We visited Berat Castle about two weeks ago. Jampi the Sweetest Dog of Berat walked us halfway. There were a few tour buses parked nearby. Another couple arrived by foot at around the same time we did. The man at the ticket counter wasn’t very nice. The admission fee of 100 Lek (USD $0.90) per person is unnecessarily low considering Berat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There was a souvenir stall at the entrance. Lining the walls inside the entrance were tablecloths upon tablecloths for sale. I stayed far away and avoided eye contact with the ladies who sell them because I hate having to tell them we can’t buy their stuff. Past the stalls, guesthouses, and restaurants, I was surprised to find private residences.

To this day, people live in the citadel. That is extremely cool. This castle neighborhood is called Kala, the Albanian word for fortress. People started settling in this hilltop area as early as the 4th century BC. Only a few of the many Orthodox Christian churches from around the 13th century remain. The minaret of one of the two mosques built by the Ottomans for its garrison is still standing, but the rest is mostly gone.

Some local knowledge

About an hour in, the man, who arrived at the entrance gate with his wife when we did, came down a trail and started chatting with us. He’s Albanian and his wife, Maria, is Greek, from the island of Kafelonia. They live in Greece most of the time, but spend their summers in Albania. He strongly recommended the Onufri Museum where we could check out some religious icons. Icons are those colorful paintings on wood that decorate Orthodox churches; usually with gold backgrounds depicting faces of Jesus, Mary, Saints, and religious events.

He offered us some red berries from the bag of fruit he had bought. He didn’t know what they are called in English, but told us to not pass up any opportunity to eat them because they are full of antioxidants. They were tart, but if they’re super nutritious, I’d eat them again. I later found out they are Cornelian cherries.

He said the Mediterranean climate and the fertile soil here mean fruit and olives are abundant everywhere including the backyard of their house just 20 minutes away from Berat. It’s true, we see people selling fruit from their own backyard. Sadly, every house has the same trees, so no one is really buying. He gave us a bunch of grapes before leaving. He bought the fruit just to support the vendor even though he had the same fruit rotting on the ground in his backyard. I love people like him.

The views from the castle were amazing. There were some nicely redone guesthouses, many rustic homes and lots of ruins. One of the coolest structures was the cistern that used to collect water for people who lived within the fortress.

Cats reign supreme

Two weeks later

It took us two weeks to return to the castle. Our main goal yesterday was to visit the Onufri Museum which was the Church of the Dormition of St Mary. I was quite miffed when I found out photography was not allowed. It wasn’t about the 200 Lek (USD $1.90) per person museum admission fees, it’s all that sweating in the hot sun. Luckily, it was quite cool inside the church. The icons and other displays were beautiful, and the wood carvings ornate.

There were many different groups of visitors there, mostly German-speaking. At one point, we were the only ones left and we sat down. Kenric said it was the longest we’ve been in a church since we accompanied his Grandma to church on Sundays during the five months we lived with her in Southern California. It felt like a lifetime ago, but that was just this past mid-November through early April.

The lady at the restaurant vaguely remembered us. She asked her daughter to confirm that we were there two weeks ago. One of the friendly cats was there and also had a good meal. The dishes we got this time were even more delicious especially the eggplant, it may just be worth another 40-minute walk each way. The lady gave us two apples and a quince this time.

Map of Places Visited