Rozafa Castle, Albania 罗扎法城堡
May 2, 2026
Over the past twenty days, we traveled through four beautiful countries that were once part of former Yugoslavia. We will leave with countless photos of stunning landscapes, historic towns, and unforgettable scenery. Yet the memories that left the deepest impression on us were not the picturesque views, but the lingering reminders of war — the heartbreaking photographs displayed in museums, bullet scars still visible on apartment buildings, rows of white gravestones scattered across city cemeteries, and the taxi driver who quietly referred to himself as a “war baby.”
Together, these moments became sobering reminders of the suffering, loss, and sacrifices endured by countless innocent civilians not so long ago. Today, we were heading to Albania to learn about yet another chapter of the region’s dark and complicated history.
Our Albanian driver picked us up in the morning for the journey to Tirana. He did not seem entirely familiar with the route, but after about three and a half hours on the road, we reached the border crossing. This time, the procedure was surprisingly simple. The officers briefly looked at our passports and waved us through without even scanning them or recording our entry. Just like that, we entered Albania — a country that once felt strangely familiar to many of us who grew up in China during the Cold War era.
Our first stop was Rozafa Castle. Perched high above the surrounding landscape, the ancient fortress overlooks the meeting point of several rivers and has guarded the region for centuries. We knew there would be a short uphill walk, but we did not expect the long, rough stone path leading all the way up to the ruins. The uneven terrain made it difficult for our friend to continue climbing toward the restaurant near the top, so she decided to rest halfway while we continued upward and planned to bring back takeaway food for her.
Even ordering a simple pizza became an adventure. Between the language barrier and the fact that we still did not have local currency, communication was not easy. Eventually, with a mixture of gestures, smiles, and patience, everything worked out, and we ended up enjoying a simple but satisfying lunch.
The castle ruins themselves were atmospheric rather than grand, but the panoramic views were spectacular. Surrounded by rivers, mountains, and open plains, the scenery stretched far into the distance beneath the bright spring sky. We spent about an hour and a half wandering through the ruins and taking in the views.
After another two-hour drive, we finally arrived in Tirana and checked into a pleasant hotel in the embassy district. From our room on the fifteenth floor, we had our first sweeping view of the city we would begin exploring the next day.
For dinner, we chose a seafood restaurant conveniently located across from our hotel. Everyone was still in the mood for seafood, and we enjoyed a delicious meal together. The fresh ingredients and flavorful dishes made for a very satisfying dining experience.
Our first impression of Tirana was quite positive. The city felt lively, welcoming, and full of energy. As the evening came to an end, we looked forward to exploring more of Albania’s capital the next day.
2026年5月2日
过去二十天里，我们走访了四个曾属于前南斯拉夫的美丽国家。离开时，我们带走了无数壮丽风景、历史古城与美食的照片和记忆。然而，真正最深刻触动我们的，并不是那些风景本身，而是战争留下的痕迹——博物馆里令人心碎的照片、至今仍留在公寓楼外墙上的弹孔、城市墓园中一排排白色墓碑，以及那位出租车司机轻声说自己是“战争婴儿（war baby）”时的神情。
这一切，都不断提醒着人们：那场并不遥远的战争，曾让无数无辜平民付出了沉重的代价。而今天，我们将前往另一个国家——阿尔巴尼亚，去了解这片地区另一段黑暗而复杂的历史。
早上，我们的阿尔巴尼亚司机来接我们前往地拉那（Tirana)。先从科托尔（Kotor)延着亚德里亚海岸线开，沿途风景优美。司机似乎对路线并不是特别熟悉，离开海岸线，进入山区，大约三个半小时后，我们抵达了边境。这一次的过关手续出奇地简单，工作人员只是简单看了看护照，甚至没有扫描或登记入境信息，更没有盖章，就直接挥手让我们通过了。就这样，我们进入了阿尔巴尼亚——这个国家对于许多在冷战时期成长于中国的人来说，多少带着一种熟悉而遥远的感觉。
我们的第一站是罗扎法城堡（Rozafa Castle）。这座古老的城堡高踞于山丘之上，俯瞰着几条河流交汇的平原，多世纪以来一直守护着这片土地。原本以为只是稍微爬一段上坡路，没想到通往城堡遗址的是一条漫长而粗糙的石头路。崎岖不平的路面对我们同行的膝盖有伤的朋友来说有些费力，她最终决定在半山休息，而我们三人则继续向上，准备帮她带些外卖下来。
就连点一份简单的披萨，也成了一场小小的冒险。由于语言不通，加上我们当时还没有兑换当地货币，沟通并不容易。最后靠着手势、笑容与耐心，总算顺利解决，我们也吃上了一顿简单却满足的午餐。
城堡本身如今更多只剩下充满历史感的遗迹，而非宏伟完整的建筑，但四周的景色却极为壮观。河流、群山与平原环绕四周，在明亮的春日天空下，一直延伸到远方。我们大约停留了一个半小时才回到车上。
原来计划还要停另一个景点，因为从黑山的Kotor 到地拉那路途有点远，而阿尔巴尼亚的司机开车比较猛， 一路过来大家也都有点紧张和累了，决定不再前往那里。
又经过两个小时的车程，我们终于抵达地拉那，并入住位于使馆区附近的一家舒适酒店。从十五楼的房间望出去，景色怡人，尤其是漂亮的清真寺在落日余晖中显得格外耀眼。
晚餐就近在酒店对面的一家海鲜餐厅，大家还是对海鲜更感兴趣，好好美餐了一顿。对地拉那这座城市的第一个印象不错，期待明天的到来。