miscellaneous pictures

The Sports Unviersity in Tirana hosted the 2012 Paraolympic games in Albania.

Peace Corps supported the games by volunteering at the events and cheering for the competitors.  It was a blast.  

Copyright laws are not effectively enforced in Albania, so entrepreneurs frequently capitalize on name brands, often adding an Albanian twist.  This is Albanian Fried Chicken and it is delicious.

Kolonat is a "reinterpretation" of guess what franchise.

Soviet-era statue in Pogradec

Pogradec is a beautiful small city on Lake Ohrid.  It sits on the lake and is surrounded by mountains.  Just across the water is Macedonia.

We like to walk to a less crowded part of the beach in Pogradec.

The water in the lake is cyrstal clear. 

Alex taking a swim

We met some friends for a drink one afternoon at this breezy bar in Durrës.

Skanderbeg Square in Tirana

more of Skanderbeg Square

Albania is a big fan of ole George.  I think he was the first US President ever to visit the country.

This is the location where we usually rent a paddle boat in Durrës.  The sign means for sale/rent in Albanian.

I saw this on my way to work.  This sheep was tied up outside the butcher shop waiting to be dispatched.  When I returned in the afternoon, there was only one leg left hanging from a hook inside.

Durrës has hosted an international film festival for the past few years.  The festival is free and open to the public and many people were in attendance.  Kim and I saw a well-made but odd Romanian film. 

construction near my house

There were six live chickens tied to this motorbike.  The owner was having a coffee at a nearby cafe.  Today I saw a man walk by carrying a young goat tied at the feet.  Both were on main streets in Durrës.

Albania goes 5D!

lambs!

Durrës is home to some of the oldest Roman ruins in Albania.  Unfortunately some are not very well preserved, like these columns that serve as goal posts for young boys playing football.

a few video clips from around Albania

first video:  A famous Albanian singer preformed a unique half English - half Shqip rendition of New York New York at our swearing in ceremony in Elbasan.  It was entertaining.

second video: part of the Koman ferry trip

the rest: Last spring, I attended a wedding in the village of Thanë.  The first wedding video is of my host family and the rest are of circle dancing, an Albanian tradition that is alive and well.  The last video is of the last song of the party.

Taking the Koman Ferry to Bajram Curri

Last weekend, Kim and I traveled north to Tropojë for Brenna's birthday.  On our way up, we stopped to visit Corey, a volunteer in Vau Dejës, before taking the Koman ferry to Fierzë.  From there, we caught a mini-bus to Bajram Curri, the city where Brenna and two other volunteers live.  These three mountaineers are a bit of a legend in Peace Corps Albania because they "opened" the site, meaning they are the first volunteers to live and work in Bajram Curri.  The area is one of the more traditional parts of Albania and was previously closed off due to fears of unexploded land mines and violence from blood feuds.  But the region is now stable, the landscape is stunning, and adventure awaits for off-the-beaten-path travelers. 

Reliable road access to Bajram Curri has only been possible for about 5 years, since a major highway was built from Durrës to Kosovo.  The highway is meant to boost cultural ties between Albania and Kosovo, and possibly to aid in the transportation of "goods" in case of a resurgence of violence with Serbia.  Before the highway, the easiest way to reach Tropojë was via the ferry.  The aquatic route follows an artificial lake that resulted from the construction of a communist-era hydro-electic dam built by the Chinese.  The scenery it passes through is some of the most beautiful in the Balkans.

Although about half our fellow passengers were tourists, there were many Albanians on board who still use the ferry as their means of transport north.  On our three hour voyage, we made about six stops along the way to deposit  people at seemingly random mountainside paths.  I tried to guess who was getting dropped off in the wilderness based on appearances, but I was wrong every time.  Even mountain-dwelling Albanians dress better than I do.

For more information on the ferry, please visit the following website which Brenna helped to create.  Enjoy the pictures!

http://www.visitkukesregion.org/tourism-destinations/Koman-Lake/lake-koman-ferry-schedule

The ferry starts in Koman, a town to the east of Shkodër, and follows the lake north to Fierzë.  From Fierzë, we took a mini-bus to Bajram Curri. 

Corey is a sushi-master.  It was a delicious surprise to get to eat sushi in Albania.

These are furgons. They are basically privately-owned mini-buses which serve as the main mode of transportation in Albania. We took the blue one from Shkodër to Vau Dejës.  A 30 minute ride costs about $2. 

This is where the ferry docks in Koman.  We had delicious eggs and frappes while we waited in the cafe.

I think this is the alternate ferry.  The one we took was bigger, but in much the same condition.  The reason for the Brazilian flag is a mystery to me.  My guess is it has something to do with football. 

We shared the rear of the ferry with a large hippy-sh German family.  These two little ones were at least entertaining. 

Wildfires have been burning throughout the Balkans for the last week.  (You can see the smoke in the mountains on the left.)  There is no official system for tracking them and alerting the public in Albania, so traveling is a bit of a guessing game as to whether you will make it to your final destination.

This is one of several mountainside residences the ferry passes.  There are no large roads in the area, so the ferry must be the main method for acquiring goods and leaving home.

 

 

There are many things I love about living in Albania. One is the freedom to do as you please without the constant paranoia of liability. Exmaple: you can hang off the back of a moving ferry and take pictures of yourself.

Parts of the trip remind me of New Zealand.

cows on a boat

This is one of several stops along the way.  Some people were dropped off (with huge bags) at the base of incredibly steep mountainsides.

See the wall of rocks "sheltering" the road?

Corey's friend Noja gave us a ride that morning from Vau Dejës because he was taking some huajt (foreigners) on a scenic boat trip.  We passed them along the way.

This is the town center of Bajram Curri.  Usually the mountain are more clear, but the smoke from the wildfires was very thick.

Albania loves America.  Signs, flags, and American-themed bars are everywhere. 

This is the entrance to Brenna's apartment building.  Only the brave venture out on this balcony. 

Cows roam free in Bajram Curri.  To read more about this epidemic, visit Brenna's awesome blog.  http://brennajourneys.blogspot.com/2012/06/cow-conflict-of-2012.html

dinner?

 

Albanians pride themselves on cleanliness.  There must be one car wash for every twenty cars.

I love the willows of Bajram Curri.  This one covers the patio of a home.

The massive snows last winter caved in the roof of the emergency room.

This sport's complex was begun about 20 or 30 years ago and was just recently completed.  It must be the most modern building in town.

I hope kids are encouraged to use the space.  But since it is privately owned, it may be for men only.

A lot of the cars in Albania are from England, so you never know on which side you'll find the steering wheel.