After bidding a final farewell to Tirana following breakfast, the nine of us, plus Kledi, set out in to our next destination, the Albanian city of Shkodër. The route, to the north, went through farmland and took us past the village where Kledi was born in 1977. The Drina River flows through this area. It’s an important source of hydroelectric power for the country. I took these photos from the window of our brand-new Mercedes Benz Sprinter.
About two hours into our drive, we stopped to visit a ceramics artist in his workshop. It’s set in the midst of vineyards and olive groves.The artist, Vasili, told us that he was from the nearby village of Lezhë and had studied in Italy. I wasn't surprised to learn that during the communist era, ceramics production was illegal. Kledi had already told us that it was illegal to wear tee-shirts with words printed on them or to wear bright colors.
Because Vasili’s family had owned land, they were considered enemies of the state and were imprisoned. Nowadays, along with several other family members, he operates a large-scale business that produces a variety of ceramic items. They supply tableware to many of the restaurants and hotels in the area. Here he is, standing in front of an enormous mountain of clay. The source of the clay is one mile away from his workshop.
Sitting at his potter’s wheel, Vasili demonstrated his skills and explained the differences between terra cotta, majolica, and porcelain.
Terra cotta objects are made from red clay or earthenware clay that is somewhat porous. It’s fired at a low temperature (below 1200 degrees Celsius). It can be glazed or unglazed and it’s primarily used for decorative items and for architectural items such as bricks.
Majolica ceramic objects are made from earthenware clay that is coated with a glaze of tin oxide that vitrifies (becomes glass-like) when fired. It’s often painted with designs and is often used for decorative items, including tiles, and tableware.
Porcelain ceramic objects are made from a specific type of white clay called kaolin. It’s dense and non-porous and is fired at a very high temperature. One of its best-known uses is for fine tableware.
Vasili creates terra cotta and majolica items, such as bowls, platters, candle holders, and vases in his workshop. Then his wife decorates them with traditional painted designs.
Also in Lezhë, we stopped at an agriturismo (a farm that welcomes guests to stay on the property) for lunch. Mrizi e Zanave may have started out as a family farm but it has grown into something much, much bigger. There are villas and apartments in the farm-like setting for overnight guests. A restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating serves organic food that is grown on the farm. There are animals, vineyards, a winery, and facilities where jams, cheeses, and smoked meat products are made.
The number of dishes served at lunch was staggering. One of the starters looked like dessert, but it was actually cheese topped with beets that were a gorgeous red color.
Other starters were served family style: picked vegetables, various cheeses, pastries filled with spinach and cheese, sausage, prosciutto, squash jam, fried squash blossoms, roasted zucchini and pearl onions, and curds (to dip the warm bread in).
And that was all before we even got to the main course, which featured lamb shanks, beef stew, and skewers of chicken, along with roasted potatoes.
Of course, we sipped wine produced on the farm as we dined. I tried the rosé, made from kallmet grapes which are native to the area. It was delicious.
And then, when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite, there was the three-part dessert course. Everyone got an individual serving of fresh berries and a layered cake. We shared two other desserts. One was a pairing of delicately flavored bay leaf gelato with chocolate lava cake. The other was a custard garnished with coffee beans.
After we finished the meal, we walked off some of the calories we’d consumed by touring the farm’s winery and production facilities. The winery produces more than 70,000 bottles a year.
These bottles were sitting out in the sun to make rose syrup.
Before we got on our way, we also took a look at some of the farm animals.
We reached our final destination, the city of Shkodër, late in the afternoon. With a population of 120,000, it’s the largest city in northern Albania. Shkodër has long been an important commercial and business center. When Hoxha established communism in Albania in 1945, Shkodër faced very difficult times because the city was home to many wealthy business owners who became targets of the new regime.
The blend of architecture in the city reflects the influence of Shokdër’s ties to the Venetians, the Ottomans, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The long pedestrian street where our hotel was located was lined with shops, cafes, and restaurants. The weather was perfect for al fresco dining.
Also on the pedestrian street was the National Photography Museum with a very interesting collection of photos showing life in earlier times.
Ottoman governor of Shkodra - 1875 
an Albanian poet and his wife - 1880s 
Franciscans - 1944 (shortly before Communist takeover)
Walking down some of the smaller streets, we came across long abandoned buildings are now being used once again. Many are slated for restoration.
The number of churches and mosques in Shkodër attests to the city’s long history of religious diversity and tolerance. The mosque right across from our hotel looked beautiful in the gentle evening light.
We stopped by the Franciscan Roman Catholic Church, built in 1905, which was used as a movie theaterduring communist times. Kledi told us that priests and nuns were viewed as enemies of the state by the government. A painting illustrates what often happened - the government would plant weapons in the churches so that they could accuse the priests of high treason and then arrest them. Many priests were tortured and died in prison.
The Roman Catholic Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Stephen, is an imposing building dating back to the late 1800s.
In one corner is a memorial dedicated to the priests and other clerics who were charged with high treason and murdered during the communist era.
When religion was banned, the building was used as a sports hall where basketball games and other sports events took place. It was restored and rededicated in the early 1990s. In 1993, Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral and celebrated Holy Mass here. A portrait of Mother Theresa, a native of Shkodër, is prominently displayed.
Shkodër’s castle, known as Rozafa Castle, stands on a hillside outside the present-day city. It was originally built by the Illyrians in the fourth to third centuries BCE. There’s an old Albanian legend that says the castle takes its name from a young woman who allowed herself to be buried alive in the walls as an offering to the gods so that the fortress could be built.
All that remains today are Venetian reconstructions from the 13th century. For approximately four centuries, the Venetians used Shkodër as a base in their battle against the Ottoman Turks.
We started our ascent under stormy skies. It wasn’t easy climbing up the rocky paths, but there were wonderful views.
These ruins lie at one of the highest points on the hill. Archaeologists believe there may have been a Christian church on the site as early as the 5th century CE. However, the walls that remain belonged to a second church built in the 1200s and used until the city fell to the Ottomans in the late 1400s. At that time, the church was transformed into a mosque.
On our last night in Albania, we all gathered with Kledi for a special dinner. We’d be crossing the border into Montenegro and then Croatia the following day.
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