Gjirokaster Local Custom Tips by JLBG

Both in the city and in the country, there are often vine rooted in front of the houses and growing on top of the roof. In a city, like here in Gjirokastra, that makes sense, as there is not much space. In the country, when the same grows on an isolated house, that was more surprising. In 1988, our Albanian guide explained us that the people could not own privately more than 100 m2 of land, including the house and that, like that, even with a 1m strip of land around the house, they could make their own "raki" anyway! However, even in 2007, there were still vines growing on top of some houses!

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This sight of laundry drying on a wall or on stones reminded me the same in Morocco, in the mountains of the upper Atlas, near Oukkaimeden, south to Marrakech. When it is possible to dry the laundry "naturally", without tightening a rope, why not to use what is readily available? More over, this is very pretty for the landscape. If there had not been this laundry, I would never have taken a photo of this wall.

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As everywhere in the world, I look for School warning road signs. In Gjirokastra, I was lucky and found two.

The first one, with a blue background is obviously the oldest.

The second one is of a modern design but as everywhere in the world, the boy is taller (older ?) than the girl. May be some day, I will find somewhere a road sign with the girl taller and both walking towards the right!

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