FBAlbania's enchanting coast
In Albania, time almost seems to have stood still. For decades, the country was isolated, but now more and more people are drawn to the small state on the Adriatic. And it has a lot to offer, especially in terms of scenery: Mountain ranges that drop steeply into the sea, lagoons, lots of untouched nature. And of course the people are interesting, too, who have a lot to gain from their often simple lives.
High above the sea, Bujar Mehmeti collects coveted wild herbs. He is after the sea sage, which only grows in this form in the lonely coastal mountains of southern Albania. The buyer Pranvera Çeça in the former tobacco factory of Delvina pays him a proud price per kilo. This is because Bujar is her best collector and Pranvera exports her medicinal herbs all over the world.
On the outskirts of the port city of Vlorë (Vlora), a Roma family has set up camp. From May to July, Alexandra and Alexandri Hajdini build sunshades out of straw for the increasing number of bathers. Uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters help with the artistic and quite legal "shadow economy".
Somewhat away from the hustle and bustle around Vlorë, the lagoon fishermen of Narta are fighting for their only tributary to the sea. They have to use a dredger to keep a narrow channel clear, into which the surf keeps washing tons of sand. Out in the bay of Vlorë, the Adriatic Sea merges with the Ionian Sea. And a little further on, Greece already begins.
The island of Corfu is just a 30-minute drive from the popular Albanian seaside resort of Saranda. But only if you translate with "Kristi", a fast Russian hydrofoil. In the cockpit, a woman is in command: Ornela Murati is Albania's first and only female captain.
A little further south, one finds the exact opposite: an adventurously old-fashioned car ferry still crosses the Vivari Canal, thanks to the constant repair work and patience of two young men. Endrin Ismaili and Ervis Mahmut have to improvise a lot to keep the rickety mechanics of the cable ferry in working order, a real "tightrope act". The steel cable can break at any time or jump out of the worn pulleys. Yet the small ferry from Endrin and Ervis is extremely popular because it is the best connection from Albania's southern border to the world-famous Butrint peninsula with its centuries-old ruined city of the same name, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the country's magnet for visitors.
High above the sea, Bujar Mehmeti collects coveted wild herbs. He is after the sea sage, which only grows in this form in the lonely coastal mountains of southern Albania. The buyer Pranvera Çeça in the former tobacco factory of Delvina pays him a proud price per kilo. This is because Bujar is her best collector and Pranvera exports her medicinal herbs all over the world.
On the outskirts of the port city of Vlorë (Vlora), a Roma family has set up camp. From May to July, Alexandra and Alexandri Hajdini build sunshades out of straw for the increasing number of bathers. Uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters help with the artistic and quite legal "shadow economy".
Somewhat away from the hustle and bustle around Vlorë, the lagoon fishermen of Narta are fighting for their only tributary to the sea. They have to use a dredger to keep a narrow channel clear, into which the surf keeps washing tons of sand. Out in the bay of Vlorë, the Adriatic Sea merges with the Ionian Sea. And a little further on, Greece already begins.
The island of Corfu is just a 30-minute drive from the popular Albanian seaside resort of Saranda. But only if you translate with "Kristi", a fast Russian hydrofoil. In the cockpit, a woman is in command: Ornela Murati is Albania's first and only female captain.
A little further south, one finds the exact opposite: an adventurously old-fashioned car ferry still crosses the Vivari Canal, thanks to the constant repair work and patience of two young men. Endrin Ismaili and Ervis Mahmut have to improvise a lot to keep the rickety mechanics of the cable ferry in working order, a real "tightrope act". The steel cable can break at any time or jump out of the worn pulleys. Yet the small ferry from Endrin and Ervis is extremely popular because it is the best connection from Albania's southern border to the world-famous Butrint peninsula with its centuries-old ruined city of the same name, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the country's magnet for visitors.
