Hotel Crystal Tirana

Hallo zusammen,

von B**at ging es wied** zurueck in die Hauptstadt (**neut 45in Wartezeit und etwas ueb** 2h Fahrt, wenigstens sind die Strassen in Albanien recht gut). Hatte dann nur ein paar Stunden Tageslicht, ab** das reicht aus, um Tirana zu sehen.

Das Nationalmuseum ist ganz nett und etwas groes** als das Museum des Kosovo. Die Geschichte Albaniens ho**t mit 1945 auf, man schein noch nicht b**eit zu sein die kommunistische A**a zu bew**ten. Das ...

... one of those days away.

After asking around and getting different info, I determined that a bus left Struge, Macedonia at 11:30pm for Tirana and that I could take another bus from Ohrid to Struge and then somehow find where the bus to Albania leaves from. Luckily two really nice girls from the hostel were heading into Tirana and we split a cheap cab to Struge. That is about the best bit of luck that has hit me in my travels in a while.

The ...

... the Great Escape instead. (No!, don't speak English!, that's how they got you the last time I watched this film..oh for ****s sake!) Sleep, as ever, decided to prove elusive for any long stretch on the bus and so Kosovo at dusk went past like a selection of slideshow photos (the slideshow being accompanied by Balkan pop music). First I was looking out across some plains as the sun vanished behind, then I blinked and found myself in the ...

... de plus, le pays est tres sale car on jette ses dechets partout autant en campagne qu'en ville... y a du travail ici pour eduquer les gens a l'ecologie... mais a part ca, les gens sont en general tres gentils et amicaux... demain je vais tenter d'aller a kruja, un petit bled au nord de tirana ou a vecu le nheros de l'albanie, scanderberg... une bonne journee a tous...

... confusion of the whole thing I was only charged Eur1 and as I thanked her and finally passed through immigration and into the freedom of Albania I couldn't help but allow myself a little smile leaving her to hope my face would never darken her doorstep ever again. Making my way past the shouting taxi drivers and money-changers I noticed my nervousness had dissipated. It was welcome to Albania. It was an entry into a country id never experienced the like of before. Already I knew I was ...

... Kosovo, partially because of the current political situation and partially because it was getting really damn cold and I wanted to head quickly to the relative warmth of Turkey, other travelers I spoke with described their experiences in Kosovo to me. They said that walking the streets you see "We love America" posters plastered all over. Prishtina, the capital, even has a Bill Clinton Blvd. While I wouldn't recommend anyone go out of ...

... my shame as the son of a geography professor, I don't have the foggiest idea where Albania is, nor any cities or places of interest in it. In fact, I only know two things about Albania. The first is that they are involved in this Kosovo dispute, but I don't know the details. Someone else can sort that out. The second is that, around the start of the twentieth century, international cricketer and world long jump record holder CB Fry was, bizarrely, offered the ...

... there. They look a bit wary of us and hover by the side, so I thought the best way to involve them was for 3 of us to start throwing a ball in a circle. Gradually, the more confident kids come to join in, and with a little persuasion, we get about 15 kids playing. Once we've got their trust, we play some other Albanian games. When we're getting a bit tired (I'm sure they could go on for hours!) Clare tells them a story. Joel was a young boy who loved toy boats. He spent hours and hours ...

... things to him, insuniating Zelly was gay. Zelly clicked it. Grabbed the guy from around the neck. Was pretty funny. They enventually told me there was a bus back to Tirana up the road. Which i got. Once i got back i saw this skinny bonny dog looking for food. Maybe i was sad beacause i saw this kid chuck a rock at a dog and hit it the day before and laugh (i blew up at him). But if followed the dog through the streets of tirana for about an hour. Meanwhile looking for food ...

... and an old wooden cross with a story to be told (I don't speak Serbian so...not quite sure what the story was...pretty cool cross though!). Finally...at tour's end...we thanked our guide...returned to our accomodations...and...savored another hearty meal! And...all of this...for...FREE! Didn't want to leave this special place! We did leave though...retracing our route back to the military checkpoint...in the KFOR military vehicle as well!