We were introduced to MRIZI I ZANAVE by our Montinegrin friend Marko (who runs the Country house Djurisic in Virpazar) and read so many glowing reviews it was definitely on our ‘to do’ list before we left Albania. I knew the resort had a hotel and hoped we could drive, eat, stay overnight and return the next day. However the resort is so popular that their few rooms are booked several weeks in advance and we didn’t have enough days left to wait. We’d planned to go Tuesday evening 27th July and that’s exactly what we were going to do. We didn’t want to drive so we booked a taxi to take the three of us there and bring us back. The timing was to arrive around 4:30pm to have time to tour the grounds before being seated for dinner at 6pm. Sitting in the rear of the taxi, sat back and relaxed for the forty minute drive I was reminded how beautiful the countryside is and how many olive tree groves there are in Albania.

LIVESTOCK

We arrived as planned for 4:30 and parked up near to the live stock of goats and cows with pens for the poultry nearby. The Farm looked huge and we couldn’t wait to explore the grounds. Here’s me with an animal more my size.

LAND TRAIN

I was happy to spot the land train which is featured on their website, and quietly wondered with my shrinking of age if I would be allowed on it. I decided to wait and see.

THE FARM

Walking to the restaurant to check that our reservation was in place, because we know how popular it is, I was told about the winery so off we went to see it; the three of us walking through the the farm, viewing the vineyards and seeing trays of fresh sun dried tomatoes on our way.

FORMERLY A PRISON

Greeted by Dafina, and noticing the farm’s moto ‘Think Globally – Eat Locally’ on her apron we were given a private tour.  The first thing we learnt was that the courtyard of buildings, housing the winery, cheese and cured meat, used to be a Prison.  The buildings were professionally converted for purpose and all that remains of the old prison are a few window frames which are attractively used as decoration on one of the walls. We were shown a meeting room where all the furniture is made from recycled items. Do you like the tractor table? I wonder if the major ‘yes’ and ‘no’ decisions are made from the turn of the Steering Wheel?

CHEESE

We walked through the cheese rooms where Dafina, full of pride and enthusiasm for her workplace, explained the various processes of making cheese from cow’s and goat’s milk. We saw hundreds of rounds of cheeses stored on racks, some very attractive looing with herbs and fruit.  She also showed as a barrel holding red wine where some of the cheese is ‘dunked’ for flavour and colour. The wheels of cheese filled several rooms for aging and storage. Dafina pointed out to us the difference between the ones which had just been put into store and the more mature ones. We eagerly eyed the ones ready to eat now.

In the centre of the courtyard framed around a tree base were large demi-johns filled with pine cones and sugar which will eventually become Rakia or fruit liqueur.

WINE

That lead us to the winery which produces white, rosa (sounds better than rosé) and red wine. Currently the vats are empty awaiting the next grape harvest but we were able to see the end result of many, many bottles stored in every available space !

Dafina told us how she loves dogs, her family breeds them at home but she no longer gets attached to any. This is because her father has a habit of going into the mountains with his sheep and losing them. I think it’s a family joke as she couldn’t stop laughing and we found it funny too.

We spoke about the farmed produce for the restaurant and Dafina told us as they don’t produce enough for their demand, it’s supplemented by local farming families from Lezhë, including her own.  We were assured absolutely no food goes to waste.

Apparently when the owner Altin was setting up his farm (I believe about ten years ago), he was told it wouldn’t work because there wasn’t even a road built at the time to reach it. Thank goodness people have dreams, follow them and are not put off by the negative brigade.  The result of his labour of love is that Altin’s dreams and efforts have resulted in a runaway success.

HOTEL

Before making our way to dinner, we saw the original farm building, now in a serious state of dilapidation, in the shade of the new modern boutique style hotel.  Behind the glass corner of the hotel is a bedroom on each level. I bet they only let those rooms out to guests with OCD on tidiness. I would be perfect!

DINING

There was a choice of areas to have our early evening meal, the traditional air conditioned restaurant, the forest or the one we chose, an open air dining hall framed by grape vine trellises.

The dining hall was not full, which surprised us, but we were pleased to share it with other couples and quite a few families. There was plenty of space for the children to run around freely and also plenty of interesting areas and items for them to explore. Just before service there was a cacophony coming from thousands of geese coming in for their feed. I couldn’t resist filming the herding.

OUR TASTING MENU

We were pre-warned by Dafina that there is no printed menu as it all depends on what is available on the day.  We assumed, as we were not offered a choice of menu, we would be served their regular tasting menu and indeed we were. All we had to do was sit back, relax, be waited on and enjoy. We certainly did.

As we walked to the car, the sun was setting and I saw lots of children clambering over the land train. I was tempted. I resisted. Just. I might return.

Bunkers

Concrete military bunkers were built everywhere in Albania during the Stalinist and anti-revisionist government from the 1960s to the 1980s and were abandoned following the dissolution in 1992. Many have been destroyed, with the remaining ones mostly derelict or converted into residential accommodation, cafés, storehouses, and shelters for the homeless and animals.

At Mrizi i Zanave, the bunkers on their land have been transformed into decorative artwork and hardly recognisable for their original intent. Without seeing theirs, I would not have read up on the history.

END OF A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

Through our meal Dafina checked on us a few times to ensure we were happy with the food and service. We were constantly impressed by the staff and the care and attention to detail by the venue. This was yet another occasion where we were astounded by a restaurant bill which only came to £23 for the two of us. Add to that, that we were introduced to Albanian slow-food, prepared with fresh, organic farm to table produce in the most unbelievable setting, complemented with their own wine, we had over four hours of a most magical experience.

View from the Cockpit

Well actually the passenger seat for a change,

…. but it was the same side of the car. Both taxi drivers were accomplished, at least they’d survived this far, which gave me a little crumb of comfort. Now I’m a nervous passenger at the best of times (sorry Blanche and Lyds) so a demonstration of Albanian driving was not high on my priorities, especially night-time journeys. The driving is at least slow in Albania, speed limits are 40 and 80 km, with 20 not uncommon in towns. What is uncommon is anyone who keeps to them.

Town driving has it’s own language, but seems loosely to be based upon the “I was here first” principle. Usually eye contact is a good indicator, but in a right hand drive car people mistakenly wave and smile at Blanche, who has no steering wheel or brakes, but she smiles back, waves and I’m worried that a few will turn up for dinner in the near future.

Bicycles have different rules, being on the phone is obligatory, so it’s all one handed, there is no drive on the left or the right, sometimes it’s the centre of the road, and looking before you pull out, well that’s a complete No No.

Smokey wobbly Mopeds speed along, no crash helmets, sometimes 3 or four on a bike, the baby sitting backwards on the handle bars, I trick I have still not mastered. Donkey carts and horses add to the melee of confusion.

So it’s chaotic, it’s based on trust, and it seems to work, at least in the towns, where double parking slows everything down to tortoise pace – yes you get them here – but we haven’t been overtaken by one yet!

It’s not uncommon and extremely sad to see memorials by the side of the road in the UK, the occasional blackspot, that dangerous crossing, but somehow the Albanian drivers or pedestrians seem to have been on a death wish – literally. The memorials are continuous on main roads every couple of kilometres or so, sometimes on straight roads, sometimes on bends. There seems no rhyme or reason as to why the road comes at such a price, maybe it’s winter, or nights or booze, or heat exhaustion, I don’t know but we will take it steady, give way to everything, including the tortoises, and get out of here safely.

PS both drivers were accomplished, and we felt safe, private car ownership has only just come in (2010) so hopefully the accident rate has come down with experience since. Despite all the hearsay we have not even seen a pothole, let alone disappeared down one, the main roads are to a good European standard, the minors equate to a good Cornwall standard and as an added bonus we have not been stopped by bandits.

Would I drive in Albania, no hesitation.