Albania has plentiful fruit / vegetable stands, and Katie had been pining for varied vegetable options. The exact words were “I’d kill for an avocado” after two months of limited options while traveling, and missing her ‘5 a day’ ways in California.
Finally spotting one in a market, Katie bought an unripe avocado in Albania and let it ripen in her backpack for five days and three countries (Albania, Montenegro, and Bosnia / Herzegovina). We savored it as an appetizer on our first year wedding anniversary over a bottle of Montenegrian wine with which Roger first broke the cork-screw trying to open, then splashed the entire bathroom in subsequent attempts to push the cork through.
“The Well Traveled Avocado”
On another note, we were extremely fortunate to have our camera returned to us after a back-seat mis-hap in a 4hr taxi from Montenegro to Sarajevo. The handover was arranged for the Holiday Inn, Sarajevo, selected for its iconic stature, inventive coloring, and convenient location; so, we also booked a room. While one may find this locale for the celebration of one year of wedded bliss to be extremely odd (or possibly unfortunate), it is double the price of places that we have normally stay on this trip and is a historical landmark of the 1991-1994 siege in Sarajevo. We will make the Holiday Inn a part of our annual anniversary celebration going forward as the events today have been priceless and moving.
Arnemann Wanderlust 