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[Arra Restaurant]


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I tried to give him some money but he wouldn't take it. He looked insane. In San Francisco years ago, a homeless man asked me to buy something for him from a store, because they wouldn't let him in. That man was not nearly as dirty as this one.

It's very rare to see homeless people in Albania.


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Photographer's sign. "WE TAKE ORDERS."


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$4 for rice and half a chicken at some eatery on George Soros Street.


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Arra Restaurant. I paid just $6 for spinach, beef and potato, and a bottle of water. The old lady gave me more bread, but I only took two slices. "Basta," I said. There was no menu, but it was easy enough to understand that "spinaq" and "papate" were available, and I knew enough to ask for "viçi." Pronounced vee chee, it's Albanian for beef. As for drinks, she showed me a bottle of raki and one of water. A little glass of raki would have cost me 60 cents, maybe. I passed.


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My room for three nights, at $17 per. It was very cute, comfortable and convenient, but there was no hot water. Though the landlady was very dismayed and apologetic, she couldn't get anybody to fix it. It wasn't a problem, really. The cold water was warm enough.


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[Holy Metropolis of Gjirokaster]


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[same bar/cafe as below]


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[same bar/cafe as below]


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[same bar/cafe as below]


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Ad for immigration lottery. "STUDIO PERKTHIMI" is "TRANSLATION SERVICE."


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