There Goes the Road Again – or – Never a Dull Moment
Okay – I swear to Zot i madh – really there are lots and lots of wonderful long boring peaceful days, when nothing at all happens and I just bake bread and read books and go for walks. But I haven’t mastered the art of taking good pictures of that yet! It’s this stuff that I for some weird reason find really funny . . . . or do I mean amusing? We were off to Kosovo yesterday to run some errands, and on the far side of Bajram Curri, nearing the Kosovar border, we were rounding a bend when Alfred said with a tone of mild disgust “The road’s blocked.” Huh? I looked up from my (endless) knitting “What do you mean the . . . . Oh.” See that bit of raw hillside to the right? That part just broke loose and . . . fell into the road. What I think is funny is how my American brain just can’t really process it. While Alfred turned the car to go the long way ’round, I kept staring at the rocks thinking – there MUST be a way around it. But, as you can see from the photo, nope. I should add that I’ve yet to hear of anyone being hurt by this sort of thing. I mean, anything like recently. It’s just more as if the mountains were playing some bizarre game with us. Last year we ran into our friend Alfred Metalia who was driving around with a small boulder in the back of his truck. Turns out it had fallen off the mountain, missing his car by only a few meters. So: He got out of his car to take a look at it, stood over it thinking, and then (presumably figuring it had his name on it) picked it up and put it in the back of his truck. For all I know, he’s still driving around with it. Come to think of it, I think I should stop telling these stories . . . . stay tuned tomorrow for something less like gargantuan cat and mouse.
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What an amazing venture this is. I would love to hear more about this and hopefully visit you one day. My husband is Albanian from Aranitas, Mallekaster which is in the South Western part but we live in the UK. We visit his parents up in the hills (not really mountains) about twice a year and have a little dream of spending a year living there, helping to run the small-holding, before our children get to secondary school. I found your website as I was looking for some information on the Malesi, having just read an extraordinary book about a Kosovar refugee. It looks incredibly beautiful and wild. I wish you the very best of luck with your hotel and hiking business, I will read your exploits with interest. Louise Nazeraj
Hello, I am really impressed about your work and your desire to improve things in the Valbona valley in Albania..I am Albanian and I know how life can be difficult for people living in Valbona.They are poor people but with a big heart and I imagine that you are like a hero for them now. Congratulations and wish you all the best:))
I travelled that road today, thankfully no rock falls and wow what an impressive road. Spectacular views, I do not think I have ever seen a river so blue.
Great lunch at the Rilanjda hotel, the freshest trout. Unspoilet beauty. Just great.
We got stuck at that same spot on our way to Brezovica after skiing in Valbona! I have so been meaning to get back in contact with you since then – I’m just now finally writing my article and re-living our ski trip to idyllic Valbona!