Blue Eye

Supplement to 08.04.23

Highly motivated, tanned, and completely refreshed, I'm back from vacation. I think it's been three days without a post...

but it's time again. After all, I don't do this for fun.

Meanwhile, I'm in Greece and once again have internet without having to bother my fellow humans several times a day for a mobile hotspot. So, Greece can already score some points with that.

Back to yesterday.

About 20km above Saranda, a small port city near the Greek border, lies the Blue Eye, or the karst spring Syri i Kalter. In the middle of a fairytale-like primeval forest, the water gushes with high pressure, constantly from a spring basin up into the lake, which then forms a river. A fascinating natural phenomenon. The cold, crystal-clear water shines turquoise blue to emerald green, depending on the incidence of light. It really looks stunning. If you look down on the spring basin from above, you can see the 'pupil' which appears almost black due to the depth at this point. The bluish water around it then forms the iris. An unforgettable sight.

I was apparently so impressed that I forgot to take pictures from this very special place.

The Blue Eye is absolutely worth seeing and accordingly popular with tourists. At this time of year, the crowd is still manageable.

Fortunately, a small camp of vans and tents has formed near the actual parking lot. Here you simply stand in the middle of the idyllic landscape, which is typical Albanian with its lush green grass, beautiful mountains, and clear rivers.

Equally typical here are the many herds of goats, sheep, and cows, which roam the land while grazing on the fertile meadows. Led by an old man with a stick, some curious cows even passed by our camp this morning. This is just one of many examples of the exciting Balkan country of Albania.

Unfortunately, that's it for now with Albania. Another longer stay is planned for June. Can't wait....