It was a breathtaking moment when the small bus started to descend the steep Llogara mountain between Vlora and Saranda in the south Albanian coast. The serpentine road is one of the most dramatic I´ve sen, and I have crossed the Andes several times!

It became even more thrilling when my seat neighbor told me graphically with lots of details about a fatal accident a month ago not far from here. 13 passengers died!

A few minutes later when the typical smell of overheated brakes became evident in the “furgon” all passengers, muslims, catholics, orthodoxies and atheists looked at that rosary in the front window and made a silent prayer..

The driver, concentrated and increasingly pale managed somehow finally to stop the bus for a thirty minute cool down pause!