Here is the second part of our adventure in Kelmend - North of Albania. If you haven't read the first part yet, jump here and then come back again. For everyone else who's on track with the story, enjoy the second part below. ;)
We were spending a lot of time over the edge of the world, we forgot that we were still very far from our destination. Because of the short daylight of winter days, the light fades away faster even on the top of the mountain.
When we drove down the serpentine road, the sun had set and the dim light that was coming from behind the horizon was slowly disappearing.
We stopped in Tamara, for an hour or so. Gave a quick look around, ate some of the delicious homemade sandwiches, and took some photos. Both sides of the road ahead were surrounded by mountains, and not just like any other mountain, but gigantic enormous mountains, with their sharp rocks, steep ridges, and straight stands, casting their shadows over our heads. A spectacular view, and most probably the greatest resemblance of the legendary mythological titans. It makes you aware that the region you are about to enter, is a region of solid customs and generous folklore. The northern people. Known for their strong characters, toughness against evil, and absolute loyalty toward our common homeland. Also called The Oath Keepers.
I can’t explain my endless adoration for the mountains. It exceeds every logical explanation. The emotions that I have when I’m close to a mountain are stronger than any other feeling that I perceive when being in other parts of nature. No other element is equal to huge, thick, and sharp rocks.
Wilderness, mystery, quietness, strength, endurance, wisdom, humbleness, and the greatness of a mountain, can’t be compared to anything else on the planet. The mountain has everything. It’s the first that sees the morning light and the darkest at night. The shadows between ridges and the eternal glow of the rocky stones make it look mystical and spectacular. The mountain is the first that wakes up and the last that goes to sleep. It has the power to smash us into crumbles just in a blink of an eye, but it chooses not to, bows its head instead, and lets us step on its body. We hurt them by digging tunnels to their core, building roads and bridges through their skin, thus they never say a complaining word, whisper a howling sound, nor tremble in pain. Mountains never break and never fall.
Trolls of the mountains know the secrets of the world they see beyond the horizon. Countless forests thrive on their shoulders as legions of animals lurk under their trees. People climbing on their spines, driving under their feet, or flying above them, - sharing stories that only the Trolls will know. Keeping long gone memories flow through their rocky veins and yet never dare to spill a word.
Along the way, we encountered a massif of rocks fallen aside the road. They looked like crushed bodies of matter flown from outer space. Huge, gray, firm rocks that had filled a great space of the valley. Those rocks looked like they were standing in that place for millions of years. It was probably the meteor that killed the dinosaurs the same that crashed into a mountain troll and threw it down the mountainside.
The closer we were to Lëpusha, the more the temperature was dropping. The frost was slowly appearing in various forms; frozen cascades, icy roads, and stalactites pending from the cliffs.
-It must be very cold outside. Do you think we can encounter any problems along the way? – I asked my husband.
-I hope not, – he quietly replied.
The remaining part of the road continued in silence. We didn’t need any distractions at that point. Even the stereo was turned off. We could only hear the struggle of the car’s engine rattling through our way. Spoiler alert! No photo was taken from this point.
We saw a small cabin beside the road. There was smoke coming from its chimney. We stopped the car. It looked like a bar. Only one car was parked in front of it. The owner of the cabin heard us and stepped outside. Came by the window and as the wind was blowing his beard away, he kindly invited us for a hot mountain tea inside his bar. We were just about to say no when the pleasant smell of the mountain tea spread from his beard and flew directly to our faces. Instinctively I greedily inhaled the delightful scent and filled my lungs with it. That smell was so familiar to me, so inviting. We couldn’t say no to that. Scenes from my childhood passed through my memory in an instant. I used to drink that tea every day when I went to visit my grandma, from my mom's side. My grandparents lived in a stone house built on the top of a hill, very close to Gramozi Mountain, one of the highest mountains in Albania. That precise hill was the heaven of mountain tea. Just out of the backyard fence, grew a wide field of mountain tea herbs. Little plants with long stems, and tiny leaves, released an absorbing fragrance in the air that every time I found myself there, I would just close my eyes and breathe. Smell that sharp tasteful scent that would throw me into a vortex of time and feelings.
It was just a moment of that reminiscent scent that made me reexperience the joy of my childhood.
We clearly said yes to the kind man's invitation. After all, the skies looked clear and the stars hadn’t lit on their lights just yet. We enjoyed the delicious tea, served with a spoonful of chestnut honey, enhancing its flavor to a perfect Michelin star beverage.
We stayed in that cabin for up to 15 minutes, but when we got outside, we found ourselves in a different situation. The weather had gotten wild. The sky was covered with dense white clouds that meant snow.
-What happened? We didn’t see any clouds when we got inside.
I was taken aback by that change of the weather and got into a worry state mode.
-Oh, no big deal. The weather on the mountain is unpredictable. It changes all the time. It’s just a little bit of snow. It won't last long. You’ll survive, – the man laughed. - Here, - he handed a small piece of paper to my husband, with a number written in it. – You go ahead and, if in any case, you need assistance, just give me a call and I will be right at you in no time.
We thanked him and immediately got back in our car. We needed to get to our cabin BEFORE the little snow of the good bearded man, would get us.
Ten minutes later the first snowflake landed peacefully on the mirror of the car on my side. Right after that, we found ourselves stuck in the middle of a frosty road, into what looked like the beginning of a heavy, HEAVY snowstorm.
The road ahead looked completely inaccessible, slowly losing even visibility.
At first, we tried to not panic while my husband attempted various maneuvers with the car, going back and forth, hoping to go at least 5cm further.
-Ok baby! That’s all right, stop. - I sounded helpless but calm. – We can’t go any further. Just have a look ahead of you. No visibility.
-What do you suggest? – he asked.
-We should stop here and wait for the storm to calm. It won’t last long. Remember what the kind bearded man told us, right?!
-If we don’t cross this storm now, we will be stuck here. We need to move.
He gave another try, and another try, and another try, but no improvements whatsoever. He stopped the car. Looked tensed and thoughtful. He grabbed his phone. That look wasn’t very promising. Asked for my phone and made the same look again.
-All right, - he sounded decisive, - there is no signal. You’ll stay here, and I would walk back to the tea cabin, drive with the bearded man’s car back here, take you with me, and go back to the tea cabin, till this madness slows down. - He sounded firm. He was going to do that. – His car had tire chains as I recall, – now he was just talking to himself loudly.
- Have you seen the weather outside?
-Is this a rhetorical question?
-Well apparently you haven’t. There is a storm outside this car, with freezing temperatures under -20 degrees Celsius. Do I need to say more?
-There is no other way, baby. I will be fine. Gonna take your thick woolly scarf with me. It will be just like I have worn the bear’s coat, - he smiled. – Bears don’t care about storms.
- You will stay here, – I said softly. - E n d o f s t o r y.
He obliged. Looked around his feet like he was looking for his big old imaginary bag full of miraculous solutions that he always kept with him, always and everywhere he was. In every state of need, he would open that bag, and bam, problem solved. But now that bag was gone. We were left alone, in the middle of nowhere with no solution available.
I reached for his hand.
-You are right, - he sighed peacefully. – We’ll wait here till the storm calms down, and then we will try again to move ahead. - Even though in the dark I noticed the surrender in his eyes, but not panicked, or scared, just conformed with the situation.
That always sounded so strange to me that in every stressful situation, he could control himself so well and think straight. While I would feel my chest pumping, my eyeballs go wider and my hair rise like a hedgehog.
I nodded agreeing.
We ate the leftover sandwiches we had with us and the chocolate I was hiding in my bag. I pulled out a thick sweater from my luggage and wore it over my three layers of wool, topping it with the big fluffy jacket. Took the blanket from the trunk, which we always kept with us on every trip, and snuggled ourselves in it. My husband, just zipped his jacket to his neck, took my heavy scarf, folded it in 8th, and used it as a pillow leaning it to my shoulder and resting his head on it.
-You’re going to sleep? – my inner alarm just went on, mutedly.
-You should too, baby. – He said and in three seconds he fell asleep. Just like that, in the snap of the fingers.
I forcefully calmed down and convinced myself to find joy in that peaceful moment, even if it looked frightening at first sight. I wasn’t terrified, as I was expecting myself to be, looking at the situation we found ourselves in. I was just a little bit worried, but still, felt this peacefulness in our surroundings that even if it looked scary, I wasn’t afraid. I looked at the snowflakes throwing themselves eagerly toward the car’s main window in front of us. The wind was blowing a whistle, snitching up the very familiar melody of winter. We wanted a harsh winter, and we finally got it.
The AC was a full force but still couldn’t worm up the entire space inside the car. I could feel the cold breeze sneaking in through the car windows even though well-sealed.
For a moment the wind slowed down and the only thing I could hear was the profound noise of silence and the soft slumber of the adorable tiny snowflakes over the car.
In the middle of the wilderness, I felt the tenderness of those fragile snowflakes piling up over the frozen ground. The shoulders of the mountain trolls were getting covered by that cold frosty mantel of snow. They did force us to pass the night under their sight. Maybe it was our fault. They felt our admiration for them and decided to keep us on their bosom.
My husband’s breath started to get deeper, slower, and quieter in a few minutes. It was a full mystery to me how quickly he could get himself to sleep, no matter the situation or the place he was in. And me… well, I would follow a different approach to sleep. I would wander my mind in countless thoughts, I would wake up my dynamic imagination and would create countless stories in my mind, only by seeing two small snowflakes falling from the sky, dispatching my sleep away for a couple of more hours.
Slowly, I fell asleep. Wandering around deep valleys, huge mountains, dark caves, wide rivers, and a field full of blooming flowers. When I opened my eyes, I couldn’t come to my senses for a couple of seconds. The glass in front of us was all covered by snow. No sight. But there was this shining bright light that was coming from behind the snow like it just got on fire.
-Is that the sun? – I murmured half asleep.
My husband jumped out of his sleep and got back to himself fully charged.
-No, - he replied, - that’s a car.
He turned on the windshield wipers and the thin layer of snow covering the glass, moved swiftly out of sight. The blinding lights of a big car shined on my eyes waking me up completely. The storm wasn’t done yet, still in full force.
We saw a man stepping out of the car and getting close to my husband’s window. He lowered the glass. The man bent his head and we got to see his cheeks blushing from the cold.
-You must be the couple from Tirana, am I right? – he asked.
-Yes! – I nearly screamed.
He nodded.
-I’m the host of the cabin you booked.
I was going to scream out of joy, but his straight face showed no sign of positivity, which meant that wasn’t the only news he was about to give us.
-I’m sorry for your trouble. The weather is unpredictable in this region. I hoped you had turned back, but the owner of the tea cabin down the road here called me and told me you were on your way up.
We looked at each other. The kind bearded man of the tea cabin was just as we expected him to be. Kind.
-Oh, thank God, so you’re here to pick us up? – I yelled.
His eyelashes were turning white slowly. He was freezing out there.
-Not quite, - he replied.
-What did he say? – I asked my husband, convincing myself that I didn’t hear him right.
-Yeah, we had an emergency in the village. Somebody got very ill. I’m the only one with an off-road car, so I need to take the patient to the hospital as soon as possible.
-Is the hospital… far? – I asked.
He acted as if he didn’t listen to my question.
-If you could move the car just a little bit to the right, so I could pass, that would be very helpful. – he cleaned his eyes from the ice. – I will be back to get you guys. Don’t worry, you will be just fine. Cover up yourselves in warm clothes and keep the AC on. Don’t sleep too much though. Whenever you feel cold, try to keep yourselves awake. Got it? I’ll try to be here first light in the morning.
“M o r n i n g”… he said “M o r n i n g”!!!
Shocked I closed my mouth and stared at the blinding lights in front of me. My hubby maneuvered to let the man pass through, and the off-road car just swiftly disappeared into the storm as it had never been there.
-He said… morning, or…
-Yeap!
-He’s going to Shkodra isn’t he? There can’t be any other hospital closer to that.
My hubby looked at me.
-We’ll be fine baby. You heard the man. Just wear warm clothes and keep the AC on. The car is insulated, and the cold can’t get inside. We will be fine, I promise.
I wanted to trust his words, to believe that that was going to happen, but deep inside me, I had a feeling that the trolls of the mountain wouldn’t let us go that quickly.
The inside of the car was warm and we slowly fell back asleep again. I slept for more than two hours when I heard the sound of a tiny rock splattering in the window. I quickly opened my eyes. The rock had left a tiny scratch on the glass but not a big damage. I stretched my neck trying to see up the ridge of where the stone fell from. It was all covered in ice. The surface of the ridge looked shiny, sleek, and unified. If the rock fell from that ridge, it must have followed a long run. From the very top of the mountain. I checked the time and then moved the swipes slowly. My husband was still asleep. Didn’t want to wake him up for nothing. The inside of the car was still in good temperature.
The view cleared up and what I saw in front of my eyes was nothing of what I was expecting to see. The sky had cleared up completely and was all starry and bright. There was no sign of the storm, except for the heavy soft blanket of snow it left behind. It was complete silence and it even looked like it wasn’t that cold anymore.
Suddenly I felt the need to get out of the car and look at the astonishing view in front of me.
I quietly got out of the car and walked a few meters ahead of it. It was a full moon and its light reflected on the snow all around making it shine like a field of diamonds. It wasn’t that dark anymore. It looked more like twilight before dusk. What caught my attention was something pure and magical, straight out of a fairytale. The highest mountain peak on the horizon was not too far away from where we were. That must be where Lepusha is, I thought to myself. That peak was all white with the moon shining over it, giving it an unusual brightness and a soft baby-blue color. It looked more like an aurora borealis, (but in the Mediterranean, on top of a mountain and in a bluish color). The snow on that peak didn’t look white but blurred with a soft vale of pale blue that had the strange ability to shine like a gem, making the peak resemble a view excerpted from a dream or a fairytale.
I was completely mesmerized. I’ve never seen such a thing before. Immersed in that beauty I wasn’t feeling the cold anymore. There was no more wind. Even the slightest of air movements. I turned my sight to the other ridges around me. The moonlight shined also on their shoulders, making them less hostile and more welcome. They all looked like old trolls in their white snowy coats and white long beards of frozen stalactites and waterfalls. They were all awake, breathing the fresh air of the calmed storm and smiling under the moonlight. They were the ones to throw the stone at my window and wake me up so I could see with my own eyes the real peace of a dream. A breeze of emotions blew through me and filled my heart with joy. That was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Nature was there in her most rigid and tough way, winter was there and the magical lights of outer space were there. Even though I was the tiniest creature among them, I didn’t feel threatened or scared. On the contrary, I felt at home.
Continue your reading with Trolls of Kelmend - Part III
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