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Matthias
 Supporting Member
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 09:53 am EST : |   
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Albania: To sum it up: Extremely friendly people, delicious food, a wonderful natural beauty, high mountains with a very interesting fauna and flora ... and hellebores.
Here are some pictures taken last weekend in central Albania. All hellebores in these photos are Helleborus cyclophyllus.
H. cyclophyllus is often accompanied by Cyclamen hederifolium.
A little wild bee resting after the pollination job.
Rocky outcrops with a high biodiversity; the very green plants are hellebores.
Matthias
- South Germany,
Zone "7"
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Galanthophile
Supporting Member
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 12:27 pm EST : |
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Sounds like a great trip - a plantsman's paradise?
Galanthophile
- Ann (Northern England),
Zone "8"
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Jeffnz
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 02:02 pm EST : |
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Matthias
The Albanian trip looks to have been a great success, great scenery along with the hellebores. Based on news and current affairs reports the impression I have of the country is one of poverty and hardship so it is pleasing to see your comments about the attitude of the people and from a botanical perspective the country is very well off. Will you return to collect seed at a later date?
Jeffnz
- Wellington,
Zone "?"
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Matthias
Supporting Member
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - 05:38 am EST : |
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A plantsman's paradise, Ann!
And a wonderful surprise to find that much of what we hear and read in our media is wrong: There are extreme differences beween rich and poor, but on the whole the country seems to be on a good and positive way. It will be a long way but the Albanians are tough, positively thinking people: They always have a smile for you and for each other. Despite much poverty and certainly as a consequence of all the hardships under the dictatorial communist regime the people have developed great philosophic wisdom.
I hope noone here will be offended by this slightly off topic post, but I would like to give you a slight idea of what we saw.
The outskirts of the capital Tirana with the mountains in the background. Industrialisation!
In Tirana: No private cars were allowed under the communist regime up to 1990
Very problematic still: High unemployment rates, especially bad for young people
Green hills at the foot of the mountains with pink flowering Cercis siliquastrum
Breathtaking landscapes
Four impressions of Elbasan in central Albania.
Heavy industry, high pollution
Not typical but not extreme
8:30 Saturday night: Everybody is in the streets, cafes, bars or restaurants
Matthias
- South Germany,
Zone "7"
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Gardenfiend
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - 07:43 am EST : |
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That was a pleasant diversion. I was also happy to hear a positive opinion of the Albanian people. My only connection has been through Greeks, who in turn know Albanians only as "Gastarbeiter" and like to equate them with any and all crime committed in their country.
Gardenfiend
- Germany,
Zone "7a"
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Cycnich
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - 12:04 pm EST : |
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Thank you Matthias for the information. How easy was it to get around the country in terms of car hire. Did you feel safe while you were there. I ask these questions because I am sure this is a place many cyclamen society members would love to go but are unsure of. Who knows the cyclamen society might one day do a research expedition there as this is unexplored as far as cyclamen are concerned.
Cycnich
- west sussex,
Zone "8"
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Matthias
Supporting Member
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - 01:05 pm EST : |
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Mara, I was in northern Greece twice in Spring 1995 and again in the autumn of 1997. Both times I was appalled by the way the locals there were talking about and acting towards the Albanians. Many local farmers there used to (today ???) "hire" illegal young Albanians who were treated more like slaves (you can do that with these desperate poor devils) than farm workers. We saw many of these illegal young men in the rural areas where they have to do all the hard and dirty work for almost nothing always in fear of being discovered.
And we always heard that of course "they are all criminals and steal and and and ..."
What do you expect from people forced into desperate poverty and treated like animals in the foreign country with a starving family at home waiting for some help?
What I found in Albania were the most amiable and warm-hearted people far and wide.
Pat, since we have friendly contacts to people at the university of Tirana we were extremely well looked after at the arrival and on the last day. One day we were on our own and hired a private driver plus car which cost us 60 Euros for the whole day all inclusive. It was great fun because he ONLY spoke Albanian ... :-) But you can clearly find English speaking drivers at Tirana airport. Driving on main roads is no problem but as soon as you get on smaller roads it can get VERY bumpy and you will find no sign posts at junctions so you will be lost without the help of a local.
We never felt unsafe at any time or in any place. You know what botanists do: we were exploring a rocky area near Lake Ohrid and suddenly there was a very big police car in the meadow with three impressive black policemen. We hadn't realized that we were VERY close to the Macedonian border :-) ... I walked directly up to them, and explained in my best Italian (they don't speak English) that we were very harmless botanists taking photos of hellebores (gypsy flowers) and other "fiori" and they were delighted ... helped us and advised us where to go. When we left the boss who was the biggest guy gave me a long hug ...
I don't say there isn't the occasional crime, but I felt much safer than in MANY other so called civilized countries in this world.
We saw lots of wonderful Cyclamen hederifolium in central Albania.
Matthias
- South Germany,
Zone "7"
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Addict
| | Posted on Thursday, April 17, 2008 - 11:09 am EST : |
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Matthias,
Great posting - thanks.
For some years I taught Albanian teenagers in the UK who had lost parents or worse(use your imagination please)
They were delightful well behaved and amazing given what they had seen and experienced in the war.
Looking at your photos - I think I prefer Bosnia and Montenegro scenically but the whole Balkan area (including Turkey) has so much to offer to plantsmen/women as well as an example of how people used to be socially before globalisation went mad - I hope they can retain it but I fear for the worse.
addict Staffordshire zone 8(just) UK |
Galanthophile
Supporting Member
My Favorite Photo
My Garden
| | Posted on Saturday, April 19, 2008 - 08:29 am EST : |
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Very interesting to hear what your trip was like. Thanks for this insight.
Galanthophile
- Ann (Northern England),
Zone "8"
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Gardenbug
Supporting Member
| | Posted on Sunday, April 20, 2008 - 05:46 am EST : |
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Lovely thread. Thank you!
Gardenbug
- Ontario,
Zone "4/5"
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Jgwoodard
My Garden
| | Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 - 06:08 am EST : |
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Very interesting Matthias. I'm always interested in evidence to contrast with assumptions and stereotypes but also simple snapshots into daily life (I would go to North Korea tomorrow if I were allowed). It would appear that some of the automobiles there in Albania might have been familiar to you. :-)
Jgwoodard
- TN,
Zone "7"
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Matthias
Supporting Member
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - 12:44 am EST : |
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Yes Joseph, they like this brand. Most of them are old, second- or third hand cars bought from second hand car dealers all over Europe. They say these are the best cars for their bumpy roads but I have my doubts. I think in some cases it's more about social status than technical quality. By the way, as car drivers, the Albanians are very flexible, tolerant and "creative" in interpreting the traffic regulations, at least in the city.
Matthias
- South Germany,
Zone "7"
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