There is no regular trade or reliable communication from Elbasan. I wanted to send letters but was told that the post only goes to Monastir once a week, and only if there are enough letters. The route to Durazzo, which would have been much faster for sending a letter to England, was even more uncertain. The transport was unreliable, and no one could say when the letters would be sent, sometimes it would take months.
The Hotel in Elbasan
I was told there was one good hotel in Elbasan, so I decided to stay there. The hotel was a large building with a dark hallway leading into a courtyard where caravans and mule drivers rested. It was located next to a narrow, smelly road. Above the entrance was a covered balcony, and there was an old oil can, sometimes filled with brown water, which was the only place to wash. This meant that when washing, water would spill out onto anyone entering the hotel. There was no proper drain to carry the water away, making the area quite unhygienic Istanbul Day Tour.
The Room at the Inn
I paid about two shillings a night for my own room. The floorboards were warped, which allowed rats to come in and out freely. I could even see the horses, pigs, ducks, and hens from the stables below through the gaps. The smell was similar to that of a barn. The weather was very humid, and it rained a lot during the two days I was in Elbasan, which gave me a constant headache.
The Innkeeper’s Hospitality
The landlord of the inn was a large, deep-voiced Albanian who had met Europeans before. He seemed excited to show off his knowledge of the world. He would often bring his friends to meet me, insisting that I shake hands with all of them. It was clear that he enjoyed displaying his connections and making sure everyone knew he had foreign guests.
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