This morning was another early start as Sea Cloud pulled up to the dock at Sarande, Albania. The pier is new and modern; much of Albania has been modernized since the fall of Communism just a few decades ago.
An easy bus ride through the resort town of Sarande passed many new hotels, shops, and narrow streets. Our guides explain that under communist rule, very few people owned a car, and therefore there was no need to include parking areas within the city.
Fortunately, there is plenty of parking at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Butrint, a place that has been used by practically every civilization in the Mediterranean. From Illyrians, Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines to the Venetians and the Ottomans, Butrint is a world class archaeological wonderland that tells the story of over 2,500 years of history.
As both a strategic location and a luxurious resort for ancient societies, the path around the ruins passes Roman bathhouses, Greek theatres, Venetian temples, medieval kitchens, and Byzantine basilicas, all in one hour.
Back at the Sea Cloud, we cast off at noon and steamed into the Strait of Otranto, hoping to find some good sailing winds as we head further south into the Ionian Sea. Tom Heffernan gave an informative lecture on the Black Death and the decline of the Venetian Empire. Our expedition leader Tom O’Brien followed up with his detailed “History of the Sea Cloud.” After that, we had an open house reception down in the luxurious original owner’s suites built for Marjorie Post and E.F. Hutton. They certainly liked to travel in style!
