ALBANIA
After eight months of isolation in Canada, I visited Albania in November and December 2020.

Viktor Nurci is a carver in the old town of Gjirokastra.

Eli Zhulati is a seamstress in the old town of Gjirokastra.

AC Shkodra is a painter in Shkodra.

Hamlet Ajazi is a painter in Durres.
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Mauricio Perrone, Pablo Otero, and Augusto Seidem are South Americans running a hostel in Albania.

Erfrenki Dada plays at his mother's stand in Shkodra.

This ferry operates in the national park in the area of Butrint.

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Gjirokastra's eerie hilltop castle is one of the biggest in the Balkans and is definitely worth the steep walk up from the Old Town.*​​

Sheshi Skenderbej is the best place to start witnessing Tirana's daily goings-on.*

Naru Buda is a stone carver in the old town of Gjirokastra.

Buge Maku is a seamstress in the old town of Gjirokastra.

Elton Stasa is a painter in Berat.

Tirana Street Art
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Koman is a small village in the northern mountains of Albania.

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The ancient ruins of Butrint...are famed for their size, beauty and tranquility.*​
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Shkodra...is one of the oldest cities in Europe.*

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Shoemaker in the old town of Gjirokastra.
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A seamstress in Berat.
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Almida Mida is a painter in Berat.

A man fishing near the ancient ruins of Butrint, 18 km south of Saranda.

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Berat weaves its own very special magic and is easily a highlight of visiting Albania.*​

One of Albania's undisputed highlights is this superb three-hour ferry ride across cast Lake Koman, connecting the towns of Koman and Fierza.*​

With spectacular views over the city and Lake Shkodra, the Rozaka Fortress is the most impressive sight in town. Founded by the Illyrians in antiquity and rebuilt mush later by the Venetians and then the Turks, the fortress takes its name from a woman who was allegedly walled into the ramparts as an offering to the gods so that the construction would stand.*

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*These captions are from Eastern Europe  -- a Lonely Planet travel guide.