![]() ![]() But more recently the community has had more freedom to take steps to improve the area.Īfter being appalled by Shkodra’s “rubbish problem” I was surprised by how clean Theth was. Every house has a vegetable garden, fruit trees and usually a cow or some sheep.īy its very location Theth has been protected by some of the troubles that have afflicted the rest of the country, although the tower by the river, which was used as a haven for men involved in blood feuds, is evidence the town didn’t quite escape every Albanian tradition. Supplies are brought in from Shkodra, but the families here are very self-sufficient. Most of the buildings are houses or guesthouses, some of which also offer a cafe or bar. Only five families will brave the winter when the valley will be covered with about three metres of snow. In winter it is closed, but by then most of the residents will be in Shkodra. The main road in, a poor gravel track over the mountain, is inaccessible without a four-wheel-drive. The oldest grave I find in the cemetery is from 1933, but there are a lot of wooden crosses with just names, no dates. Theth was apparently founded 400 years ago by six brothers. Sometimes the only sound was a bell tied to cow several hundred metres away. People come here to access the mountains, but also for a glimpse at a different way of life.ĭuring the day the valley is so quiet. Even 10,000 visitors a year is not that many. Compared to similar parts of Europe, the Albanian Alps are relatively unexplored by a lot of tourists. Theth is in the heart of the Theth National Park surrounded by Albania’s highest mountains, more than 100 caves and beautiful waterfalls. It isn’t as if time has stood still, it’s as if time, along with the rest of the world, doesn’t exist. ![]() They are the only people I see until Vitoria, Pjeter’s wife, comes out of the house. There’s a man sitting on a rock and sketching the church and Pjeter, the owner of the guesthouse I’m staying at, walks down the road to greet us. When I get out of the van after an entertaining ride from Shkodra I immediately feel what draws people here. Shkodra doesn’t even have 100,000 people. The roads are the setting for a non-stop game of chicken and I haven’t seen such mayhem since Saigon, which is a city of 7.5 million. Then there is the driving, which at best can be described as erratic, at worst, suicidal. The image of wild pigs dining on several truckloads of rubbish tipped into a gully unfortunately defines the city for me. My first experience of Albania was Shkodra, the country’s second largest city. To look around the smattering of houses, you have to wonder where they put 400 nightly guests. During the season (June, July, August) every guesthouse here was full almost every night. This year, up to 10,000 people will visit Theth. Two decades ago there were 250 families living here, until many traded life in the mountains for the opportunities in the cities like Shkodra, 70km away.īut now this village nestled in the Albanian Alps is experiencing a resurgence. The fact that he does not just tell me the number of people says a lot about this place. Play across all supported devices.This is what Pjeter tells me when I ask about the village. ** This game is compatible with devices running 4.0.3 and above.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |