Journey to Valbona

Kled Ismalaj – Besa in Action

Catherine — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:03:09 +0000

Kled showed up here yesterday, and talked m’ear off for 45 minutes. (I’d been mentioning Alfred’s (ridiculous?) suggestion that if I can’t find a house soon, I should get an apartment in Bajram Curri until something turns up). (I should clarify that Alfred means well, and I know it. But one does not leave NYC to live in Bajram Curri. Fond though one is of it!) AT ANY RATE. The point is that Kled said “Oj! Bajram Curri!” and told me how he’d been sitting in a cafe in Bajram Curri, and heard the waiter tell two tourists that their total for a lemon soda, coca cola and one coffee would be 500 lek. ”Pese MIJE Lek!” said Kled, over and over again, still in shock. (of course, that’s 5 THOUSAND lek, which is still how people figure here – in Old Lek, pre-re-valuation. The re-valuation was in 1972. Any day now, “new lek” may catch on.) (But probably NOT.) As this is actually double the real price, and a TON of money in Tropoja, Kled was appalled. So what did he do? Young Kled fixed the waiter with a steely eye, waved him over and said simply: “I’ll pay that.” This, I think, is a very good example of Malesori honor in action. Maybe you only GET a culture of honor in a culture of tricksters? But Malesori’s prediliction for establishing their honor by buying things for foreigners sometimes confuses visitors. There were two nice girls here last summer who confided in me that they were appalled that a gaggle of Malesori had bought them Red Bull drinks at 8 o’clock at night. ”We didn’t sleep a wink all night!” Well, I said, you know why – they weren’t trying to keep you awake, it’s just that that’s the MOST expensive soft drink! It was a compliment. Anyhow, Te Lumsht, Kledi! (or however you spell it – ‘well done, Kled!’) Oh. The waiter charged Kled 250 lek. Ha.

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Couple of Acres and a Badger?

Catherine — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 20:13:30 +0000

I think there’s something truly lovely in how Albanians love Edith Durham. You might expect that a relatively isolated people would be grateful for the historic attention, but it isn’t that. Albanians aren’t grateful to Edith Durham. They love her. They have adopted her.

I’ll tell you a little secret? . . . and in odd moments of ego-centric self-indulgence, perhaps not-unreasonable fits of self-definition . . . . I do get a certain mild satisfaction from remembering this: Edith Durham never lived here! Never sold everything and moved in. . . .

Sure, Edith, Queen of the North. Or even Rose Wilder Lane, who could’ve stayed, but didn’t (and one suspects, regretted it somewhat all her life). It’s different for me of course. It isn’t anything like as outlandish for me to settle here, I suppose (oh that it were, and I could prove my love! etc. BUT) . . . . .

But NOR is it easy. This is what one learns, when one tries settle here independently.

I am one week away from my own personal deadline to be living here on my own two feet (or 14, if you also count Pango (the dog), the hedgehog and the rabbit) – but it’s not as easy as ‘renting a new apartment.’ Malesori don’t sell land easily, and give up teeth before houses. So! It’s all a grand adventure! I hear a rumor of a German Camper van that may be for sale (?). Alfred tries desperately to help, but Malesori methods of negotiation are slow, and stately, and involve many, many cups of coffee . . . . Will little Edith – I mean Catherine – find a house of her own? Stay tuned to find out the next thrilling adventure in: an American goes wild (in the most civilized possible way)!

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Back in the Saddle Again

Catherine — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 13:21:17 +0000

Where did the year go? I guess maybe it got pre-emptively buried in snow? Anyhow – we’ve been dug out, finally, after 37 days of total isolation. I’ve barely been outdoors for 40 days. Thanks as ever to Intrepid Report for publishing my random scribblings . . . .

http://www.intrepidreport.com/archives/5029 “Rescuing the Rabbit”

Much love to everyone out there, and sorry if you tried to contact me, but got caught in our “white out”!

And now, back to revising the website!

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The Sublime

Catherine — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 00:09:40 +0000

Hello! I’ve been walking a lot lately. In my first year here, I fell into the idea of guides – don’t go where you don’t know – but in the last month, I’ve been having wonderful adventures with Eva van der Marel, who has taught me the freedom of exploring with a map and a compass. This is a picture of the view from Qafa e Ndroqes, on the way to Curraj i Eperm (the “Lost Village” of the Malesi). We got there by following our noses, walking hard, and being intelligent – if you call it intelligent to sit out a hailstorm in the old stans you can see in the foreground, while waiting for the lightning to calm down enough to permit a bolt over the pass.

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This is clearly the Summer of Hedgehogs

Catherine — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 00:51:48 +0000

I’m SO sorry for not writing more . . . it turned into the summer of the hedgehogs, when the afore-mentioned h.hog gave birth — but it was touch and go for a long time — always is, when you love animals, I think, but . . .. the babies are full-fledged individuals now, after 3 months. Mama h.hog went back to the wild 2 months ago, shaking the dust of motherhood off her lovely black feet. Fatty and Baby have moved in, and even when I try to put them out in the wild, they just come back to the office. More soon, or at any rate in winter . . . . .But all is well and thank you for asking.

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Are THESE Elderberry Flowers?

Catherine — Wed, 18 May 2011 23:39:38 +0000

This is in response to the lovely “comment” from Louise Nazeraj on the Hedgehog question. This thing is called here “Rrush-qeni” or Dog Grapes. In fall they make many black berries. I think maybe they’re elderberries? I hope so, because I want to make that cordial!!! Louise: I would have just answered your email, but I can’t put pictures that way. Everyone here says that they do NOT eat these or do anything with them. But as also many herbs – thyme, mint etc — grow here in profusion and yet we do not normally put them in the food, I am wondering if this is a great un-tapped resource?!

In other news, the Hedgehog is very well. Just this evening I was working after dark in the new office (where she lives) and she was wuffling around my ankles and sticking her nose in my socks. I picked her up and put her on my lap, where she promptly burrowed into my sweater. Super-sweet!

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Malesori Moral Dilemmas : Vol 1

Catherine — Tue, 10 May 2011 21:56:44 +0000

Greetings, Amateur Philosphers! Here is the question for today. ”Do you tell Alfred when you have unthinkingly lodged a Very Large Hedgehog underneath the refrigerator in his newly refurbished restaurant?” Mitigating factors to consider: Alfred is, at the time, in bed with an extremely swollen face from a bad tooth. On the other hand, the last time someone spotted a Hedgehog, and Catherine (I) rushed out and failed to catch said Hedgehog (possibly the Hedgehog of the first part), Alfred greeted her (my) Hedge-hog-less return with a distinct air of derision. To quote: ”You didn’t cotched it?” Further factors: Once extricated from the refrigerator (achieved at time of writing, never fear), Hedgehog can clearly be lodged in new office which has been built by Alfred for Catherine. Ancillary query: Does anyone know what Hedgehogs like to eat? She seems fond of sausages and eggs. Possibly she is a British Hedgehog.

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Shoq Warms her Bum

Catherine — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 18:22:47 +0000

I don’t even know what to say about this.

Only it occurs to me . . . . Have I possibly not introduced you to our pet bunny “Shoq”?

Having introduced her here now, I have a deep suspicion she’ll take over this website as quickly as she took over Rilindja. Hmph.

(BunnyBunnyBunny!)

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