An early start for a trip further afield today with a trip to Albania. Now before today all I really knew about Albania was that it was the country that America went to war with in the film Wag the Dog. I’m also told by the world’s biggest Liam Neeson fan (hat-tip Tim) that the antagonists in the Taken films are Albanian so all the signs weren’t good.
Prior to going we had to provide our passport details and there was a concern that as the FCO website stated that a full six months needed to be left on your passport and I only had three I might not get in. Despite repeatedly checking I got through with no such issues and from what I saw I wasn’t going to be outstaying my welcome.
A coach took us to Corfu Town were we then caught the ferry to Saranda and then another coach to the archaeological site at Butrint. As this was an organised tour we were herded round the highlights with little time to stop and enjoy each site. This is the price you pay for not doing it your self. As there were five coaches of British and German tourists there were quite a few of us to herd but I still managed to get a photo of the amphitheatre looking empty which I consider to the be the greatest achievement of the day!
It was a beautiful place however and very well preserved given that it has been occupied at one time or another by the Greeks, Romans, Turks and French.
From there we were taken for lunch and then finally back to the port town of Saranda where we had an hour to kill filled by a drink at a seaside cafe and a hunt for an Albanian football strip!