Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 5248 FOCUS - OCTOBER 2016 Jonathan van Bilsen is a photographer, author and columnist and can be followed at photosNtravel.com Driving south along the countryside, my next stop was the seaside town of Sarandë. The landscape has spectacu- lar vistas, especially if you stick close to the water’s edge. Beware of cyclists who travel down the winding slopes at incredible speeds. Once you arrive in Sarandë, it is like being in another world. There are many ocean front hotels at extremely reason- able prices. I ended up on the top (sixth) floor of a modern hotel with all the ame- nities I could ask for, as well as a huge balcony overlooking the water. The cost was 30 Euros a night… in cash. It did not take me long to realize that althoughAlbania may be a poor country, the people are wealthy. There is no tax (income or otherwise), and everyone seems to trade their goods or services with tourists at reasonable prices. A long boardwalk directly across from my hotel, links restaurants and souvenir shops and makes for pleasant strolls at sunset or any time of day. From the shore you can see the Greek Island of Corfu, which is only 4 km away. Due to the low rates for tourism in Albania, many Greeks and Italians travel there for their vacation. This gets them away from their own countries which are crowded with Western European tourists. Sarandë has much to offer besides cafés and shops. There is the Blue Eye, a natural, bottomless spring with clear, vibrant blue water, common in most of Albania’s water bodies. The way in which the water bubbles up to the sur- face, helps create the illusion of an eye. Admission to the park was inexpensive and again only cash was accepted. I drove the 45 minutes to the an- cient city of Butrint to see the remnants from most major empires of the area, includingGreek,Roman,Byzantine,and Ottoman ruins. Information about the city is presented in English brochures which are distributed at the entrance. There are many signs with historical facts and dates in order to help visitors understand what they are seeing. Twice I was stopped by the police who wanted to fine me for having a broken parking light. Both times a 10 Euro note did the trick. I never did get the light fixed. The ruins in Butrint include the Greek amphitheatre (later remodelled by the Romans), the Baptistery, the cathedral, the Lion’s Gate, and the mu- seum which includes many interesting artifacts found in the area. Butrint is one of several places in Albania which was kept off-limits to the general public during the Communist era. The city was made into a tourist destination for foreigners to visit, but Albanian citizens were not allowed, due to fears they would try to escape by swimming the short distance to Greece. Whether your pleasure is sightsee- ing, visiting historic ruins, frolicking on a beach or shopping and dining, Albania has it all at very reasonable rates. Con- sider this not-so-well-known country for your next visit, albeit by car, bus or cruise ship. Albania (continued from page 47) The gurgling waters of the Blue Eye spring. The famous “White City” of Berat. to all our valued customers and the Township of Scugog for your generous and ongoing support for the market this year. Port Perry Farmers’ Market Operation Scugog Food Bank Drive October 8th