A taste of 'old' Europe

Legrace Benson of Ithaca, N.Y., spent 10 days in Albania.

LEGRACE BENSON

Where did you go? Tirana, Krujë, and Durrës Plazh, in Albania. Tirana is the capital today. Krujë was the capital in late medieval times when Skanderbeg, the national hero, ruled. Durrës Plazh is the beach resort area adjacent to the seaport city of Durrës, an important Adriatic port since Illyrian times, circa 1000 BC.

What did you do? Toured the Tirana valley and the historic city and museum at Krujë, and attended a wedding in Tirana and Durrës Plazh of students who had attended my US university. A visit to the National Library, open to the public, was rewarded by seeing some exceptional, rare manuscripts and documents.

Where did you stay? Part of the time in the Adriatik, a recently renovated "old European"-style resort with rooms directly on terraces overlooking the beach; part of the time in private homes with exceptionally warm hospitality.

Where did you eat? A special seven-course celebration dinner at the Adriatik was too tempting to resist: superb seafood and traditional Albanian dishes with sausages, cheeses, beef, fruits, vegetables, and rice. Family food is simple but with rich flavors of vegetables grown in good soil and subtropical sun.

CSM