You Made a Big First Impression
Sarande, Albania September — December 2022
Sarande, Albania September — December 2022
Oh my gosh, look at that! Holy cow what is that?! Can you see that? How can that be real? Are we, we’ve got to, omg, this is real?! This is where we live? What the… OMG the VIEWWWW!!! We’re here? We’re HERE! WE ARE REALLY HERE!!!!
We said:
Every.
Single.
Word.
The first place where it all began. Emotions tied into one deeply etched spot on our souls. For us, that place is Sarande, Albania.
Let me introduce you to a few things we’ve noticed here.
The Boulevard aka “The Promenade”
Palm trees line the walking boulevard here and I simply love it. Don’t ask me why because honestly I have no idea, but I am like a kid seeing palm trees. I love them! I love everything about them. When I see them I get this intense feeling of glee and warmth that brings crazy amounts of joy and sparkle to my soul. We walk the entire length and back for our morning workout and it is enchanting. The boulevard is lit up at night and is so lovely! We spend hours here.
The Water
It’s the IONIAN SEA for gosh sakes! Crystal clear and warm. The salt content is so high you float without effort. Our first swim was truly epic! We kept looking at each other and asking if we were really here. Another “pinch me” moment.
The People
The Albanian people are very kind and welcoming! Those working in the tourist areas speak English. But if they don’t they will find a coworker to help you. We met a wonderful couple that own a restaurant named “Marini” and we’ve become forever friends. They helped us so very much feel at home and answered many questions we had about the culture and people of Albania. And they connected us to the orphanage in Sarande so we could give back to this community. We love you Gena and Robert!
Healthy Foods Abound!
Fresh fruits and vegetables are everywhere here. But you know what’s not??? Chemicals! Small farming is still very much the way of life in Albania, so it hasn’t made sense for them to add the extra cost of chemicals and the hassle messing with them. What’s that mean for us? Nearly 100% organic produce. We only have to think about washing off the dirt and germs of natural critters. Seriously though, there’s a small market every 1–2 blocks max with fresh produce, so no excuses for eating crap.
Drinking Water
The water isn’t safe for drinking. The water itself is actually from a natural spring so that’s not really the problem. The real problem is the old piping that brings the water in. No telling what’s inside of those things. So you can do a couple of things; you can either buy big plastic bottles of water or you can bring/find a water filter and boil then filter your water. Since we live upstairs without an elevator, we jumped at the chance to buy a water filter pitcher. Our backs do thank us.
Crime
Violence in Albania is extremely low; in fact there have only been 39 killings in the whole country the entire year. Police do not carry weapons here. So what we see is them writing tickets for people on motorcycles/scooters not wearing helmets, speeding, and parking that blocks traffic. Oh and directing traffic when it’s busy. Occasionally, they will go into a bar and ask them to turn down the music or turn it off. But other then that, it is extremely safe.
Negatives
Not everything is perfect here. This country has only been free from the communist leader and open for about 30 years, so there are a lot of growing pains. And they aren’t monetarily rich. The down-sides we’ve noticed are mostly infrastructure. For instance, they have no plan for dealing with trash. Yes there are trash bins that are emptied by trucks. But after that we have no idea. The locals even say there’s no plan for taking care of it. And the buildings are made of cement and tiles. So if anything is to be upgraded, it has to be jackhammered. Trust me, it’s loud during off season. Thankfully, it’s not everyday. And it’s still incredibly peaceful and warm most of the time.
First impressions…..a very simple and inexpensive paradise with lovely people.