Travel

Tirana, Shqiperise – Capital of Albania

17 September 2016

dsc04948Upon entering the city of Tirana, it strikes me as a typical capital city, a 1950s square concrete modern; Communist architecture at its “best.” Buildings are crowded, unremarkable, overbuilt. Streets are crowded and noisy. There lacks the charm of the smaller villages and cities mainly because it is so crowded I don’t see it. Newer construction has discovered the joy of color and stands out like a ripe strawberry among slices of day old bread. I miss having a pedestrian street to enjoy. If there is one, I would have to risk life and limb crossing streets to get there. Maybe this is as good a time as any to explain my version of “Albanian Rules of the Road.”

  1. Don’t hit anybody.
  2. No matter what, just assume nobody is going to hit you.
  3. Assume waving your thanks is enough to be forgiven all sins of driving and the other guy really meant for you to cut in front of him, make a u-turn, or park in the middle of the road.
  4. “Shiten” is not an expression of frustrated drivers, it means “For Sale” in Albanian. 
  5. Kostrati is not what one driver threatens another, though he may think it. It is the name of a large oil company.  

(more…)

By Pat, ago

Northern Shqiperise (Albania) – Land of Skanderbeg

16 September 2016

Skanderbeg – one of best general’s of all ages.

Today I am driven south through “rustic” scenes of drying corn fields, herds of sheep, flocks of turkeys, women working fields with large wooden rakes, simple villages, minarets, horse carts and pack donkeys, clearly a simple “peasant” life of a rural Albania. I see more women in traditional clothing but the homes are mostly modern and large. More roadside police are seen. I also see people driving on the right side of the car.   (more…)

By Pat, ago

Shkodër, Shqiperise – We ❤️ our Bunkers

15 September 2016 

The bunkerisation of Albania.

Departing our Drin River ferry at Lake Koman, we proceed by the worst “road” imaginable to Shkodër, located on the southern shore of Lake Shkodër. (The story on the road is the government paid to build it – twice. Currently, the pissant politician is enjoying his villa in the south of France and I am bouncing through holes as big as Smartcars and over stones the size of bricks.) Shkodër is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania. On the way, I am distracted by dozens of little “turtle shells” along the road and fields. This is a good time to learn about Albania’s love affair with bunkers.  (more…)

By Pat, ago

Valbonë, Shqiperise (Albania) – Surrounded by Unbelievably Pristine Nature

14 September 2016

Pristine aquamarine

When I sailed past Albania in 1972, I was told the ship had to keep a clear birth of its coastline. “They will fire on us,” a Greek shipmate said. Cranky Albania was still isolated, Communist, and anti-social in 1972. I didn’t know Dictator Hoxha had built 750,000 bunkers to defend a country the size of Maryland – that’s a bunker every 40 acres, a bunker per family. All of that has changed, though the bunkers remain. With little fanfare, hardly a glance at my passport, and little more than five minutes and I am in Albania. And for the next 95 miles, I am introduced to what must be one of the most isolated, beautiful, and pristine areas in the world.  (more…)

By Pat, ago

Prizren, Kosova

12-13 September 2016

Dečani Monastery is a UNESCO treasure.

During my 2012 visit to the countries of the former Yugoslavia, the country I missed seeing was Kosova. Not only did Serbia frown on anyone entering the area, but they would not recognize a passport stamp issued by what Serbians thought as Serb territory. Not that things have changed in 2016; today I travel from Macedonia and no such tensions exist south of the border. And I say “Kosova” to the contrary of maps and notables because that is how locals refer to their country.  (more…)

By Pat, ago

Lake Ohrid, Macedonia

9-11 September 2016

Lake Ohrid is one of Europe’s deepest and oldest lakes.

Driving through beautiful countryside, I arrive at the spectacular shores of Lake Ohrid. Lake Ohrid is one of Europe’s oldest lakes, preserving an aquatic ecosystem of more than 200 endemic species. Along its eastern shore is Ohrid, a lively resort with wonderful shopping bazaars and cafes. Ohrid is a perfect spot for visiting local sites of interest.  (more…)

By Pat, ago

Skopje Macedonia – In Search of Alexander the Great 

7-8 September 2016 – Macedonian Liberation Day

Alexander the Great, claimed by Macedonia, born in Greece

If judged by my entry into Skopje, bumper to bumper jams where there appears to exist no driving rules but one, “don’t hit anyone,” then I would describe Skopje as insane. Inching through bazaar and market with half an inch to spare, I would have thought Skopje was not for me. However, that was before I saw the pedestrian areas of the city center.  (more…)

By Pat, ago