By Imer Hysa
I had heard from my colleagues about the investment of one of the Veterinarian Doctors in mountain agrotourism, but personally, I neither knew him nor had I ever visited his business set amidst the Alps. He was Gëzim Olaj, a graduate Veterinarian Doctor since 1993, but who couldn’t practice his profession due to administrative reforms and demographic movements happening in those years and beyond. Like many young graduates, he too would see himself “expelled” from the country, emigrating to England. There, he would live and work for 26 years, never forgetting his homeland, the homeland where his ancestors had their cradle, where not only they saw dreams but also as the only place where those dreams could become a reality.
Note that Gëzim is one of the heirs of the Chieftain Family of Boga, which was one of the four brothers of Kelmendi divided with Selca, Vukli, and Nikça. He would return; it couldn’t happen otherwise. All his energy, savings, and his mind would be invested in his homeland, in his beloved Boga.
Along the national road Shkodra-Theth, winding through the perpetual buying of forests, no more than a two-hour drive from Laçi in Kurbini, appeared the Tower of the Chieftain or the agrotouristic complex of Gëzim. It was a three-story building situated in a valley surrounded by tall mountains that still had large snow caps like ancient icebergs. As I curiously observed the place, the restaurant below in the valley resembled a natural amphitheater.
It was surrounded by the Peak of Çardaku 2220 m above sea level and successively next to each other were the Peaks of Helmi, Vukali, Margaça, Bridashja, Qafa e Thores, and the Path of Dhenet.
As I inquired with Gëzim about his activities and enjoyed the honey and nuts basket he kindly served us, in the meadows on the mountainside, I spotted a herd of goats (and why hide it, I thought they were wild goats), but no, they were from his farm, and not just a few, but over 700 heads, with which he ensured the cheese, yogurt, curd, yogurt sauce, goat meat, and the head of the goat, which he served as a gift to friends and many tourists. It wasn’t just the goat farm; it was also his bee park, the pig farm, the sheep farm, the farms of the local farmers that Gëzim collected their products to use them as food in his restaurants.
“For lunch, we will eat at the Bun of the Chieftain,” Gëzim directed us, “It’s not far from here.”
We got up, and the cars began to climb through the slopes of the mountains. “We’ll stop for a moment, gather some mushrooms and tea; there’s plenty here.” We did that. Wild mushrooms, small but very tasty, we also gathered tea, of course, cutting only the branches filled with blossomed flowers and taking care not to uproot them.
The road continued, gently ascending to a considerable height towards the mountain path, right where Gëzim’s predecessors had had the livestock fold. We arrived; the whole surrounding environment, or the parking lot of the resort, was filled with cars, vans, and buses that had brought local and foreign tourists through travel agencies. There were also foreign tourists who had climbed to the height of the Albanian Alps by bike or motorcycle.
The restaurant was full; all hotel rooms and cabins were occupied for sleeping by tourists. The environment around buzzed with many visitors taking photographs from the “balcony of lovers,” a balcony built specifically in a position where those posing had the most beautiful landscapes in the background.
Like everyone else, we would not only take photos but also walk around the wonderful surroundings of the restaurant, looking curiously at the century-old forests, the numerous flowers, the alpine lake, and drinking crystal-clear water from the Source of the Bun of the Chieftain, which sprang from the Radoina Gorge, which is surely an alpine source that descends freely.
We were having lunch at the restaurant at the highest altitude in the country, 1740 meters above sea level. Here, not only local meats, vegetables, and fruits were enjoyed, which were not just organic but completely natural. We were at that height where the eye could catch even Kabashi of Puka, and above all, we were at that height preferred by countless tourists, who from here, the Bun of the Chieftain, would observe the stars and everything in the sky from 11 pm to 4 am, with a clear view as this place had no “light pollution” and had a high visibility coefficient.
In this place, At Zef Pllumbi was born. In this place, At Gjergj Fishta and Father Andon Arapi came and meditated.
Perhaps these giants knew better than anyone the values and importance of this place.
I leave the Bun of the Chieftain, this place that I can’t wait to return to. I believe anyone else who has visited once, like me, wishes to return because they desire the environment, the dishes, the service, and above all the smile and respect of the owner Gëzim Olaj, the Chieftain.
