Double Vision: World Heritage (Part 2)

Sarandë, Albania

After another stop for coffee (to keep us awake after that generous lunch I suspect) we stopped at the Blue Eye spring to admire waters that both the Cap’n & George likened to the crystal clear waters of Mt Gambier (SA).  

Fortunately, the reserve has been preserved, in as much as it was used as a rest facility by Albania’s communist elite, and so off-limits to the general public for many years.  Not so now – it’s busy in summer!  The spring itself is said to be very deep (45-50m) and we heard of divers who had swum into karst caves below it.  Had we more time and snorkelling gear, I think we’d have lost our two intrepid travellers downstream. 

The Cap'n was having difficulty focusing on our group...

View out to the dam

 

Fran waving over the clear, turquoise waters

Butrint Beauty

Last stop of the day was Butrint, yet another UNESCO World Heritage site (since 1995).  The ancient city of Butrint is the largest and best preserved archaeological site in Albania. 

Legend has it that settlement dates from ancient times by exiles from Troy.  It was named Buthrotum (wounded ox) after a sacrificial offering managed, against the odds, to swim to shore.  This mythology is further reflected in the cyclopean walls and celebrated “Lion Gate”. 

We started our hike round the extensive grounds covering:

Hellenistic ruins: the Asclepion, an ancient treatment centre (BC 4^th c), & Theatre (BC 3^rd c);

Roman ruins of a very prosperous city:  the Forum, roman baths, the triconch Palace;

The mosaic floor is kept safe from rising salt water by this covering of sand

Byzantine ecclesiastical ruins: the Baptistery with its amazing intact mosaic floor (now covered by sand to preserve it), the Great Basilica;

 Norman ruins: fortified walls running down to the lagoon; and

Venetian ruins: Tower, Venetian castle (13^th c) built over on the town’s Acropolis.  The castle is now home to a museum of objects found on the site. (Butrint web site is a little cumbersome but interesting.)

Butrint's Lagoon at dusk

We drove home through Ksamil, another buzzing seaside resort town along the Albanian coast.  We were able to admire spectacular coastal views before arriving back at Saranda, in time for the evening “rush” hour – Saranda with its party lights on!