Blue Eye and Sarande

Attempt to See the Ali Pasha Bridge

After a leisurely morning at our air-conditioned Airbnb, we head out to the coastal town of Sarande with sight-seeing stops along the way. It is 10:45 am and already 30°C!!!

We have a great view of the Castle from the road.

We first attempt to go to the Ali Pasha Bridge which was part of an aquaduct that was mostly destroyed in an earthquake except for this part.  Google keeps sending us on narrow, super steep, cobblestone roads which are more like freakin goat paths. After a hair raising 15 minutes (with great views and steep drops, mind you), we give up and head onto a nice two lane highway lined by gorgeous pink hollyhocks.  

The Blue Eye

Our next stop is called The Blue Eye which is a natural spring. It is a thirty minute uphill walk in the sun to get there or for $12 CAD, a ten minute tourist train. We choose the train.

Touted as a national treasure, the bluish spring is pretty but overrated. We might be spoilt by all the fresh water rivers, lakes & waterfalls in Canada. Basically, once you get there, it is just a view of very clear water bubbling up from an underground source (no swimming allowed), a few restaurants, souvenir stalls, ice cream stand and a bathroom without toilet paper. Click here for a short video of the spring.

When we arrive at the return train stop, it is only to find out that one of the trains is broken down. When the next train arrives, pandemonium ensues and I am deliberately shoved not once but three times by Spanish speaking tourists. We don’t get on the train.

They get the next train working and we are able to return to the parking lot. It is now 39°C.

Arrival in Sarande

We drive about 40 minutes to our Airbnb in Sarande. Sarande is a beach town on the ocean which is a bit more touristy than the other places we have been to in Albania. Our Airbnb apartment is lovely with a great view of the ocean. According to Lance, it was challenging for John to get the car into our parking spot in the garage…but he did it.

We have a late lunch at a nearby restaurant and head back to the apartment to rest up during the afternoon heat.

Sarande Beach

At 6pm we head to the main Sarande beach. The temperature is comfortable. It is a pebble beach. Louise has a tummy ache so Louise and Lance head back to the apartment. John and I walk the promenade which is mostly filled with restaurants, bars, tour hawkers and a few souvenir stands. Several pirate party boats line the waterfront.

We stop and watch people jumping off a platform into the water in the golden light.

John and I have dinner and ice cream before heading back to the apartment.