Gjirocaster, Albania

My Lonely Planet guidebook states that November is the
wettest month in Albaniawith heavy rains every day.
So I was considering moving my Albanian adventures to
January after many unpleasant days in the neighboring
countries. But I was so close that I decided to jump
into it anyway.
Well, never during this trip I experienced such
consistently nice sunny days in a row like now in
Albania.
And I had to visit Apollonia -- ruins of a Greco-Roman
city dedicated to me. Surely you have noiced tha he
famous sculpture Apollo of Belvedere looks exacly like
me. That is because I was posing for it when I was
young, before the amputation. Since then many
sculptors made Apollo statues in my image. So now you
understand why so many staues are missing the limbs.
he artiss just wanted to faithfully show my
amputations. Well, my good friend Julius Caesar has awarded
Apollonia with a "free city" title because we suppored
him in the sruggle with Pompey. And Julius sent his
nephewOctaviushere, asking me o take care of his
education. So now you know why the emperor Octavius
Augustus was so successful.
And oday I arrived at the picturesque town of
Gjirocaster. Unfortunately my luck wih weaher has
dried out--it is raining while I am writing this
message.
Tomorrow morning I go to the port Saranda == and
perhaps will cross to Korfu, Greece.
Your Apollo -- aging, but still striking his Lyra.