Albania! and the Greek Island of Corfu! Folk Dancing, Culture, Art, History, Adventure!

Transcription

1 Travel to Albana and Greece broadens one! Jm Gold Folk Tours Albana! and the Greek Island of Corfu! Folk Dancng, Culture, Art, Hstory, Adventure! October, 6-18, 2013 wth Jm Gold and Lee Otterholt See Trana, Durres, Vlora, Kruja, Saranda, Berat, Shkoder, and Corfu! Vst Butrnt, and Gjrokastra, and three UNESCO World Hertage stes! Explore the Greek Island of Corfu! Meet Albanan folk dance groups! Folk dance wth local Albanan teachers! Internatonal dancng wth Lee Otterholt! Prce ncludes round-trp ar, transfers, hotels, prvate bus, gude, sghtseeng, all breakfasts and dnners! Itnerary Day 1: Sunday, October 6: Depart from NYC on Turksh arlnes. Day 2: Monday, October 7: Transfer from Trana Internatonal Arport to our hotel n Durres. Welcome dnner n a tradtonal restaurant. Overnght n the Arv Hotel. Day 3: Tuesday, October 8: Durres-Apollona-Vlore Mornng walkng tour of Durres. Then we ll drve through Albana's ol felds towards the 7th century BC archaeologcal ste of Apollona, second largest Greek colony n Albana. We ll explore the Odeon, Prtaneon, and Temple of Dana. Then a scenc drve along the coast of Vlora Bay, through the Coldwater tunnel, next to the ex-dctator's vlla. Before arrvng to Vlora, a short stop at the sland Monastery of Zvernec surrounded by beautful nature. Folk dancng wth Lee and local teachers. Overnght n Vlora. Dnner and accommodaton at Vlora Internatonal Hotel.

2 .Day 4. Wednesday, October 9: Vlora- Saranda Drve along the spectacular Albanan Rvera lookng down at the Ionan Sea. Upon leavng Radhma, the landscape dramatcally changes as we clmb to 1100 meters above sea level through the forest of Llogara Natonal Park. Stop for refreshment and photos n Llogara, then contnue on Strada Banca road for a vst to a local famly n Dherm vllage where treats of rak and local deserts wat for us. Contnue drvng south through the seven vllages of the Hmara regon. Lunch n local restaurant n Hmara. The regon of Hmara s 72 kms s rch wth natural and hstorcal monuments such as Llamany beach and the 18th century Panormc castle of Al Pasha. After a short coffee break at the sprngs of Borsh, we ll contnue our tour towards Saranda. Folk dancng wth Lee and local teachers. Dnner n local restaurant by the sea. Overnght n Saranda s Brlant Hotel. Day 5-7: Thursday-Saturday, October 10-12: Saranda-Corfu Depart by ferry for three days on the sun swept Ionan sland of Corfu. World Hertage Old Town and mles of scenc coastlne. Relax, swm, sunbath, tour, vst archaeologcal museums, or stroll the beaches. Meet and dance wth the Laodamas dancers! Delve nto the myths of ancent Greece. Folk dancng wth Lee. Overnghts n Corfu Holday Palace Hotel. Day 8: Sunday, October 13: Corfu-Butrnt - Gjrokastra Take the ferry from Corfu back to Saranda. Then drve to 7th century BC cty of Butrnt, a UNESCO World Hertage Ste. See Asclepeon temple, Roman baths, and aqueduct to learn more about the hstory of ths town, orgnatng as a Greek colony n the 7th century BC. Vst the museum n the 14th century Venetan castle. Drve towards Gjrokastra, a UNESCO World Hertage town, tour the 14th century castle. Gjrokastra s best known as the brthplace of Enver Hoxha, dctator of Albana ( ). Hs house s an ethnographc museum open to vstors. Folk dancng wth Lee and local teachers. Dnner and overnght at Cajup Hotel n Gjrokastra. Day 9: Monday October 14: Gjrokastra-Berat Mornng drve to Berat, one of the most fascnatng Albanan towns wth a mxture of cultural nfluences. Establshed n the 3rd century B.C by an Illyran trbe of central Albana, t was known as the fortfed cty of Antpatrea. In 1417 the town was occuped by the Turks who buld mosques n the area below the town's old castle. Berat, stuated at the foot of Tomorr Mountan and on the shores of Rver Osum, s famous for ts whte-washed houses wth many wndows whch gve t the nckname "town of a thousand wndows". Before arrvng to Berat we wll make a short vst at one of the famous wnery n Albana for wne tastng. Lunch n local restaurant n Berat. The castle s the only one n Albana and perhaps one of the few n the World that stll has houses and nhabtants wthn ts walls, gong about ther daly lfe n exactly the same place ther predecessors dd centures ago. We wll vst the Fortress, Onufr Museum and several churches and mosques. Dnner n a tradtonal restaurant followed by folk dancng. Overnght n Berat. Gega Hotel. Day 10: Tuesday October 15: Berat-Shkodra After breakfast we ll depart for Shkodra wth ts 4th century BC Illyran castle. From the top of the castle we can look towards the horzon wth vews as far away as Montenegro n the northwest and Shkodra Lake n the northeast. Lunch n local restaurant n Shkodra. Folk dance wth Lee and local teachers. Dnner a tradtonal restaurant where Albanan

3 hghlands food s served. Folk dance wth Lee. Overnght n Shkodra. Colosseo Hotel. Day 11: Wednesday October 16: Shkodra-Lezha-Kruja-Trana After breakfast, contnue to the ancent town of Lssus, datng back to second century BC. Explore the Roman castle and Sant Ncolas cathedral where the natonal hero, Scanderbeg s bured. Then drve to Kruja, Scanderbeg s home town. We ll tour a tradtonal carpet workshop located n the 18th century bazaar. Here you can fnd and purchase many excellent Albanan souvenrs and antques. After lunch n tradtonal restaurant, n Kruja, we ll explore the castle n whch dwell the Bektash a lttle-known Muslm sect Dollma Teqe (Bektash Mosque). Later we ll see the Ethnographc Museum located n a tradtonal house bult n the 18 th century A.D (1764), by Ismal Pashe Toptan. Proceed to Trana. Dnner and folk dancng wth Lee. Overnght n Trana Internatonal Hotel. Day 12: Thursday October 17: Trana After breakfast we ll vst Et'Hem Bej Mosque, one of the most beautful n Albana. Then see recently dscovered runs of Justnan castle near the center of Trana. Drve to a prvate art gallery n an 18 th century tradtonal Trana House. Whle at the gallery, wll have a rare opportunty to admre pantngs datng back to the tme of socalst realsm. Afternoon at lesure. Evenng We ll explore the area where vllas of Albanan communst leaders stll stand. Nearby are boutques, pubs and exclusve jewelry shops. Folk dancng wth Lee and local teachers. Dnner n local restaurant. Overnght n Trana. Trana Internatonal Hotel. Day 13: Frday October 18: Trana -Arport We ll transfer you to Trana nternatonal arport for your flght back home. About Jm Gold Jm brngs a love of musc, people and languages to hs tours and dance classes, makng them a joy for all ages. For over 25 years, he has led Jm Gold Internatonal Folk Tours to Bulgara, Greece, Norway, Turkey, Hungary, Israel, Jordan, Croata, Slovena, Czech Republc, Slovaka, Egypt, Tunsa, Russa, the Baltcs and Span to experence ther hstory and culture, from a folk dance perspectve. He s also the author of ten books. Hs latest s: 50 Folk Dances Choreographed by Jm Gold. Jm s a classcal gutarst and folk snger as well. He has performed on TV, at unverstes and schools, and on natonal rado. About Lee Otterholt Lee Otterholt, born n USA of Norwegan-Amercan parents, has lved and worked n Norway as a professonal dancer, teacher, and choreographer. He founded the Center for Internatonal Folk Dance n Oslo, and was professor of dance folklore at the Norwegan Natonal College of Ballet, and Unversty College of Oslo. Lee establshed folk dance and performng groups n Norway, taught at festvals and workshops throughout Europe, Unted States, and East Asa, and authored folk dance and nstructonal manuals for Norwegan schools. He was a choreographer for the Openng Ceremony of the Wnter Olympc Games n Lllehammer.

4 Vst to see YOUTUBE tour vdeos! Land Only: $3495 Land and Ar: $4395 REGISTRATION FORM: I can't wat to go! Enclosed s my regstraton depost of $200 per person. Sngle supplement: $695. Addtonal charges: ar tax: $395. Servce charges:$85. Gratutes and drnk durng meals not ncluded. Program subject to change wthout notce. Cancellatons 45 days pror to departure: Refund: 50% of total prce. Less than 45 days: No refund. Travel nsurance recommended. Total balance due July 1, 2013 Name Address No. of people Phone_( ) Make checks payable to: Jm Gold Internatonal, 497 Cumberland Avenue, Teaneck, NJ U.S.A Phone (201) Web ste: E-mal: jmgold@jmgold.com. JIM GOLD INTERNATIONAL: TERMS AND CONDITIONS Ar Transportaton: Internatonal ar not ncluded except as noted. Rates: Tour rates are subject to change n the event of currency fluctuatons or ncrease n costs. Inclusve tour rates are per person n double occupancy. In case of computer or human bllng errors, we reserve the rght to renvoce clents wth corrected bllng. Reservatons: Deposts and Payments: Depost of $200 per person s requred at tme of reservaton. Balance s due 90 days pror to departure date. Changes: Prces and program subject to change wthout notce Baggage: One baggage per person and a carry on s allowed. Cancellatons: Cancellatons 45 days pror to departure: Refund 50% of total prce. Less than 30 days: No refund. Addtonally, any cancellaton fees mposed by the respectve hotels, arlnes, tour companes and cruse lnes wll be charged. Travel Insurance s non-refundable as are unused servces.

5 Gratutes: Tppng to gudes, drvers, transfer personnel and hotel staff s left to the dscreton of the partcpants and s not ncluded. Insurance: Tour partcpants are strongly recommended to purchase nsurance for trp cancellaton, trp nterrupton, accdent, sckness and/or loss of baggage and personal effects. Dspute Resoluton: The sole and exclusve method of resolvng any dspute whch mght rse under ths agreement and any agreement between Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc., and another party (es), the brochure or webste and deemed to arse n the Unted States of Amerca, shall be by arbtraton before the Amercan Arbtraton Assocaton n New York Cty pursuant to the Assocaton s rules then n effect. Any such arbtraton must take place n N.Y.C., N.Y. In any such arbtraton, the substantve law of N.Y. wll apply. In the event a tour partcpant should fnd a servce or hotel unacceptable, t should be reported mmedately to the local representatve and to Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. upon ther mmedate return. No clam shall be deemed legtmate f not reported to the local representatve and f reported after the scheduled servce or after departure from the hotel. Responsblty: Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. Of 497 Cumberland Avenue, Teaneck, NJ U.S.A acts solely n ts capacty as marketng agent on behalf of ts supplers such as ar carrers, ground operator, tax supplers, motor coach supplers, excurson or tour companes and hotels dentfed on documents suppled n connecton wth purchase of the tours. Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. shall not be held responsble for any wrongful or neglgent acts or omssons by any suppler or other party not drectly owned or exclusvely controlled by Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. or by the falure of any equpment operated by any such suppler or other party. Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. shall not be lable for any loss, njury or damage to person, property or otherwse, n connecton wth any accommodatons, transportaton, or other servces, resultng drectly or ndrectly from any acts of God, dangerous ncdent to the sea, fre, breakdown of machnery or equpment, acts of government or other authortes, wars whether or not declared, hostltes, cvl dsturbances, strkes, rots, thefts, plferage, epdemcs, quarantnes, medcal or customs regulatons, defaults, delays or cancellatons of or changes to tnerares or schedules, or from any causes resultng from nsuffcent or mproperly ssued passports, vsas, or other documents passports, vsas, or other documents. Nether Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. nor any of ts afflates or subsdares shall be or become lable or responsble for any addtonal expenses or lablty sustaned or ncurred by the tour member as a result of any of the aforementoned causes. Tour partcpant agrees that any clam aganst Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. s subject only to the jursdcton of the courts of the country n whch the cause of acton arose. The rght s reserved to substtute hotels and to alter tnerares. The rght s also reserved to cancel the tour pror to departure. If any tour s canceled pror to departure, Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. wll be responsble only up to the amount of mones Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. receved less any cancellaton fee appled by a suppler as defned above. Travel Insurance s recommended. Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. s not responsble or lable for defaults of those not drectly under the exclusve control of Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. All tckets and vouchers ssued for transportaton and servces are subject to the terms and condtons under whch such transportaton and servces are provded to the partcpant by the owners or contractors. The traveler assumes full responsblty for, and hereby releases Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. from any duty of checkng and verfyng any and all passport, vsa, vaccnaton or other entry requrements for each destnaton, and all safety and securty condtons durng the length of the proposed travel. Should any clause contaned here n be determned vod by any court of law, such a fndng shall not affect the other clauses contaned heren; each clause s a covenant whch stand on ts own. The recept of your depost and/or fnal payment wll ndcate that you have read these Terms and Condtons, and that you have agreed to them. Prces are subject to change. Jm Gold Internatonal, Inc. 497 Cumberland Avenue, Teaneck, NJ U.S.A. Phone: (201) e-mal: jmgold@jmgold.com