A few weeks ago, I visited my homeland Albania. I spent several days in the village of my grandfather, in Vuno. Vuno is a small idyllic village on the hillside of the Ionian Coast of Albania, built entirely of stone over centuries.

Blayde tie-dye dress, Menghi flip-flops, H&M flower hair band
In my childhood summers, traveling from the capital to the Riviera, we made our first stop in the old house in the center of the Vuno where my grandfather was born. I still vividly remember his sisters dressed in black mourning clothes, as usual in the South, kissing us several times and calling us “jeto, jeto” (life, life). “Life“, for me the nicest name one could give to the young.
In September, when the tourists go back to the cities, you can have the beaches almost all to yourself. Here are some more pictures of the breathtaking nature and beaches of Vuno taken this September.

It was very difficult to capture the moment when this beautiful billy goat stayed on the rock. But then it struck the perfect “pose”.

My grand aunt wanted me to ride the donkey all the rocky path down to the orchards. She said I could do that quite well. Believe me, it is not as easy as it seems.
Enjoy the photos and do visit the Albanian Riviera and Vuno next summer. You will not regret it!
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Klasse Bilder und ein leidenschaftlicher Artikel. Albanien ist ab sofort auf meiner Landkarte.
Vielen Dank
Nichts freut mich mehr, als wenn ich Fremde für meine Heimat begeistern kann. Nichts wie hin…
Great piece! Although I never lived in Vuno, the emotional connection is still there! It must be the aura of our parents when they talk about it Jonela 🙂
Yes, indeed. That’s why I chose the title “The Call of the Ancestors”. Perhaps one day we will all return and spent the rest of our life in Vuno…
lovely…thank you for sharing pictures, story, people and also animals!
🙂 Tha perfect place for filmmakers, painters, writers, ecc… Definitely an artistic place.
Jonela Manola Hoxhaj, well done..but you forgot that amazing and meaningful word: “xhano” 😉
Thank you dear. An explanation for all my readers: “Xhano” is another name used more in another part of South Albania from the older people calling the younger which means “Soul”. Its beautiful as well. “Life and Soul”…
Its true. Who knows, we could write a book in the future as well. There are so many stories about our ancestors…