Fifth Journey Day 141: The Apartness of Listening

"The Apartness of Listening" — a soft field of silence and a thin line of attention, tuned to Berat’s repeating windows and river-light.

Date: September 26, 2025
Location: Berat, Albania

In Berat, Albania—the “City of a Thousand Windows” set along the Osum River—the day moved in quiet repetitions: limestone walls, timber frames, and the cadence of steps climbing toward the hilltop castle of this UNESCO-listed town.

A Hillside Woven in Windows

Berat revealed itself slowly today. The white houses clung to the hillside like woven fabric, with each window serving as a dark stitch against the pale walls. From below, the pattern was repetitive, almost hypnotic. I followed the slope upward, my steps uneven on the worn stones, until the air thinned and the view opened up.

From the Castle Walls

At the castle, the entire town lay compressed between the river and the hills beneath me. The Osum River shimmered faintly, its surface breaking the reflections as the current moved. I stood at the edge of the wall for a long time, not thinking, only watching how light balanced itself between stone, water, and air. The houses seemed less like individual dwellings and more like a single rhythm breathing together.

Inside the Citadel

Inside the walls, I wandered quietly. A few children played near the old stones, their voices carrying in short bursts before falling back into silence. I noticed patches of grass sprouting from cracks in the walls—small, persistent greens against the aged stone. That contrast stayed with me—fragility holding on inside something built to endure.

Listening from the Edge

I ended the afternoon in a small café below, drinking strong, almost bitter coffee that warmed me up. The hum of Albanian words around me blurred into a background texture. I felt a little apart but not lonely, more like I was listening from the edge of a painting, aware of the frame.

Repetition and Gesture

What lingered most was not the view itself, but the sense of repetition—the windows, the stones, the steps—all echoing each other. It was as if the town had chosen a single gesture and carried it faithfully through the centuries. I thought of how my work often seeks that balance, repeating a single gesture until it becomes something more than itself.

Travel Notes

• Weather: Clear skies; 23°C in the afternoon, cooling to 14°C by evening. Dry air with a faint earthy scent and a light breeze threading the stone streets.
• Scents: Sun-warmed limestone and dust, a quiet earthiness, and the sharp comfort of strong, almost bitter coffee.
• Sounds: Children’s voices rising and falling near the castle stones; the low murmur of Albanian in the café; wind brushing the walls; the river’s soft, moving brightness.
• Reflection: Repetition as rhythm—windows, stones, and steps breathing together—mirroring the way a single painted gesture can become more than itself.

Continue the Journey

If this quiet rhythm spoke to you, you may also enjoy another moment in Berat: Second Journey Day 81: Ermal Zalli. Or wander to nearby Tirana for a different pulse: Fourth Journey Day 154: Vibrant Footprints.