The Great Basilica

[caption id="attachment_2158" align="alignnone" width="660"] The Great Basilica[/caption]

A great structure, still standing after so many centuries. Always people take photos from within the church but I really liked this one. More info on this church can be found here.

Baptistery

[caption id="attachment_2155" align="alignnone" width="660"] Baptistery[/caption]

This is the baptistery, the second largest one in the Eastern Roman Empire, the largest being that of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. It is round and there are columns in circles but some are missing. There is a large mosaic on the floor but they have covered it to preserve it from the elements. Further info can be found on the official source.

Cobbled Path

[caption id="attachment_2152" align="alignnone" width="660"] Cobbled Path[/caption]

Buthrotum is quite easy to walk around. As long as you follow the cobbled path and read the signs, you can't miss important sightseeing. The mother with the baby see in the distance is my wife and son :) while the other people were tourists like us.

The medieval pizza oven

[caption id="attachment_2149" align="alignnone" width="660"] The medieval pizza oven[/caption]

Since the main sight, the ancient theater of Buthrotum is covered in my previous post with a photosphere, I'm moving to other sights. The vegetation is unbelievable, I wonder how it looks during winter. It's like a small jungle. Walking the paths I came across this structure. Reminds me of a pizza oven, although there is no tunnel inside. Just some sort of tub, not deep.

Welcome

[caption id="attachment_2146" align="alignnone" width="660"] Welcome[/caption]

This is the entrance to Buthrotum, after the ticket box of course. First, when you try to park, there is a guy in uniform trying to get a tip. I don't know the way he approaches to foreigners but you don't have to pay for parking if you are visiting Buthrotum. Actually, if you park there, you will see there is nothing else to do beside visiting Buthrotum. There is a raft to cross the Vivari channel (the one you see on the background) and a restaurant some 100m from the entrance.

As soon as you enter, there is a medieval tower from Venetian times. It is well preserved but strangely enough, I never had the curiosity to check if you can enter. I suppose not, since I've never seen anyone go near it.

Some general info from Wikipedia: Buthrotum was an ancient Greek and later Roman city in Epirus. In modern times it is an archeological site in Sarandë District, Albania, some 14 kilometres south of Sarandë and close to the Greek border.

The interesting thing is that most of the city that you will see if you get the chance to visit it, was covered in dirt and bushes until 1928 when an Italian archaeologist, Ugolini, uncovered it. A great example is the ancient theater where I created a Google Photo Sphere.

I guess I can talk for hours and hours about it but let's save some info for the next photos in the following days. :)

Also, last but not least, since 1992 Buthrotum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

No Name Island

[caption id="attachment_2143" align="alignnone" width="660"] No Name Island[/caption]

While it looks like some tropical island, it is actually located in Ksamil, Sarande, opposite Corfu, Greece. I have mentioned it  in my previous posts as well (there are actually 3 islands). The construction that can be seen on the photo is a demolished beach bar. The island it self is a bushy one, you can't walk through it as far as I know. Although the beach here is sandy and white, the island is surrounded by rocks. I think the sand here is brought from somewhere else, you don't find it in the nearby beaches. Also, while the morning feels like paradise, it is quite windy after midday. There are plenty of restaurants though, you can enjoy sea food while the wind caresses your face :D

The best part is that this place is minutes away from the ancient city of Buthrotum. Plenty of photos coming in the next days. :)

Lonely Tree (sort of)

[caption id="attachment_2139" align="alignnone" width="660"] Lonely Tree[/caption]

This tree is found on one of the three islands of Ksamil. The island is quite small and covered in bushes but this tree sort of tried to get away. To reach the island you can swim, it's like 50m from the shore. There used to be a bar there but the local government demolished it (and it was a great decision).

Peristeres Pharos

[caption id="attachment_2136" align="alignnone" width="660"] Peristeres Pharos[/caption]

This is the Peristeres (Pigeons) Lighthouse. It is somewhere between Ksamil and Corfu and it was built by the British during their rule of the Ionian islands, circa 1828. The first light may have been a simple column holding a beacon. It signaled the entrance to the narrow passage between Corfu and the mainland. By 1872 the beacon needed to be replaced and a sturdy stone tower was built. Unfortunately, the 1982 lighthouse is now in ruins due to earthquakes and attacks by German bombers during World War II. Still the Hellenic Lighthouse Service keeps a small modern beacon on the site.

/Source/

I'm back after a week with my family in Saranda, south Albania. This photo was taken in Ksamil, at the 3 Islands beach. This guy was doing some sort of yoga and when finished, stood like that for a couple of minutes, enjoying the approaching storm. The small island in the background is the Pharos Peristeres. Both pieces of land on the left and right are 2 of the 3 small islands of Ksamil. Some other photos coming in the next few days.

The light is all natural btw. :)

My older brother, enjoying the view. I'm inside this abandoned shop, on the crossroad to Delvine. It smelled like shit inside but I had to "get my hands dirty" to get this fantastic photo.

Holy Trinity Church in Muzine

[caption id="attachment_2126" align="alignnone" width="950"] Holy Trinity Church[/caption]

Descending from Muzine's neck you reach the village bearing the same name. Between the houses you can't miss the church, one of the most characteristic buildings.  There is another pic of it in one of my previous posts, the one with the village covered in light fog.  Great place to meditate, plenty of water, fruits and vegetables too :D

We're still on the Muzine's neck, looking around and taking pics. Sometimes I think why don't we leave the car and walk up to those fields? Why don't we sit under those trees and enjoy the sunset? If I ever win some sort of lottery, I know what I'm gonna do with my free time. I'm going to be the next Johnnie Walker.

Dark Horses

[caption id="attachment_2120" align="alignnone" width="950"] Dark Horses[/caption]

When you cross from Gjirokaster to Saranda there is only one way for the moment, the Muzine's neck. There are some hard turns and when you reach the peak, the view is amazing. There are  mountains all around but there is the sea in front of you, albeit far away. It was afternoon and we had the sun in front of us, hence the silhouettes. Those horses are not wild, there are no wild horses in Albania. They run free though, there is nowhere to go and they have plenty of grass where they are. There are no houses near, only a gas station and a bar-restaurant. Great place for a stop, especially for bikers (or photographers).

Hayabusa

[caption id="attachment_2117" align="alignnone" width="950"] Hayabusa[/caption]

On the national road, not common in Albania. At least he should have the decency to walk a little further to relieve himself. Nice bike though.

The unfinished building on the right is common here. People start building 2 floor houses and then they run out of money...

Gline

[caption id="attachment_2114" align="alignnone" width="950"] Gline[/caption]

Gline is the name the most famous naturally sparkling water spring in Albania. The huge building is the water processing plant, while the village of the same name sits on the Wide Mountain's steps. So, imagine two mountains forming some sort of channel in between. There lies the Dropull plateau... The surrounding area has quite a few interesting sights to visit. The Church of The Cross in Labove, Ali Pashe Tepelena's castle in Libohove (it was for his sister though, Shanisha), the ruins of the ancient city of Hadrianopolis, city of Gjirokaster and other things mentioned in my previous posts.

Dervican

[caption id="attachment_2111" align="alignnone" width="950"] Dervican[/caption]

Dervican is the next village after Lazarat. The most famous Greek minority political organization was founded there, Omona.

I knew a couple of girls from Dervican when I used to live in Athens. They played it so hard to get that now that I think about it, I wonder if our patience had any limits. Nothing happened in the end. :P

At least we know where the gold is.

[caption id="attachment_2107" align="alignnone" width="797"] At least we know where the gold is.[/caption]

This photo is taken in a crucial moment for the village down below. It is Lazarat, the famouse marijuana heaven in Albania. They were  surrounded by 800 police officers for about a week until their leader was caught and the rest ran toward the mountains. Some of them were armed with mortars and RPGs while the rest had Kalashnikovs and 12.7 mm anti-aircraft guns. There were 2 post blocks on the national road, one in the entrance and one at the exit (the village lies beside the national road) and you could hear the bullets till Gjirokaster. We picked the wrong day to visit Gjirokaster but it was worth it. Good times were had.

[caption id="attachment_2108" align="alignnone" width="950"] Lazarat[/caption]

Rainy Days

[caption id="attachment_2104" align="alignnone" width="797"] Rainy Days[/caption]

It went from hot to rainy weather in a matter of hours. Luckily I had rented the most perfect car for this occasion, a Peugeot 308 SW with a panoramic roof. It looks like one of those iPhone wallpapers. :)

Lonely Crow

[caption id="attachment_2101" align="alignnone" width="950"] Lonely Crow[/caption]

I took this photo when we stopped at the Tepelena Cold Water, a touristic area full of small springs. The water of this area is one of the most famous in Albania. It is the official water of the Albanian National Football Team.

The road widens here for a bit. When you come from Gjirokastra, on your left there is the mountain where the water flows from and on your right, a 100 m. deep down flows the Vjosa river. It flows from Pindi mountains in Greece down to Adriatic sea in Albania, between Vlora and Fier. It is characteristic for its color and somewhere in Permet it creates amazing canyons. Same as Osumi river in Corovode.

I forgot about the crow. It wasn't lonely actually. There were a dozen of them but this one stood still to pose for me.

Windowless Window

[caption id="attachment_2095" align="alignnone" width="950"] Windowless Window[/caption]

I took the path to the water pump. There was a guy in front of me.  I followed him until he disappeared behind the trees.   The pumps building was stripped from everything and it was kinda spooky. I took a couple of photos and got back to my wife.

400

[caption id="attachment_2089" align="alignnone" width="950"] 400[/caption]

This path leads to the water pump, which I mentioned on the other post. The numbers on the pavement might be used for running. On the left there is the lake of Viroi, on the right there is a water stream. It feeds on the same spring that feeds the lake, runs along its shore (separated from this path) and when it reaches the other side of the lake, they join again. The water is crystal clear but I don't know if it's drinkable. Maybe at the spring, but didn't see any comfortable place to bend over and drink.



This is kinda 20-30 m deep. You could throw a penny and see it on the bottom.