Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
I came into contact with the Albanian language three times – in Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo (it is also official language in North Macedonia). Every time I had the same feeling like with Dutch: I can read it and understand quite a lot, but listening to somebody speaking it I can’t even separate the words in my head. It is an Indo-European language with 7.6 million speakers around the world.
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I did not use long distance busses very often in the past. Within western Europe you would simply take a train. Only once I went by bus to Zagreb, Croatia because it was cheap and I wanted to try it. If you’re on the balkans the situation changes totally and as there are only a small number of railway tracks the long distance busses become means of transport #1. And I must admit I also enjoyed it.
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It is the biggest lake on the balkans: Lake Skadar, located between Montenegro and Albania. It is 48 kilometers long and 14 kilometers wide and receives its water mainly from the river Morača running through Montenegro. To the adriatic sea there is only one connection, the river Buna, which also forms the natural border between the two countries.
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If you’re travelling by long-distance bus to or from Tirana, Albania and without a too tight budget – then the hotel Colosseo might be a good option. It is a nice four star hotel at one of the streets leading to the city center and the Skanderbeg square. If you’re walking on foot to the bus station for busses going to the north (behind ‘Pallati Sportit Asllan Rusi‘) you’ll need about seven minutes. To the city center it is less than 15 minutes on foot.
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Getting to Tirana, Albania was a great experience. I selected this place as I was last time in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and it felt as the logical next step. Western Europeans have strange prejudices about Albania, most often connected with organized crime and corruption. And some days before my flight a plane of my chosen airline was blocked at the airport of Tirana and the money transported with it was stolen. Not a good omen.
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At Tirana, Albania it is hard to not get into contact with the history of former communist dictator Enver Hoxha. He was born in 1908 at Gjirokastra and as his family was wealthy he studied at France and Belgium. There he got in contact with communist ideas and when he returned home he first worked as a teacher for the French language.
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The regime of Enver Hoxha made sure to create enough bunkers throughout the country. But where would the government flee to in case of an attack on Tirana, Albania? In the eastern suburbs of the capital city you can find the answer: a giant fallout shelter. Close to the Dajti Ekspres you can find a long tunnel through a mountain and when leaving the tunnel and passing some buildings you can find the bunker entrances.
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If you want to escape from the city of Tirana, Albania to see the mountains and watch the city from above there is one very good option: to go to the house mountain of the city, the Dajti. It is 1613 meters high and located in the East of the city. On top you’ll find a restaurant and a rotating bar as well as a viewing platform. The mountain offers good opportunities for hiking, climbing, mountain biking and paragliding.
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The Sky Tower is my most favorite place for watching sundown and having a drink at Tirana, Albania. It is a skyscraper at the city quarter Blloku and located close to the Rinia park and the river Lana. You can easily find it as it has a rotating restaurant on top that turns 360 degrees within an hour. If you want to dine there you should reserve in advance, but there is also a reservation-free bar on the top level.
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I’ve seen nothing like the zoological garden of Tirana, Albania before – and that has good and bad aspects. It is very uncommon as it is rather a park with animals located between high apartment houses. You can find it between the great park / the artificial lake and the botanical garden of the city. On a lake you can find many birds, within fenced areas you can see llamas, ostrichs and bisons.
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