Am I in Tirana or Vegas?
by Angela Lapham
Arriving in the capital of Albania I can’t believe how different it looks from the rest of Europe, the dry grass and rocky mountains instantly reminding me of desert U.S.A. Add to this, American flags; American-style sports bars and cafés named after American cities; casinos and carnival rides; a palm tree-d 80s-era international hotel; bootleg McDonalds, KFCs and Pizza Huts; a George W. Bush Street (commemorating his 2007 visit); and deep gratitude towards US troops for ending wars in Bosnia and Kosovo.
The surprises continue. In Tirana, Communist-era flats don’t look ugly and grey like they do in other ex-Communist countries, instead recently painted with patterns and shapes of every colour of the rainbow. This cheap way of beautifying the city and instilling pride in its residents was the ingenious plan of the (artist) mayor. The effect is awe-inspiring (albeit probably temporary, as eventually the flats will be replaced by new ones).
Another intriguing sight is the city’s huge pyramid, built in 1988 as a museum dedicated to the life of Enver Hoxha – the harsh dictator ruling Communist Albania from 1941 until his death in 1985. With the end of communism in 1991 it became a conference and music venue (you can still see the fading signage on the door of its defunct club). War in Kosovo saw it repurposed as a NATO base, and its current use is as TV broadcasting center…and climbing wall…and canvas for graffiti. The future plan is to demolish it to make way for a new parliament building. Climb up it, admire the artwork on it, and then get a bird’s eye view of it – as well as a generally spectacular view of the city – (preferably at dusk) from the Sky Hotel’s breath-taking revolving bar/restaurant .
Move onto Tirana’s cultural centre, Skanderbeg Square, where you can admire the statue of Albania’s national hero, Skanderbeg, and the following:
• Et’hem Bey Mosque welcomes tourists. Closed during Albania’s twenty four years of official atheism, in 1991 protestors forced the mosque’s reopening and with it a return to religious freedom, to the extent that today it bellows out the ‘Call to Prayer’ five times a day. But don’t think this stops the city still. Pretty much everyone continues to go about their daily business, creating quite the surreal picture for the observer! While sixty percent of the population is Muslim, the vast majority do not strictly adhere to its rituals and the Islam is liberal. Women typically don’t wear headscarves, though this is required if entering the mosque (scarves are provided at the entrance).
• The National Historical Museum, marked out by the most amazing Communist-era art mosaic, is also essential viewing and has English descriptions in its main exhibition on Albania’s history. Its other exhibition on the history of activism against the Communist regime isn’t in English; however, its many photos enable you to make sense of the narrative.
• Not a mad fan of art galleries, I loved the National Art Gallery. What’s not to love about gigantic, brightly coloured, Socialist-era artworks of female engineers and muscly, determined industrial workers, apple-pickers and athletes? Or, conversely, works banned during the Communist era that prove fascinating precisely because it’s so difficult to identify the controversy contained within! Fortunate then that each artwork is accompanied by an explanation (in English) – something else that sets this gallery apart. Finally, before you leave, be sure to look out the window into the backyard – there’s a fine surprise out there.
From Skanderbeg Square, catch a free, comfortable shuttle bus to either of the two recently established shopping malls. The 20 minute trip allows you to see the outskirts of Tirana and is a great way to meet people. Just act like a tourist when getting on, i.e. ask passengers whether you’re on the right bus or what time the last bus leaves. Doing this, I met a guy who worked at a university and a Japanese engineer who’d been in Albania for 3 years establishing a sewerage plant. Two fascinating conversations. Then, when you’re at the shopping centre, you can ‘people-watch’ while you ‘donate’ to Albania’s developing economy.
Another illuminating short trip out of the city is to the beach-side town of Durres. The 40 minute maxi-taxi ride costs $1.50. Maxi-taxi travel is one of those amazing cultural experiences you’d have missed out on if you were rich: here we are hurtling down the road, the driver’s business partner standing up, head out the door yelling the taxi’s destination to anyone on the side of the road.
Durres isn’t the nicest of beaches. Go to the south of Albania if you want a nice beach. What Durres is good for is bunkers. In fact, you can find these all over Albania (although often on privately owned land), a legacy of Hoxha’s paranoia that built 700 000 of them to guard against anticipated nuclear attack. Another Durres oddity is its inundation with resort hotels and bars named after world famous beaches and backing onto crumbling village huts. Chickens are the last things you expect to see at the beach, but there they are ruffling their feathers in the sand! There’s a lot of atypical juxtapositioning like that in Albania: sheep graze around Tirana’s train station, universities stand side by side with car dealerships and industrial plants. Prepare to think you’re ‘seeing things.’
Also unexpected was Albania having the best bakeries around: $1 for a huge gourmet-quality grainy loaf. Spread with gourmet local specialties avjar, pixaur and lutenica and take it on one of the several daily buses to my next recommended destination, Kosovo. The bus will take 6 hours to get to the capital Pristina, 4 hours to the historic town of Prizren.
In Pristina, I find as many differences as similarities with Tirana, the main difference being the international presence: United Nations and European Union cars and offices, signs on grand looking government buildings written in English as well as Albanian and Serbian, and the euro currency.
Everyone’s patriotic about their new country. Kosovo and Albanian flags wave proudly down the street, the words ‘Kosovo Republik’ are graffitied on every blank space of concrete, and there’s even Kosovo-brand Petrol stations (with Kosovo’s flag as its logo). Giant letters spelling the word NEWBORN celebrate Kosovo’s recent independence. What a spirit in the air! And, again, it was refreshing to be somewhere where it’s not fashionable to hate America. Indeed, in Pristina, it’s possible to go down Bill Clinton Boulevard and see a giant waving statue of former US President Bill Clinton!Clinton gained hero status among Albanians for launching NATO’s bombing campaign against Serbian forces attacking a newly independent Kosovo.
Pristina’s main street is also named after a famous humanitarian. In Mother Teresa Boulevard stands a statue of Albanian Mother Teresa, buildings displaying photos of local literary greats and artists, and a gigantic sign of the first President of Kosovo (serving 1992 to 2000 and again from 2002 to 2006 when he died of cancer). The President had supported Kosovo’s independence but strongly opposed using force, instead advocating a policy of Gandhi-like passive resistance. His statue will soon occupy Mother Teresa’s position. The Boulevard and its side streets boast fantastic cafes, and bookshops where you can buy English books about Kosovo history and society (I recommend the Kosovo 2.0 magazine and Kosovo flag cloth bags).
Nearby, you can see pacifism Communism-style in the curious looking Monument of Brotherhood and Unity (facing imminent demolition). And check out the equally unusual looking National & University Library of Kosovo, which includes, among its collections, an American Corner of English resources, events and conversation classes.
As you can see, the ongoing transformation of Albania and Kosovo means several ‘quirks’ are set to disappear. Visit now! As well as these attractions, you’ll enjoy fascinating histories, a liberal Islam rarely communicated to the West, and people delighted to welcome you into their country.
Best of Albania: 3-Day Trip from Tirana
If You Go:
♦ In Tirana, stay at Freddy’s Hostel. It’s close to everything and you can get a 2-person room with breakfast for $21! Ask them for international bus schedules. You can then buy a ticket from one of the 2 bus companies down the road.
♦ In Pristina, pay approx. $15 per person at Hostel Han.
♦ Bus company covering the region is Barileva Turist.
♦ Very important – If you enter Kosovo through Albania and you want to leave by bus (not plane), travel on to any country except Serbia OR make sure the bus you’re taking to Germany, Switzerland or Belgium etc exits through Montenegro (NOT Serbia).
♦ Once you’ve exited through any country but Serbia (I took the 2hr bus to Skopje, the capital of Macedonia – another interesting place to visit), you’ll be allowed to enter Serbia.
♦ And, of course, you could always travel from Kosovo to Albania.
Durres and Berat 2-Day Tour from Tirana including Wine Tasting Experience
About the author:
A history graduate fascinated by people, ideology, Communist history and randomness, Angela loves travelling Eastern Europe. For further info on this region, check out her ‘There’s a Certain Humanity in the Hague’ article in the Fascinating cities section of this website. Home in Melbourne, she looks forward to her next European adventure.
Photos are by Angela Lapham:
Painted apartments
Hoxha Pyramid
Skanderbeg Square at night
Bunker remains on Durres Beach
Tirana to Pristina bus
Bill Clinton Boulevard
National University Library of Kosovo
The main function of the Rynek Glowny through the centuries has always been commerce. During Krakow’s early history, citizens were not allowed to sell goods on the street, only in the Rynek Glowny. It is still surrounded by old brick buildings (kamienica) and palaces, almost all of them several centuries old. The first plans were drawn up in 1257 and have been retained to this day.
Even though it was November, the venders on the Square, were holding court amidst the yellow umbrellas and tables. Outdoor eating was in full swing. A young man popped up in front of us and handed us a list of his restaurant specials for the day. There is no problem if it is a chilly day, the heat lamps are simply turned on. Should the temperature really drop, blankets are brought out.
If visitors tire of walking around the Rynek Gwony they can simply seat themselves at one of the numerous outdoor cafes and view the relics of history around them. One side is taken up by the many arched Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) It is considered the world’s oldest shopping mall, The present Renaissance structure dates from 1555 and features in its interior many food stalls, small shops, terrace cafes and flower stands The two-storied structure is a bonanza for souvenirs, handmade Polish crafts and stalls of flowers. The Gallery of 19th Century Polish Paintings is an interesting find on the upper floor. If you get tired, another café is just around the corner. Items tend to be more expensive here than in the Rynek Glowny itself.
After ordering bowls of cabbage soup (with sausage) my husband Kent and I settled ourselves under one of the heat lamps to take it all in.. Sipping and people watching is the norm. Nuns in habits rounded the corner, while across the Square stood a line of buggies and horses patiently waiting for fares. Their drivers were perusing the daily newspaper. School children, wearing neon vests, filed by led by their teacher. The pretzel and cotton candy sellers were doing a brisk business with pigeons busy picking up crumbs on the cobblestones, Outdoor art exhibits added to the flavor along with impromptu musicians.
Today Kazimierz is mainly a blue-collar neighborhood. With communism’s fall, Kazimierz has changed beyond all recognition. Buildings such as art galleries and cafes have been renovated and museums opened. There has also been a reawakening in the importance of the Jewish settlement in Krakow. The film, Schindler’s List, was largely shot in Kazimierz in spite of the fact that very little of the action historically took place there.
It had been five long years since I had participated in the program at the hotel-resort Abadía de los Templarios Hotel, a 15- to 20-minute walk from the town center of La Alberca, which is located in the western Spanish province of Salamanca amid the Sierra de Francia mountain range.
The program officially started on Friday morning in Madrid, where some 36 participants (including myself) headed to La Alberca via a three hour-plus bus ride (or personal automobile for some Spaniards) through rolling pastures and farmlands after leaving the urban sprawl of Spain’s capital city. On the bus, Anglos and Spaniards were paired up, so the latter could begin their intensive language exposure.
Who are these Spaniards who are there at the behest of their company or their own volition? Typically, a group is made up of professionals from various fields such as IT, production, and other fields. They are generally in their 20s or 30s, but some are older. One such Spaniard, Angel, an IT professional, was actually on his fifth program. Before taking part in Pueblo Ingles, he commented, “I didn’t understand anything,” but the intensive exposure time had increased his confidence and understanding of the language’s nuances. Another Spaniard, Rocio, who works for an energy renewal company, had studied English since high school, but remarked on her primary reason for coming, “My biggest problem is my listening. My listening is very bad.”
Rick, a 74-year old former teacher and coach who’s taught English in China, heard about the program via word of mouth when he was in Germany (the method which has brought many Anglos to the venues). He emanated a common sentiment among the Anglos, “I want to learn more about the Spanish culture, the food. I want to help them speak English.”
During one of our two-hour siestas and one of the one-to-one sessions, we took walks to the center of town, full of half-timbered houses and shops where one could obtain many things, from a can of Coca-Cola to a scarf, hat, and gloves, the latter three which my new Spanish friend found himself in need of. Our brisk walking on winding roads amid the captivating autumn foliage kept us warmer as chilled afternoons gave way to darkness. He gave me more insights on the activity since his ability to run 26 miles-plus puts my ability to run only around six miles daily to shame. As we walked back on the road leading back to the hotel through woodlands, pasture, and small farms, we could hear the soundtrack of baaing sheep and oinking pigs.
Ignacio and I were lucky enough to catch a common spectacle of a pig that’s allowed to run freely around town to garner handouts from the 1,000-plus locals (plus tourists) as it fattens up so it can be raffled off. We saw some girls being chased by the pig after they stopped giving it handouts. Salamanca is an area where ham products, especially from the limbs of the pig, are considered delicacies.
Some of the most connective moments between the participants take place during the meal times, where the table wine (lunch/dinner), tasty cuisine and conversation generously flow. Breakfasts can be a bit more laid back, given the Spanish penchant for kicking up one’s heels well into the wee hours of the morning with willing Anglos. After all, to a Spaniard, 8 p.m. is still considered “afternoon.”
As a seasoned veteran of this program, I couldn’t get over just how perfectly put together this group was, which is credited to the Anglos Dept. in Madrid, who do their best to match the participants up based on the application they must fill out online to be considered for a holiday that sees their room and board covered over the course of the program for their volunteer service.
But, how to get water supplies up there? The water from the Rio Clamores was insufficient for their needs, anyway. So, in the middle of the 1st Century AD, during the reign of the Emperor Domitian, an ambitious project was begun. A canal was dug, to bring water from the Rio Frio, 18 kilometres (12 miles) away. The valley of the Rio Clamores would be spanned by a massive aqueduct 800 metres (about 2500 feet) long and, at its highest point, reaching nearly 30 metres (100 feet) high.
The aqueduct was built from 25,000 stone blocks and, notwithstanding its size, no mortar at all was used in its construction. It took over fifty years to built, was completed in the early 2nd Century, by which time the Emperor Trajan had ‘taken the purple’. However, a much later folk-tale told that it had been built overnight, by the Devil himself … hence its alternative name of Puente de Diablo, or ‘Devil’s Bridge’. It’s said that the Evil One was after the soul of a local woman, to achieve which, he had to complete the bridge in a single night … in which task, he failed, because he was unable to find the last block before the sun rose.
by Mara Baudais 
Suddenly it appeared … the fairy wishing well which held the Russian currency we had been looking for! My companion had greatly wanted Russian coins for his grandson’s collection back in Canada. We had been thwarted at every turn. The banks and exchange kiosks were all closed on Sunday. But just as suddenly as the coins had now appeared, a policeman now also appeared, watching as my companion quickly reached forward to exchange American currency for Russian currency from the wishing well. I held my breath, imagining my companion being dragged off to the police station. However, in his hand were the coins he had wanted for his grandson’s collection and, if anything, had given much more than he took.
Besides this experience with the fairy wishing well, a few other memorable times are remembered. The pool and fountain housed a single gorgeous pink water lily. A simple foot bridge with a gentle brook below it was graciously set against the afternoon sun and the waters of the Black Sea. We had a great time admiring a portrait artist’s work in the park and befriending a father and his child with our smiles and nods of acknowledgement.
It is favourable climate — April to November — with summer — July and August — being around l8 degrees in temperature. The warmest sea temperature for swimming is in July and August at 26 degrees. Many subtropical plants flourish—magnolia, eucalyptuses, palm trees, oleanders, rhododendrons, azaleas and yuccas. Citrus such as tangerine and lemon also grow here.
Vendor side stalls, artist’s displays, games, amusement park rides, art galleries, sports facilities, a cinema, numerous cafes, statues, a pool with a fountain and the Green Theatre, a venue for outdoor music performances fill the park. A pedestrian bridge connects the harbour to the park.
