Sarandë/Butrint, Albania
We docked at the harbor of Sarandë, a fast growing city along the “Albanian Riviera.” The city gets its name from the Greek word for forty (the number of saints that lived in a nearby monastery). Amidst all the new construction we drove past the foundations of a 15th century synagogue, attesting to the religious mix here in Southern Albania where many of the country's Orthodox population reside. Our guides Shpressa and Loreta, two local schoolteachers, gave us an historical overview of Albania, whose inhabitants see themselves as descendants of the ancient Illyrians.
We took the coastal road south with the Greek island of Corfu as our constant companion to the west. A group of bronze dancers greeted us to the small town of Ksamil which boasts sandy beaches and several scattered islands. Our destination was just north of the Greek-Albanian border where the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Butrint is situated next to the channel that joins the Ionian Sea with Lake Butrint. This ancient site had been unknown to the outside world until recently, when excavations revealed multiple layers of civilizations at what was clearly an active hub of trade for centuries in the Corfu straits.
We were the sole explorers as we made our way along the reconstructed promenade, partially excavated ruins of a Greek theatre, multiple baths from Roman times, and a Byzantine basilica and baptisry whose intricate mosaic floors are still protected under a layer of sand until funds can be found to finish excavating the site. Ducking under the Lion's Gate we took the back stairs past the cemetery and up to the acropolis where a Venetian fortress now houses a small, but comprehensive museum.
On the way back to the Panorama we stopped off at Lekuris Castle for some traditional Albanian hospitality. Here in a restored Ottoman castle with 360-degree views of the countryside, coast and harbor, we enjoyed local wine and beer along with turshi (pickled vegetables), olives, white cheese and a flat cornbread (resembling a type of foccacio). Several frescoes in a small grotto next to the entrance are all that remain of Lekuris Castle's earlier incarnation as a Byzantine church. Several nearby bunkers provided additional photo opportunities and reminders of the not-so-distant past.
After a delicious lunch aboard ship we set sail for Puerto Palermo as Dr. Auron Tare from the Albanian Center for Marine Research and one of the founders of Butrint National Park presented recent findings from the underwater archeological work being done in the Corfu straits. Just three weeks ago their international team discovered what they believe to be a Roman shipwreck from the 4th century AD which was carrying amphora from Palestine. Dr. Tare speculates that this shipwreck might have carried some of the original Jewish settlement in Sarandë. The team has begun mapping the waters of the Montenegrin coast as part of a larger project to reveal the network of trade that existed along the Dalmatian Coast.
Porto Palermo is a lovely little bay that previously served as a naval airbase and is home to one of Ali Pashas's many castles throughout Southern Albania. After a refreshing swim off the fantail of the Panorama, we hiked up the promontory to explore the castle built in the early 19th century for Ali Pasha's favorite wife, Vasiliki. We wandered through the candle-lit passages up onto the terrace to an impromptu cocktail party. As the “world-famous” flutist Vendim serenaded us with traditional Albanian melodies on his great-grandfather's brass flute, we watched the sun set in the west and the full moon rise in the east.
