Last night was a good rest after a couple busy days. I was finished dinner by 700 and once I caught on the blog it was just after 800. There was a tv in the room And I didn't hold high hopes but the Avengers in English was on, so I killed some time until I was actually tired enough to sleep. I believe my hosts are Greek so all the tv seemed to be Greek as well.
I left the patio doors open and the sounds of the sea and crickets and the occasional goat bell was peaceful and relaxing.
I moved to the main patio for a simple egg, bread and Turkish coffee for breakfast. Then it was off to explore the coast.
Gjipe Beach was just below the house but it was still a 20 minute car ride and then 15 minute walk. But it is well worth it. A huge canyon opens to a wide sandy/pebbly beach. The water is sparkling clean and glows blue. In the summer it can be quite busy and there are three or four beach bars but when I arrive there is just one couple. The water is surprisingly warm. And even early the sun is strong. But it is great. It certainly is in contention for the nicest beach in the Balkans.
There are a few more people here now and since one of the beach bars is open I'm having grilled fish which unfortunately was pulled from a chest feeezer. (More to come! - it was quite good and I ate surrounded by at least eight cats and kittens. They are everywhere)
As I much as I didn't want to do so, after a third swim it was time head up another goat path to the car. Then I was off to the Mussel House in Ksamil.
The entire two hour drive was one hairpin turn after another. And while I expected to be seeing more beautiful beaches and coastline. What I actually saw was more mountains and rocky outcrops falling into the sea. It is no wonder the few 'beachy' areas are being over developed. (I made a quick detour to Himare which wasn't as nice as touted and mostly closed)
[mostly in Albania, on the roads, there have been typical donkey drawn carts, a three wheel cart with a lawnmower engine and horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, herded turkeys]
The mussel farm has been on the list since day one. And after the disappointing results with the oysters along the way I gave high hopes.
There is a large lake just opposite Ksamil. At the farm there is the blue lip mussel farms, a restaurant and small cabin like rooms. Mussels don't like warm weather. So when the summer warns the water it does bode well. There aren't fresh mussels in the shell but a few other options which I guess means they are frozen? I've ordered a casserole as an appetizer with tomato and cheese. And for dinner a seafood linguini.
(The very nice server tried to push large fresh while fish but I just can't do it after lunch)
No comments:
Post a Comment