Day 8 - Korce: Villages, Churches, & Markets
Sunday, May 25
We spent the day in and around Korce, with our first stop in the nearby village of Voskopoje, where we visited the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas. This small, early 18th century church is filled with intensely pigmented frescoes and ornate icons both inside and out which have been restored through the years, even as they continue to need ongoing repair/restoration. We met with the priest who answered questions through our guide who translated for us.
There is an Albanian tradition (superstition?) which is that a attaching a doll to the outside of your house will keep away the evil spirits.
The rainy countryside as we drove from village to village.
We had lunch In the village of Boboshtica, a long with a cooking demonstration.
Beautiful mosaic plates!
The restaurant had a “hunter’s lodge” vibe to it!
But first we enjoyed some mulberry raki! A traditional drink (50% abv often served with appetizers)
Cooking Demonstration: Lakror, a traditional savory pie filled with a yogurt mixture with spinach and cheese. After she prepared it in the restaurant, we followed her outside to a separate room where they had a brick oven, similar to our brick pizza ovens.
Into the oven!
Also for lunch…
After lunch we returned to Korce where we had some free time to wander the town. Mom, Karin, and I discovered the local fruit and vegetable stalls where the locals buy their food.
Live snails for sale!
Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Cathedral was built in 1992 on top of an older Orthodox church which was destroyed by communists during the Soviet era.
Iconostasis: The carved wooden wall with doors behind which only the priest can go. It acts as a visual and symbolic boundary, marking the transition between the divine realm and the human world.
The First Albanian School opened on March 7, 1887. Until that time, lessons were given by traveling teachers. The school system almost disappeared under Ottoman rule, but Albanians successfully protested to keep it. The original school building was used until 1960, when it was turned into a museum focusing on the evolution of Albanian education.
A couple random photos to finish the day…
Tomorrow… driving further south toward / along the border with Greece.