It is easy to walk pass my home in Shkodra, the main city in the North of Albania, and that despite the fact that I am staying at the former Russian Consulate and before that the former home of Pietro Marubi, the first photographer in this part of the world.
“Mi Casa es tu Casa” , an old Italian villa, which is owned by the charismatic Alma, is today – despite its historic importance and its central location – dwarfed by the towering fasade of the new Golden Palace Hotel, which is dominating Skënderbeg Boulevard which leads to Democracy Square, the center of the city. Only a hidden iron gate on the far side of the hotel is now the remaining entrance to this once famous address.
Unusual, considering the male dominated society in Albania, the building has been in the ownership of women for nearly a hundred years and going by the expressed will of my host, it will continue to be so in the future as well.
The place – in tune with its name – is giving a temporary home not only to adventurous travellers from all over the world, but also to a handful of adopted dogs and to some cats which Alma tends to aquire, following all necessary health checks and vaccinations, from the two local shelters. Some of them stay while some others tend to get adopted over time.
More character is added to the place by an interesting collection of – at times very personal – Albanian and Italian memorabilia and of local household items from bygone days.
Alma is a walking enceclopaedia on all matters concerning Shkodra and Albania, the local history and – of course – both local as well as Italian food.
If it is while sitting in her kitchen enjoying some vegetable from her allotment as part of my breakfast or over dinner at one of the local Italian restaurants, I am enjoying Alma’s company and I am taking careful notes for the next step of my journey.
(If you want to read more about Alma and about the other extraordinary women that used to live in “Mi Casa es tu Casa”, just visit http://www.micasaestucasa.it)
The Blue Vet Diary 