Should Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia be your next photo tour?

Recently I had the pleasure of having lunch with Abby Ingraham, the US representative for the prominent Albanian ground tour operator who helped create A Different Perspective’s tour to Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia in March, 2015. This is a groundbreaking trip because in a probability it will be the first organized photo tour to these countries.

I used this opportunity to ask Abby some questions about the three countries and why A Different Perspective’s clientele should put this photo tour on their “must-do” list.

Teri:
“Who are the travelers going to these three countries now and why are they going?“

Abby:
“Mostly people who have been to all or most of the usual places. Someone who has a curious mind, looks for new experiences and frankly wants to get to “the next place” before the crowds. Right now is the moment to go to Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. It is an extraordinary opportunity to see villages that haven’t changed for centuries, to meet locals on a one-to-one basis, to have a very authentic uncontrived cultural experience and witness countries actively transitioning from the Eighteenth to the twentieth century as we watch. And by the way, have some great food and wine, enjoy surprisingly comfortable accommodations and visit scenic and historic sites that if they were in Western Europe would be choked with tourists and not nearly as enjoyable.”

Teri:
“Why is this region a great photo destination, especially for advanced shooters?”

Abby:
“First of all and very importantly photographers don’t like throngs of tourists, it makes it much harder to get the kinds of images they want. I hear that photo guides are increasingly passing up on great locations in other regions because you just can’t get good shots due to too many tourists. Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia just don’t have those kinds of crowds. Probably equally as important, the people in these countries haven’t had a bzillion lenses stuck in their faces, especially the rural villagers. They are as interested in foreign visitors as we are in them. As compared to other places in Europe the people are much more willing to be photographed and they are much more authentic, in a good number of places, still wearing their traditional clothing on a daily basis. That’s before we start talking about the amazing landscapes and architecture”

Teri:
“Share just a little bit about Albania”

Abby:
“Albania has started to happen as a destination for travelers but it is a long way from being developed. Albania has a good amount of comfort and good food available for visitors, but it is still quintessentially Albanian. We won’t be staying at any plain vanilla international hotels. Participants will really be immersed in the culture and have a strong sense of place.

Albania is the result of a long and intriguing Ottoman history and culture. Islam is the leading religion followed by Eastern Orthodox. Ironically, given the current U.S. attitude about Muslims, the Albanians idolize Americans and consider us to be a critical supporter.

Albania is an incredibly attractive mélange of Tirana a surprisingly pretty and sophisticated capital given the Soviet era, endless remote little untouched villages, a Mediterranean coastline with beaches and harbors that is still unspoiled and forests and mountains where bear and wolves roam. And somehow it all works.”

Teri:
“And Kosovo?”

Abby:
“Kosovo is Europe’s newest and demographically youngest country. It is literally happening before our eyes. We will visit three of the most interesting places, both Photographically and culturally. Giakova is the longstanding intellectual heart of this former province of
Serbia. Then we visit the Decani Monastery a UNESCO Heritage Site. There we will meet and talk at some length with one of the resident monks about a number of subjects including the new independence. Lastly we will soak up Prizren a charming town of cafés, shops and a classic stone bridge all of which belies that Prizren was the cradle of Kosovo’s independence. Photographically there will seem to be endless opportunities for busy bazaars, Ottoman architecture and incredible mountain views not to mention small villages, farms and locals.”

Teri:
“Why did we include Macedonia?”

Abby:
“Macedonia is an unusual country. The French expression for a mixedfruit salad is “une macedoine”, and for good reason! Macedonia is the historic meeting place of Slavs, Albanians, Greeks, Turks and even the Vlachs (nomadic Latin speaking shepherds). While Macedonia is focused on creating their future many of these countries insist that it should be part of theirs. All that said Macedonia packs quite a lot into a small package. There are great ancient sites of both Rome and Greece, a large exotic gypsy or Roma population, the largest bustling bazaar after Istanbul, great food and very surprisingly good wine just for starters. And of course there is Lake Ohrid and the walled town of Ohrid together they are considered the premier attraction of Macedonia and of course we’ll be spending time there.”

Teri:
“Can you briefly explain how we’re guiding this trip and why?”

Abby:
“We are visiting many different cultures on this trip and just as many photo locations. Rather than get one photographer or photo guide to try and cover all of them we decided to get the very best local professional photographer in each area. The people who really know where the best shots are and can help our participants manage the sun and time of day. There will be a guide who will travel with the group each step of the way and he is likely the best cultural and customer service guide in the entire region. This is a different way of doing it I’m sure, but since this region is still so new for photography there aren’t established guides who know it all.”

Thank you, Abby!

Please check A Different Perspective for the date and availability for our unique guided photo tour to Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia.

Call for More Information: 415-331-3791 or Email: teri@differentperspectivetours.com

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best regards,
Teri