Just another day in Paradise

Seems like it has been a very busy week.  Monday ("P" day for the Missionaries) we loaded the sister missionaries into the car and headed south for a town called Saranda.  Rumors have it that it is a very beautiful place and the drive to get there goes through some beautiful mountains.  Well, the rumors

Quaint picturesque little village

are true.  Even though it was rainy and overcast the trip was "jaw dropping".  What an unusual opportunity to drive there.  Perhaps the most awesome experience was coming down the mountain and seeing the sea stretched out as far as was visible.  If compared to the Lewiston Hill it would be about another 1000 feet higher and a little steeper.  So you're driving through this mountain, pine tree area and then there it is..... 3000 feet down and almost straight down.  Makes me shiver again thinking that we actually drove down that road.  When we came back about 3/4 of the way up the grade we ran into some dense fog.  Maybe that was good so we  couldn't see how far down the bottom was but it was bad because we could hardly see where the road was.  What an adventure! 




Vlore from the hill top

I've also been looking for a way to climb to the top of that hill overlooking the Vlore bay.  I finally found the path leading to the top.  You walk up this alley of a street until almost the end then take a path straight up a dirt bank which leads into a beautiful olive orchard.  There is a fairly well defined trail going up to the  top of the knoll. But it is steep and about 200 yards through the terraced olive grove.  But the view from the top is awesome.  I mean just unbelievable ---- a 270 degree view of the bay. This is such a pretty place. 


Very Beautiful by quite steep

Three lane road

We had a beach cleaning activity, the full-time elders and sisters moved back into their apartments, we had an assessment test to administer to the institute and seminary students, English class was not too well attended this week,  we still are a ward without a bishopric, and we've participated with the  missionaries in teaching a couple of investigators.

 We had to inspect the Elder's appartment in Barat so we took the time to visit an ancient castle on the top of this hill.  A very unique place.  Made me wonder how they built the place or hauled all the stones up to the top to build it.  Maybe they just cut the top of the hill off to get the stones...hummm?

View from the castle in Barat

Summer Fest in Albania

I'm not really sure how this event began or exactly why it is celebrated but we sure did enjoy being a part of it.  I believe it is called "Summer Fest" (in English) and everyone is celebrating the coming of summer.  There were kids dressed up in native costumes and dancing in the square just outside our apartment.  Then there were tons of people just walking the streets and enjoying the very pleasant spring weather.  All of the sidewalk cafes were full and a wonderful happy atmosphere filled the air.  We joined in the walking and met several other ward members out doing the same.  Below are a few pictures of the day.

Spring Gardening

They finally let me do a little digging in the dirt!....  When we visited the Golemi's home Brother Golemi was out tilling his grape arbour.  I asked him if I might help but he said no and we went inside for a visit.  When we finished I hurried outside, put on his boots, grabbed his shovel and ran into the garden and started turning over some dirt.  It felt wonderful.  Everyone had a good laugh. 

Dinner at a Member's Home

This is the view from the roof of her home. 

We were invited to dinner at the Relief Society president's home with the sister missionaries.  We had a wonderful time, a marvelous dinner, and a beautiful view of the city.  She is a single woman who has a home out of the city a little way.  It is situated in a small valley above the city of Vlore.  The road up to her home is a bit challenging for a vehicle and we ended up walking the last 1/4 of a mile to get there.  She is a wonderful hostess and we felt very fortunate to be in her home and spend the evening with her and the young sister missionaries.  I think the pictures of and from her home will give you a better idea of why the evening was so impressive.


The arch way and crown molding is concrete or plaster.  It is amazing
(Enlarge the picture to see the detail)

what  we have here (top to bottom) Very tasty fish, two potatoes, feta cheese
yummy carrots, sliced fresh tomatoes, and a green salad.  The plate on the top
contains a glazed cookie/cake kind of dessert - very good!

There is an olive orchard on the hillside just above her home.
This particular tree was very impressive.  
 

McDonald Look Alike

We stopped into a newly remolded restaurant the other day.  It is just a few blocks away from our apartment.  There was this person out front that was dressed up in a big air inflated bear costume dancing around and waving at all the cars going by.    When we went inside we began to understand what was going on...  The menu, the décor, the counter signs, and even the uniforms of the employees for all intent looked like McDonalds.  The bear out front was a version of Ronald McD himself.  We weren't brave enough to order a hamburger - not knowing what maybe in the beef but we did enjoy a nice club sandwich and fries.  The fries looked and tasted just like McD fries.  Here are a couple of pictures of the inside and the advertisements.  The place is called the Kolonat - is that McDonald's spelled backward?  The "Big Menu" looks a lot like a "Big Mac".  And the "Happy Kids" reminds me of a "Happy Meal"  The menu board is in English which was nice for us.  I think we'll go back again and try the "Big Menu".  Stand by for an update on that one.  Dixie thought she might try the "Happy Kids" just to see what the prize inside will be. 

More Training

We went to Tirana last week for training with the brother who is the director for the church's program for self-reliance, welfare, employment and Perpetual Education in Europe.  He flew in from his office in France to work with the Stake on developing the PEF and Self-reliant programs here in Albania.  We spent half a day with him and the missionary couple here in Tirana administering the church's humanitarian aid program.  It was a very profitable visit,  we learned a lot and hope to be of better assistance to those who need employment and a better place in life.  Self-reliance is an interesting concept for several of the people we have met here.  They to want to have a better lifestyle but find it very difficult to move out of their present one.  There are lots of obstacles to overcome and for some they seem impossible.  But if we can just help a couple of them to grasp on to greater hope and exercise greater faith then our time here is worth it. It is a lofty idea but that was what we were called to do so we will give it our best shot.
While in Tirana we went to this really nice restaurant on top of this tall building.  Below are a couple of shots from the restaurant.  Also an interesting outdoor market.  They have an abundance of fruit stands in this country.  And it's all very tasty and nutritious.

 

Tirana is situated up against a beautiful set of mountains.  As you look at a map you'll see that it is about 50 miles inland and right up against mountains on three sides.  It is a pretty big city  (800,000 in the metropolitan area) with lots and lots of cars and people on he road.