Diplomat Hotel Tirana

... von Envar Hodscha jedenfalls ist heute eine Disco, Envar Hodscha, d** Albanien 40 Jahre lang regi**t hat, ist heute in einem namenlosen Grab auf einem gewoehnlichen Friedhof begraben. Seine Statue ist ebenfalls z**truemm**t, auf dem Zentralplatz steht nur noch die Statue von Skand**beg, dem nationalen Helden.

Albanien geho**te auch zum ottomanischen Reich, ab** ein Alban**, d** von den Ottomanen in Byzanz ausgebildet wurde, hat einen Aufstand ausg ...

... Stempel in meinem Pass, entweder von der Ausreise aus Mazedonien oder von der Einreise in den Kosovo, ist so schwer zu entziffern.

Die Strasse auf der Albanischen Seite war erstaunlich gut, teilweise bereits ausgebaute vierspurige Autobahn, teilweise noch im Bau. Wo das Geld wohl herkommt? Ich nehme an, aus der Tuerkei.

Gruss
Ralf

... do it, not for sympathy but lack of banking savvy and tax dodging. Fortunately I find my hostel fairly easily, notable considering many such places in Eastern Europe are converted apartment flats with no clue to their existence but the name above the door buzzer. Fortunately their unofficial nature has some advantages, like early check-in, nice after an all-night bus ride. The problem with frequent country and currency changes of course is that it ...

... and bring them back to the lawless republic......... we made it to Tirane that same day.......... Tirane - the glorious and unceremoniously delapidated capital.......... hardest city to find a restaurant......... but charming in a decrepit way......cıty of Jacob and hıs technı-colour dreamcoat well the buıldıngs anyway..... and almost devoid of tourists........ after Croatia and Montenegro being in a country still untouched by the evil ...

... travel agent ringing in my ear "why would you want to go to Albania" that I was more than a little nervous as the ferry pulled into the port city of Durres. The countries that I had visited thus far had all been western civilizations or at the very least, as in the case of the Baltic States, countries that had emerged from the shadows of Soviet-era communism to embrace a free and more western philosophy, culturally, politically and socially. These countries have all been part of the ...

... for 10 years in order to buy a semi-automatic washing machine and a black and white television. Wandering around the city was fascinating; old apartment blocks randomly painted every colour of the rainbow, small backstreet's full of old men playing chess, cafes and bars that wouldn't look out of place in central London. The people were happy, welcoming, laid back, and carried an aura of a country that is on its way up, they were always smiling. They acknowledge that ...

... any change so gave it to us for free. Eni suggested that we went to spend the money on icecream instead- what a great idea! In the afternoon we chilled out around the house, which is beautiful. It's a bungalow but really could be a holiday villa as there's a terrace/balcony outside, great sunshine and views over the whole of Kruja. Later on we went for a volleyball match in the local high school. Quite a lot of the Albanian teenagers ...

... took me on a 20 minute taxi to the border. We even got stopped by the police who wondered why I was going to Albania. They thought it was funny that i even wanted to go. I had to walk across the border. The montenegrons were thorougly searching every speck on the albanians cars. I walked through gave them my passport easy as. I walk up to the Albanian crossing. Had to pay 10 euros to enter. This guy walks up and asks me if i want a taxi to Shkouder. The next city in town. He ...

... and poor. Things are very cheap here though. We got to stay at a 5 star resort where NATO members stay. It reminded me of Eurotrip when they went to Bratislava. Everything was dirty outside, but in the hotel it was pimp. The pool was long and mazelike, there were squash courts and a workout room. Lots of fun to be had there. At night we went out to a Hookah bar and had a blast there with some Tirana beer. Pretty cheap night out, but memorable.

... of car you'll see in this country). The food vendor saw that we had completely stuffed up with the directions and that we were slightly intimated by the 8 lanes of traffic. He walked over to us and walked us across the road, with his hand out-stretched and yelling something in Albanian. He parted the see of traffic like some sort of biblical backpacker hero. We finally got on the bus and enjoyed looking at bunkers and the massive rocky mountains that cover the entire country.