I wake up early, heading for Ohrid, as i walk up the road, always sticking my thumb out, i discover the bushes are full with blackberries, never seen so much of ’em. Delicious, i eat what must have been half a kilo blackberries!
By the time i am done, the sky is gray and it is already past 4. So off i go, still decided to make it to Gramsh. Takes me almost an hour to get out of the city and be picked up in the most unlikely spot on the side of road. My first driver takes my, out of his way, right up to the boarder. He is Macedonian, lives in Perth where he studied and now works there in demolition. More money than what he studied and most important those 2 month holidays he is getting in the Aussie winter and that he now enjoys with his family here. Sweet dude, “awesome!” Pizza guys, Beaches, Maroubra bay, Uni-Games and more, it brings back some old memories!
At the boarder i chat to the first car in front of me, Austrian plates, they refuse at first but a minute of reflexion later they take me with em. Fortunately, because it is now pouring down and getting fresh. As soon as we cross the border i get to see about 20 of those famous Albanian bunkers. They are all over the place. 700.000 of them were build by the paranoid communist dictator Hodja. Those indestructible concrete mushrooms head are scattered around and some progressively show their stem as the red ground is eroding around them. The boarder zone is a succession of falling apart factories, huge abandoned brick, metal and concrete constructions. Some of them destroyed, some falling apart, some resisting to time, some reused and turned into storage or a garage. We stop at one of those garages in the middle of this sad landscape. The people gathering around the brand new Mercedes and talking about what might be the cause for the engine’s overheating are, happy, energetic, strongly contrasting with the surroundings. On the drive, as i ask about the Albanian economical resources, they laugh and say ¨Weisses pulver”. The landscape is now changing from industrial to natural. We drive through green and red mountainous areas, water spurting out of them and flowing together in a red river.
My drivers drop me in Elbasan, historical city of Albania, sad not to be able to take me to my destination. They would if they had time but really have to make it to Tirane for business. As usual in a new country, I get some cash and a SIM card. The later is not active immediately and for the first time it takes me more than a minute to be connected. I am required to register, provide a copy of my passport, an address etc... This takes much longer than expected and as i get back on the road side to hitch to Gramsh, some 50 kilometers south, it is already 6pm. The cars drive by without giving a damn, some even give me th finger. I find a nicer spot to wait at. There i am soon surrounded by a cop, a couple youngsters speaking Italian, some kids and a taxi driver. They are all wondering what i am doing and it seem like my case is desperate, i will never get to Gramsh they all agree. The kids try to negotiate the taxi, it will get me from 25 euro to 20. At that price i can sleep in a hotel and take the bus tomorrow morning. I refuse categorically to take the taxi but he insists on staying around. He seems convinced i will give up soon and take his cab for that hours long drive. He waits, looks and regularly tells me ¨20 euro...” I hate cab drivers! Him and the kids squatting around and staring at me start to make me feel uncomfortable. I find myself thinking the cop, he is still there also buying leader shoes from a friend, is a damn corrupt piece of shit, the cab driver just wants to milk my money, the kids are not staring at my different face and my backpack but rather at my wallet... Paranoia kicks in and i don't feel well at all, I attempt to speak with passing drivers but they all head no further than a neighboring village.
It is getting dark and i give up on getting out of here, rather i want to find a cheap hotel, not the one the taxi wants to drive me to... Once again, in a very desperate voice probably, i ask a passing car with open window for a ride. the car has French number plate and i therefor make my demand in French. The car pulls over, a tall man steps out of the car and tells me he is sorry but he is afraid i wont get anywhere tonight, to late, the roads are dangerous (because of their bad condition and falling night) and Albanians don't drive that far that late. I ask him if he knows a cheap hotel. Him and his wife propose to drive me someplace, but after a drink. The soon propose to host me in their house. It is in construction and they are arguing about how to make me feel the most comfortable there :) No worries i am used t sleeping in worst conditions, no matter what.
Jean Luc arrived in Albania over 10 years ago after numerous missions around the world and fell in love with the country, their people and all the villages. When he arrived, Albania was a big village even more than it is now and that was what he loved. Around a beer in a nice palace like sport center (i will learn its construction was financed by drug money later, but that i an other story) he tells me anecdotes about the times when he was driving around in a 2CV with friends, Nicola Bouvier like, and about later times when him and his wife Albana where going around the country on Horse backs. They now both run an architect bureau in Elbasan but still escape into Albanian rural areas when they get a chance.
After apero we drive to a nice fish restaurant out of town, they know the chef and guaranty fresh Fish. The dinner is delicious in deed and we talk about further travels, Albanian politics, corruption and mafias. Thinking back about this i cant realize i was desperate on the side of the road less than an hour ago and am now sitting in a nice restaurant, sipping white vine and eating grilled fish. After the light “3 milks” house desert, we head of for sleep.
Only one pictures of today but here are some of tomorrows visit of Elbasan:
The monastire.
The inside of the forteresse, big bar.
1 commentaire:
Hey m8, you could have taken a taxi to Maroubra :=)
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