Hotel Miniri Tirana

Kruja was a short day trip out of Tirana.

There is a well preserved fortress that has now been converted into a museum on Albania history of Skanderberg - a prominent Albania figure in 14th century who lead ...

... let us off right where the bus was to leave and had I taken the first bus by myself, I never would have found the bus stop hidden in some dark industrial complex not even close to town. When I say remote, all that was stirring were some stray dogs and crickets. This joint was down a side streep about a quarter mile from the main road.

One of the girls was from Croatia and could speak to a guard there and he said sometimes the Tirana bus stops ...

... 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 ...

... differently in Albania. The going out culture is entirely male focused. After dark, you barely even see women walking in the streets. In Tirana it's acceptable for women to be out after dark if they are accompanied by a man, but no where else. Cafes, bars, and clubs are men-only establishments. But in that regard there also isn't much of a drinking culture. You never see people drunk in the streets. An Albanian is much more likely to go ...

... once he's had the his face punched two hundred times. That's fine, every country has their Mel Gibson-in-Lethal-Weapon-lookalike. The landscape is dotted with thousands and thousands of small military bunkers. They range in size from that of an upturned beer garden umbrella to that of a two storey house. Like crash-landed UFOs they sit quietly, in people's backyards, on farms, between shops; a strange, almost decorative addition to the environment. The bus ...

... made us, then paid everything to buy us back. Bertie translated for us, and they were captivated. Adults were leaning out of windows all the way up the apartment building to hear and see what we were doing, was great! We had put up a table in the corner of the yard, and took the kids over there next. We gave each of them a paper plate, and had them write their name on it. They then used foam shapes and glue I'd taken out with me to make funny faces- message being they're all individual ...

... i have to do something with dogs as well as tennis when i get home. Finished the day with some pizza and the net. I went to one place and they said they were closing early to go watch soccer. So i want to a different place and they were all playing Call of Duty. (shooting game i play with my bro back home). I joined in, making my name the Australian. Giving them hell. Was nice to have a break from reality. Woke up the next morning for the 6am bus which is another nightmare travel story.

... 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!