By: Anastasia Nazarko
After driving through the winding, often mountainous roads, from Tirana through Vlora and now on my way further south, my mind has gone blank. I stare blankly at the monotonous rocky outcrops whizzing by with seemingly no end in sight. Going to Saranda (my final destination) is turning out to be incredibly tedious, I think to myself. Is it really worth this long, uncomfortable drive?
Suddenly the road seems to changeخo, better said, the road seems to disappear into billows of low misty clouds. At a steep incline we begin to quickly ascend a refreshingly wooded mountain that suddenly makes me feel as though I am in one of the fairytales I used to read as a child, perhaps Hansel and Gretel. Hm, maybe this will be interesting after all. In fact, this area seems so different from the rest of our journey that I ask our driver for information.
“It’s called Llogara,” he says. “It’s a national park that is about 1000 meters above sea level, and is on the border between the Adriatic and Ionian seas. It’s a good place for hiking and mountain biking.”
Indeed, I can feel that we are significantly higher as the breeze coming through the window is now fresh and much crisper. We decide to stop at a restaurant nestled in the dense forest. As I step out, I take in my surrounding with immense appreciation for the extensive natural beauty. Our driver tells me that the park is also rich in wildlife, in particular with deer, squirrels, foxes, wolves and wild boar. Hm, I would like to see some deer, I haven’t seen those since I got to Albania (I did end up seeing some)ŠI’m not so sure about wolves though.
Before sitting down to eat, I decide to speak with the staff and learn more about this intriguing place. They kindly take the time to highlight four interesting features:
1. The Llogora Tourist Village blends perfectly in the landscape of a high pine forest. It is located about 1000 meters above sea level. It offers accommodation in its hotel with 25 rooms or in one of 16 personal wooden villas. A swimming pool and an Irish Pub complete the structure.
2. The Strada Bianca is a broad torrent-bed of white stones, which originates in the summit of the mountain and descends directly to the sea in a white delta known as the Palasa Beach. The name Strada Bianca (White Road), comes from Julius Ceaser. Following Pompey’s troops in Illyricum, the great Ceaser embarked in the Palasa Beach and impressed by this monument of nature, gave it the name Strada Bianca.
3. The road that goes through Llogara and along the whole Ionian coast was built by the Italians during WWII. It was finally reconstructed in the early years of 2000 with the help of the Albanian army. The sightseeing it offers is probably one the most memorable ones in the world.
4. Pisha Flamur (literally: Flag Pine) is one of the main attractions. Strong wind tides have curved its branches toward the same direction giving it the shape of a flag. Easily, the weird looking pine has become a national monument of nature all in its own.
Though we had passed the flag tree before reaching the restaurant, I was eager to explore the other features. So, after enjoying an exquisite meal of roasted lamb and veal, my companions and I continued our drive. This place was a fortunate findŠit compensates for the tedious trip, I think with a smile.
As we emerge from the wooded territory of Llogara, our eyes are met with a breathtaking bird’s eye view and reminder of why we set out on this journey in the first place. The Ionian Sea lying out before us stretches to the horizon. Unfortunately, however, I cannot meditate on this beauty long. Instead, my instinct tells me to take my eyes off the stunning view and look at the driver. Indeed, our trusty driver, despite having made the same drive many times, is so mesmerized by the scene that it takes a polite but firm tap on the shoulder to remind him that he is actually operating a vehicle at relatively high speeds. Phew, good thinking, I tell myself. Now let’s stop take some unforgettable photos and keep driving.
