So after Kroreza Beach, we drove dwn to Sarande area and the beaches around there. It's quite busy and tiny, narrow, winding streets, so again, super glad I wasn't getting there in the height of summer.
We decided to go to Butrint National Archeological Park, mostly because Brett wanted to. It turned out great that the day happened to be a free day. So you always feel good about that. So here's Butrint.
Then we stopped just long enough at some of the beaches along the 'Albanian Riviera.' But mostly everything was closed down because of the huge winds. I think this is Ksamil Beach (which is a pretty famous one for Albania if you were to look it up online).
Then we sat and watched the waves at one place just on the outskirts of town, not a super nice place. The waves were so cool, but then I was like, let's go to a different place to watch the waves. So we went to another beach, but now for the life of me I can't figure out what exactly it was called. I have a couple pins on my Albania map that I'm thinking it could be, but I'm just not sure. Either way, it was a GREAT choice. The sun was getting lower, the wind was just as windy, or more so, and we walked down the trail to the beach, but then pretty quickly walked up the trail on the other side for a good view point.
Bunker. According to the internets: Albania has more than 170,000 concrete military bunkers. The bunkers were built during the 1960s–1980s by dictator Enver Hoxha in anticipation of an invasion. Explanation
- The bunkers were built to protect Albania from invasion by the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Greece, and NATO.
- Hoxha believed that citizens should take up arms and seek refuge in the bunkers in the event of an invasion.
- The bunkers are found in valleys, on mountainsides, and along shorelines.
- Some bunkers were command centers with many rooms, while others were small sentry posts for one or two people.
- The bunkers are a reminder of the dark days of communist rule in Albania.
- The bunkers are now being repurposed for tourism and other uses.
The waves were gorgeous and enthralling.
And yes, I know all the pictures look the same, and yet I am unable to take more out. I try!
We saw a seal!
We saw a cruise ship go by.
Then we went to Sarandë and Brett let me jump out and take a picture of the carousel, and then we found a place to park (it's a busy city),
and whoever's turn it was to pick the restaurant picked Italian pizza.
Then we walked along the beach promenade. It was lovely.
I can't believe all we fit into that day! It was wonderful! The things we saw were so beautiful! On the other hand, we only did about 1/10 of the things and beaches I had pinned on my map. :) It would be great to have a month to explore Albania.
