Monday, October 27, 2008

Albania preserves its Ottoman past

Exploring the museum towns Berat and Gjirokastër

Jocelyn Chan , North Shore News
The driver of the Albanian minibus, or furgon, sped from Tirana to Berat in fourth gear.

During that time, the furgon flew over huge potholes and narrowly avoided head-on collisions. Then it nearly hit a bomb bunker while the driver passed a horse-drawn buggy on a hairpin curve.

Never mind that roads were mostly mud or gravel: if half the fun is getting to one's destination, fun meant hopping on a furgon for $5, shutting my eyes tight and clutching the armrest hoping to get to Albania's seldom visited but fascinating UNESCO-designated museum towns alive.
Three hours later, the driver called out "Berat! Berat!" and I was in what Albanians consider to be their country's most beautiful town.

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