Butrint (Albania) | Are Wild Olives Edible? - Day 157

The castle in the background is Ali Pasha's Castle, one of many he built in the region. This one is unique in that it is located on an island at the mouth of a channel west of Butrint, Albania.

Butrint, Albania, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on a small peninsula south of the town of Ksamil. It is represented by the three red dots on the map across from the island of Corfu. The ancient city is located about 30 minutes south of Ksamil.

The city was influenced by Greek, Roman, and Byzantine civilizations and is considered Albania's most important archeological site. Even today, the site has many areas that have not been fully excavated. This is an active site with large historical pieces found as recently as 2005.

Butrint had immense wealth when the town was at its peak, which occurred between the 12th century BC to the 6th Century AD. The Byzantine Empire controlled the city through the Middle Ages. It was recognized by UNESCO in 1992 and became a national park in 2000.

I am looking forward to exploring the southwest coast of Albania today. Butrint is only about 1 hour from Sarandë, and the road follows the coast.

First, on the agenda today is to visit Ali Pasha's Castle near Butrint, which is due west of the ancient city. After parking, I look at my phone. It's 1.6 km (1 mi) to Ali Pasha's Castle, I tell Jerome. "Lonely planet guide says there's a shuttle boat we can take to the island. But I don't think it is available this late in the season," he says.

We start walking. Along the way, I pass several olive trees. I jokingly say this is the fruit of Albania as I take a ripe one from the tree. I bite into it and immediately spit it out. Wow! That is bitter. Maybe that's a wild olive tree, the kind Petrit said wasn't good. I'll have to try some others.

As I near where the road ends, I encounter more QZ bunkers. This time there are three located along the road overlooking the entrance to the narrow bay. The one in the foreground shows their structure as it sits above ground.

These versions have two peepholes, providing a much larger viewing angle.

I look up on the hill and notice another. So Jerome climbs the mountain to take a photo of Ali Pasha's Castle. "There are trenches up here, too," he says. So I climb up the hill. Then I follow the trenches and find another 6 or 7 bunkers.

The bunkers are hard to see, as the vegetation is starting to reclaim the site. Nevertheless, all the bunkers on the hill are connected by a small stone trench. The trench connects all the bunkers and runs across the sidehill of the site. I can find another 4 bunkers before losing access to the trench in the wild vegetation, but I think there are at least 2-3 more.

After taking a few pictures of Ali Pasha's Castle from across the bay, I start walking back up the trail with Jerome and encounter a goat herder. He beats the olive trees with a long stick, causing the ripe olives to fall to the ground for the goats. I have seen many of these herders in Albania. All of them are older men that walk with a small group of sheep, goats, or a mixed flock. Most have fewer than 20 animals.

Once back at the car, we head for Butrint, about 5 minutes from the turnoff to Ali Pasha's Castle. The entry fee into Butrint National Park is 1,000 Lek (8.50 euros). The first site I visit is the old Venetian Tower that overlooks ancient Roman baths. The tower is located north of the triangle fortress on the opposite bank.

The Venetian Triangular Fortress (below) was actually built by the Ottoman Empire. However, it was controlled by the Venetians for an extended period. The original fort, built in 1655 AD, was a simple triangle. The three columns were erected about 60 years later, followed by the interior buildings. This must be why the towers are not integrated into the castle walls.

Butrint is an old city, dating back even further than the 8th Century BC when the Greeks controlled it. The site has been excavated many times, and parts are still actively excavated. In 2005, several statues were found in this part of the city.

One of the most important sites is the old Amphitheater. This was the old entrance. A wooden bridge now provides access as most of this part of the city is now underwater.

The Amphitheater was renovated a few different times. Some of the stones are inscribed with the names of people who lived during Ancient times. These people provided funding to renovate the site a long time ago. Notably, we still use this system today to renovate areas.

This is the old Baptistery. Unfortunately, the floor is covered now to protect the beautiful mosaic, one of the world's best and most significant examples of this type of mosaic. The mosaic is uncovered only a few times per year for people to enjoy.

The north gate is a massive fortification. I take a moment to admire the colossal stones, the detail, and the workmanship. Look at the detail. They even carved the corners. Aesthetics were sometimes more important than function during ancient times, I say to Jerome. "You would trip out in Egypt! I can tell you like this stuff. You need to get yourself there," he replies. I agree. I love Ancient Egypt and really admire ancient architecture. I will get there eventually, just not right now, I say. 

Near the entrance and at the top of the ancient city is a castle converted into the Butrint museum. Inside, they have several statues that have been excavated, dating back to the 4th or 6th Century AD, and more minor artifacts like knives and pottery.

Having thoroughly covered Butrint, we head back to the little Skoda. Let's take the backroads instead of doubling back the way we came. So Jerome heads for the little cable ferry that brings us to the Triangle Fortress. About 30 minutes later, we are near St. George Monastery. This time it is a 0.5 km (0.3 mi) uphill to the old site. 

We pass an olive tree. This one looks ripe, I say as I grab a brown olive that feels ripe when I squeeze it. Yuck! I say as I spit out the little piece I took. I am going to find an edible olive, I tell Jerome. "I'll let you tell me when you find one," he says while laughing.

The monastery is closed and it looks like it has been locked for many years. The road up to the site is dilapidated. I say the priests had a lot of time on their hands and must have liked basketball. "Yeah, I've never seen a basketball court like this one at any of the other monasteries I have visited, responds Jerome.

I reach up and grab another green olive on the way back down. This one is bigger than the others. As I sink my teeth into it, I immediately throw it on the ground and spit out the intense bitter flavor. Jerome laughs at me. I'll find one. You just wait, I say. I am more determined than ever to eat a tasty olive from a tree.