Journey to Tirana, excursion to Berat.

--OAT: "Our discoveries will include Berat Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site."

It was a long drive to Tirana, the capital of Albania. First stop: Berat Castle, a 2,500 year-old fortress and "living castle" situated high above the Osum River. "Living" as in there are 35 families living within the castle walls, and some members displayed their crafts for purchase… mostly embroidery. Erion, our local Albanian guide, introduced us to a woman with a vintage sewing machine using her artistic talents to create the embroidery… as she had been doing for the last 40 years. The view from the castle was amazing… of the village of Berat, the river, and the tall, snow-covered mountain in the background.

We then drove through the country between mountain ranges, where shepherds were tending sheep, goats… and turkeys. It was getting close to a holiday time of the year and turkeys were being encouraged to fatten up for upcoming feasts. As we got closer to Tirana, the density of urban living increased. According to our guide, there are a million people living in and around Tirana, a third of the population of Albania.

We checked into the high-end Rogner Hotel, a block from Mother Teresa Square. Although Mother Teresa was born in Macedonia, her parents were Albanian. Dinner was at Biloku, or the Block, site of the former dictator Enver Hoxha's villa… once forbidden to the public. It is now one of the city's most vibrant districts.