No Chow Mein in Albania

Despite Albania having close ties with Communist China (after breaking away from the Russian Soviets)from 1961 until Mao Zedong's death in 1978, there are no Chinese restaurants here. I get plenty of stares walking around and the occasional kid yelling "Cheena" or "Jackie Chan!!!" or kung-fu motions. There are not many tourists here and probably even less Asian ones as many of the Greek tourists simply fly or ferry to and from Greece.

Even though there is a lot garbage around, the streets are dustier, potholes every where, and the water and electricity keep cutting in and out (I asked a store keeper why and he simply rolled his eyes and answered "It's Albania!"), I like it here. In many ways it reminds me of the Middle East with the calling to prayers at the mosque, friendly locals asking you to sit down to chat with them and sip coffee and the locals playing dominos and backgammon. I do notice it is only men in cafes and bars but as the sunsets, families and people in general, walk around and shop, chat and generally hang out. The locals are very hospital for example, an Albanian doctor riding the ferry gave me her home number and to call her if I got in trouble or getting invited into someone's garden for coffee and yogurt. However, I have been avoiding the police here as a few of the crooked ones have been known hassle tourists to extort money from them.

I spent a day in the seaside city of Saranda and paid for a balcony ocean facing room with air-con for what I was paying for a dorm bed in Greece. Very relaxing there and the ancient ruin city of Butrint is nearby. Spent yesterday at Gjirokastra which you can skip despite what the Lonely Planet Guide book describes as "the traveller will be enchanted by the magic... [of this town]" Forget it as it's a steep town with unpleasant center and lots of abandoned housing. If you want a town with a pleasant atmosphere head to Berat (which is not even mentioned in my guidebook). Very cool old town of Moslem and Christain quaters with a river running through, decent amendities, friendly people and a hilltop citadel that still has people living in it. They have these great little court yards and grape vines growing over the winding cobbled stone lanes.

Off to grab some dinner, hope you are all doing well.