Albania II

There's no use to speak about Durres : nothing to see apart from an old roman building (amphitheatre ?), and a few metres of ancient walls. Let pass. I continue to the south, and in the town of Fier, I leave the main road to cut directly to Greece, passing by Telepene. If you don't see were is it, I send you to the map of my first messages. After that, a lot of things have changed. You have to know that half of the population lives in the countryside : little farms and various cultures and livestock farming. UNtil the border, I will find a beautiful landscape with fawn colors, yellow or brown in a hedged farmland limited by mountains which rocks colors change from dark blue in the morning to pink in the evening, passing by white and brown during the day. Nice. People are nice too, with an easy access, and I sleep in the field without stress, contrary to Montenegro where I used to sleep with an eye open. Like always in this type of situation, the life is hard, but simple : herdsmen spend the day in the shadow watching 3 cows or 10 guinea fowls, teenagers offer, like in the city, to wash cars... I have seen a few old tractors : everything is still done by hand, helped by some donkeys or little horses. However, each little village brings like in the city his dumps and pollution : I woudn't let one finger in the most little water spot, even if it is running water, in all the country ! Even if there is no wastes on the top, I see large colored surfaces betraying oil or petrol presence...
I will find good water in Tepelene : before, it was the region capital under the turkish domination. The famous local man is Ali Pasha (1740-1822, something like that) : this nice guy is known for having drowned all his harem in the Ioannina lake (in Greece today)... But come back to Tepelene : the castle and city walls are still stand up, but th place is famous for a big beautiful and quality spring, and everybody stop there to have a rest on the road between Tirana and Greece. It's easy : water flows from everywhere ! All the 2 m, a tube come out of the rock and spit out in abundance. Restaurants are builded in the forest with terrass which make waterfall : no use to ask water to the waiter, just tilt to have fresh water. I liked it, all the more so as warmth was hard. Farest, there is the cattle of Gjirokaster, maybe the most beautiful in Albania : I spend there one night to have a rest, because the warmth, on top of sapping my moral and energy, try to return my stomac... happiness of travels... Well, I arrived at the greek border to the post of Kakavie. No matter, but I notice a change : it's green ! I turn around and take a photo : albanian mountains, open country, all the country is brown. A politic border, just a fencing, nothing in fact, and everything is green in the greek side ! Someone can explain ? Green=vegetation=trees=shadow (sometimes). So, it's a bit more confortable, and I arrive in Ioannina in 2 days. there, I stop one day to find a good map of greece and prepare the next step. Other good change : people drives correctly again ! I confirm : albanians drive like bushy, prefering to use the klaxon instead of slow down, or just stop to overtake in the bends... After the order, I have met the fear of the "albanian" : - Good evening, is it possible to sleep there ? I disturb no one ? - No, no, but you shouldn't stop there. - Why ? Is there a problem ? - Well, albanians without papers are use to pass there to go in Europe. It's dangerous. Stay closed to the building where we can see you. Like in Slovenia, Croatia, or Montenegro, the albanian make fear. His reputation is dreadful (Mafia, D system, webs...). After spending two weeks there, I would say a wod for albanian people. I don' know what is their behaviour out if the country, but inside, you have to make a distinction between the city's one and the country's one. In the city, there is 10 per cent of the population who manage well (sometimes, I would know how...), and the rest survive. Young try to win the 6 or 7 thousands euros they need to pass in Europe. All means are good for that, even if people are still smiling and speak easily, it's not ideal. But I try to understand them : I think me too, knowing the world thanks to the television, I would try to leave the country at all coast ! Especially when the uncle or big brother come back 5 years later with the pockets full of money. In the country, it's different : life seems to pass slowly, like before, people are simple, quiet, and some nervous from our countries should take them in example. So, don't put all Albanians in the same bag.