Rrethi i Lezhes Favorites

  Count Ciano hunting lodge, 1988, the...
by JLBG
 
  • Count Ciano hunting lodge, 1988, the river
      Count Ciano hunting lodge, 1988, the...
    by JLBG
  • Suspended bridge in the wetlands
      Suspended bridge in the wetlands
    by JLBG
  • Pheasant breeding farm, eggs
      Pheasant breeding farm, eggs
    by JLBG
  • Inside Count Ciano hunting lodge
      Inside Count Ciano hunting lodge
    by JLBG
  • Pheasant breeding farm, inside the estate
      Pheasant breeding farm, inside the...
    by JLBG
 

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Pheasant breeding farm, the staff

by JLBG

The staff of the pheasant farm was glad to pose for a photo for us and of course, the guy in our group that had a Polaroid gave them immediately their photo. He was a bit disappointed as they did not seem to be surprised as had been the girls (other tip) in the morning.I have not been given a clear answer as to "why did they breed pheasants". I feel that the Count Ciano lodge was now used by the highest authorities of the state and/or of the party and that pheasant were released for shooting. Just a wild guess!

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Pheasant breeding farm, internal transports

by JLBG

The farm had it own mean of transportation inside the estate. It was a luxury twin horse drawn twin axles cart. The comfortable cabin had a glass wind screen, probably recycled from an old truck and a comfortable bench with a black "leather" seat and bright blue "leather" cushions!

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Pheasant breeding farm, eggs

by JLBG

On the left, corn to feed the pheasants. On the right, the home made basket, better seen in the enlargement (second photo) is full of pheasant eggs. They have a bluish-greenish color. They are not for an omelette but for hatching in a brand new hatchery coming from France. The manager of the hatchery had been sent the previous year to France where he had visited several hatcheries in the Loire Valley and bought the one that was here. Apparently he had visited only hatcheries and the "Chateaux de la Loire" visit was not among his appointments!

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Pheasant breeding farm, inside the estate

by JLBG

The roads inside the farm were very muddy. For a bird watching travel, we had been warned to bring waterproof boots but nobody seemed to take care and finally none of us used his boots. I gave mines to our guide in second, the forestry engineer that had given me very useful tips about the flora of Albania.

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Pheasant breeding farm, the entrance

by JLBG

In the wetlands, not far from Lezh?, we visited a pheasant breeding farm. Actually, when we entered into the estate, the first sight was of a large pond with a thatch covered shelter and one or two hundred ducks.

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Farm in the wetlands

by JLBG

Not far from the lodge (may be part of the estate, I do not know), in Ishulli I Lezhës, a few farms cultivated a soil that looked very fertile.The first photo shows a rudimentary wooden suspended bridge for pedestrians only, that allowed to get across a riverThe second photo shows green houses and in the foreground, on the right, small plants of what seems to be watermelons.The third photo shows a house built in the same style the lodge, free stones and wood.

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Count Ciano hunting lodge, 1988, the river

by JLBG

Around Count Ciano hunting lodge, the park was richly grown with an abundant vegetation and bordered by a small stream. Children were sitting on the fresh water tank; obviously curious to see some foreigners. In 1988, Albania was only beginning to open to visitors and their number had skyrocketed to 10,000 (mostly diplomats and official visitors), 5 or 10 times more than the previous years.

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Inside Count Ciano hunting lodge, 1988

by JLBG

The inside of Count Ciano hunting lodge was very comfortable. Unfortunately, I did not take many photos.The first photo shows the dining room with our party of altogether 12-15 peoples.The second photo shows a beautifully copper coated chimney. I have blurred the people in the foreground.The third photo, an enlargement, shows on the wooden wall two tables, one with a wild duck and the other with a pheasant.

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Count Ciano hunting lodge, 1988, the park

by JLBG

The hunting lodge itself is made of several one level houses with terrace. The front of the lodge has a lot of wood and the windows were protected with strong wooden shutters. I have read that it had been ransacked in 1997 but has reopened as a restaurant specialized in Albanian cuisine in 2003.

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Count Ciano hunting lodge, 1988, the entrance

by JLBG

Count Ciano was the son in law of Mussolini and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the fascist Italian government. He used to hunt in the wetlands of Albania and more specifically in Ishulli I Lezh?s (the islands of Lezh?), the wetlands situated between Lezh?s and the sea. He built a luxury hunting lodge that, in 1988, was used by Albturism as a restaurant for foreign visitors. The entrance, built with freestones looked almost like a castle.

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