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Syri i kalter is a natural spring believed to be fed by Ioanina lake in Greece. Divers have not yet been able to touch the bottom. The name is said to come from a sound engineer who worked for some years in the nearby hydropower station, and compared the spring with the blue eyes of his fiancée.
I'd been here once before three years prior and told my wife I wanted to swim in it the next time. Of course, she thought that was crazy. We made it back late in the afternoon, on September 4, 2009. The sun was setting and the colors were not as brilliant as before, but the spot was still beautiful. I setup the gigapan and quickly stripped down to my shorts, standing on the shore line while my wife watched carefully the direction of the Gigapan robot. One her cue, I dove in and felt a cold shock the likes of which I'd never felt -- and probably hope to avoid in the future. I started swimming furiously across the short distance, but my muscles had to work much harder than I expected and it seemed to take a while to get to the other side. Exhilerating but pretty scary too. In order to get in this shot, I had to time it perfectly. I wasn't sure the gigapan was going to capture me and was very pleased to see that it did. About me: http://www.michaelhussey.com |
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Berat Castle is built on a rocky hill on the left bank of the river Osum and is accessible only from the south. After being burned down by the Romans in 200 B.C. the walls were strengthened in the fifth century under Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II, and were rebuilt during the 6th century under the Emperor Justinian and again in the 13th century under the Despot of Epirus, Michael Angelus Comnenus, cousin of the Byzantine Emperor. The main entrance, on the north side, is defended by a fortified courtyard and there are three smaller entrances. The fortress of Berat in its present state, even though considerably damaged, remains a magnificent sight. The surface that it encompasses made it possible to house a considerable portion of the cities inhabitants. The buildings inside the fortress were built during the 13th century and because of their characteristic architecture are preserved as cultural monuments. The population of the fortress was Christian, and it had about 20 churches (most built during the 13th century) and only one mosque, for the use of the Turkish garrison, (of which there survives only a few ruins and the base of the minaret). The churches of the fortress were damaged through years and only some have remained.
About our trip: http://www.michaelhussey.com/albania |
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Nestled into the cliffs overlooking the Ionian Sea, Hotel Liro in Vlore, Albania is a rare experience. Offering balconies almost straight above the clear, cool, transparent Mediterranean waters. the hotel offers free use of kayaks, canoes, a pool, scuba, and various water sporting equipment. The restaurant and espresso bar are pricey by Albanian standards, which means, for $15 a person, you can eat an excellent meal with two appetizers, a main course, and beer or wine. The private beach below is made up of smooth rocks, but I suggest aqua socks or sandals. What I love about the Ionian Sea is that just a few steps out from the shore and you are above your heads (a haven for cliff-divers). You can literally dive into the ocean from the shore.
Three years ago we stayed in Vlore at a hotel above the cliffs where Liro sites -- we didn't see even the hotel until after we had checked in at the other hotel. We vowed to stay at Liro on our next trip and this time we spent three days and nights and we loved every minute of it. The city of Vlora, known also as Vlonë, or Valona is located in the southwest of Albania, with a population of 61,300 inhabitants. It is in front of Karaburuni peninsula and Sazani Island, close to various sandy and rocky beaches and the scenic mountains. Vlora is Albania's second largest port, having regular ferry boat connections with Italian ports of Bari and Brindisi. The city is rapidly expanding with massive hotel developments. The downtown coastal region is literally starting to look like Miami -- I kid you not. Vlore and Hotel Liro is a must visit if you find yourself visiting Albania. For more information on our trip, see http://www.michaelhussey.com/albania |
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A look at the south east side of Tirana, Albania.
About me: http://www.michaelhussey.com |
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360 degree panorama taken on the rock of Lin, Albania, under a stiff breeze and a beautiful setting sun. When we arrived in Lin, we asked around for and eventually met up with some of the local kids who helped show us around the village when we last visited in 2006. (Back story and photos here: http://michaelhussey.com/albania/2006/08/lin-albania-shen-kolli/). This is undoubtedly one of my favorite Gigapans and I'm thankful it came out so well. It really captures the magic of this place. |
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Ksamil is a small coastal village 15 minutes south of Sarande and just north of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Butrinti. There are a number of small hotels and restaurants on the mainland all serving fresh fish from the local waters. Three are also four small islands you can easily swim to (or hitch a cheap boat ride to) which each have small bars where you can get a drink. A beautiful little oasis with a lot of potential -- be sure to check out Ksamil the next time you are in Albania.
For more information on our trip, see http://www.michaelhussey.com/albania |
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Hotel Liro hotel is situated in the side of Kalaja hill, about 10 minutes south of the city center of Vlore. From the terrace of the hotel you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Ionian sea. This gigapan was taken around 1030am from the balcony of our hotel room. My only regret is that I ran out of space on the camera memory stick and missed a few rows on the right side of the image.
For more information on our trip, see http://www.michaelhussey.com/albania |
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Nestled into the cliffs overlooking the Ionian Sea, Hotel Liro in Vlore, Albania is a rare experience. Offering balconies almost straight above the clear, cool, transparent Mediterranean waters. the hotel offers free use of kayaks, canoes, a pool, scuba, and various water sporting equipment. The restaurant and espresso bar are pricey by Albanian standards, which means, for $15 a person, you can eat an excellent meal with two appetizers, a main course, and beer or wine. The private beach below is made up of smooth rocks, but I suggest aqua socks or sandals. What I love about the Ionian Sea is that just a few steps out from the shore and you are above your heads (a haven for cliff-divers). You can literally dive into the ocean from the shore.
Three years ago we stayed in Vlore at a hotel above the cliffs where Liro sites -- we didn't see even the hotel until after we had checked in at the other hotel. We vowed to stay at Liro on our next trip and this time we spent three days and nights and we loved every minute of it. Vlora beach in southwestern AlbaniaThe city of Vlora, known also as Vlonë, or Valona is located in the southwest of Albania, with a population of 61,300 inhabitants. It is in front of Karaburuni peninsula and Sazani Island, close to various sandy and rocky beaches and the scenic mountains. Vlora is Albania's second largest port, having regular ferry boat connections with Italian ports of Bari and Brindisi. The city is rapidly expanding with massive hotel developments. The downtown coastal region is literally starting to look like Miami -- I kid you not. Vlore and Hotel Liro is a must visit if you find yourself visiting Albania. For more information on our trip, see http://www.michaelhussey.com/albania |
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Between the coastal Albanian cities of Vlore and Himare is the famous Llogara Pass, a winding alpine road, rising to 1,027m and overlooking the Albanian riviera.
In this 360 degree panorama, the beaches down to the left are mostly obscured by the passing clouds, but you still get a sense of the intimate roads and great altitude through which you must pass. About our trip: http://www.michaelhussey.com/albania |
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Nestled into the cliffs overlooking the Ionian Sea, Hotel Liro in Vlore, Albania is a rare experience. Offering balconies almost straight above the clear, cool, transparent Mediterranean waters. the hotel offers free use of kayaks, canoes, a pool, scuba, and various water sporting equipment. The restaurant and espresso bar are pricey by Albanian standards, which means, for $15 a person, you can eat an excellent meal with two appetizers, a main course, and beer or wine. The private beach below is made up of smooth rocks, but I suggest aqua socks or sandals. What I love about the Ionian Sea is that just a few steps out from the shore and you are above your heads (a haven for cliff-divers). You can literally dive into the ocean from the shore.
Three years ago we stayed in Vlore at a hotel above the cliffs where Liro sites -- we didn't see even the hotel until after we had checked in at the other hotel. We vowed to stay at Liro on our next trip and this time we spent three days and nights and we loved every minute of it. Vlora beach in southwestern AlbaniaThe city of Vlora, known also as Vlonë, or Valona is located in the southwest of Albania, with a population of 61,300 inhabitants. It is in front of Karaburuni peninsula and Sazani Island, close to various sandy and rocky beaches and the scenic mountains. Vlora is Albania's second largest port, having regular ferry boat connections with Italian ports of Bari and Brindisi. The city is rapidly expanding with massive hotel developments. The downtown coastal region is literally starting to look like Miami -- I kid you not. Vlore and Hotel Liro is a must visit if you find yourself visiting Albania. For more information on our trip, see http://www.michaelhussey.com/albania |