. He also explained the history of Albania and how things really work on a day to day basis in the country. If he did not know something, he took the extra time and trouble to get us an answer as quickly as possible. He had good connections that got things done. He also inspired hope for the future of Albania. His efforts to help me understand my genealogical roots in terms of history and places were much appreciated and interesting to all. When the National Musuem in Tirana was closed due to holidays, so that we did not lose out on learning about Albanian history, he found time at the end of the trip to bring us back to the Bunker Art Museum that was not at all what we expected and we enjoyed it very much.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The weather started off a little cold in the first and northern most part of the trip, but as it got later in March and we traveled more to the south, the weather became warmer and we were definitely into a lovely spring. Shopping for Albanian items and souvenirs is limited and we really only had good opportunity for this in Krujë. The hotel in Permeti, the Hotel Permeti, was not that good, although it may have been the best option available. We all commented on the weird, squishy, wet bath mats that were in the bathrooms. In spite of that, the dinner of wild boar and local specialities and a quick morning walk in town on our own time before getting in the van were appreciated. There is a lot of time spent traveling in the van, but it was a good mix of sitting and walking when combined with the sightseeing we did when we got to our destination. Berat is a good city to walk around in and very beautiful, especially at night.