August 25 – Cruise to Albania

Today we headed off to the Port of Corfu to catch a ferry/tour to Albania (a new country for both of us). 

The ferry crossing was uneventful and about an hour and 15 minutes long.  We passed a few islands but mainly we were seeing Corfu on our right and Albania on our left for most of the trip. 

We arrived in Albania in the small port town of Sarande.

Upon arriving many of those on board the ferry boarded buses for a drive through the Albanian countryside...

to Butrint.  This is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has been a Greek Colony, a Roman City, a Christian Bishopric and has been under the control of the Ottomans and Venetians.

There has been a reasonable amount of excavation and we were able to see buildings from most of the major eras in the city.

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More photos of Butrint
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We had a lunch stop out in the middle of nowhere at a charming restaurant that looked like it had been a farm house at one time. 

Then it was back to Sarande for some free time along the beach front promenade.  It was, as usual, hot and humid and we had little energy but did walk about. 

We did see that here, as in Corfu, there are a lot of beggars, particularly children or mothers with children.  One of the guides said that they were mostly gypsies and that begging was a way of life for them.


The ferry got us back late afternoon and later in the day it was off for dinner at a harbor side restaurant overlooking the fortress.  We had lovely views, a lovely breeze off the water and a great meal.  Life doesn't get much better.