Final stop - Tirana - first week (or so)
We have a lovely spacious apartment in Tirana about 20 minutes from Skanderbeg Square, named for Gjergj Katrioti aka Skanderbeg, who is a national hero in Albania for successfully opposing the Ottoman Empire in the 1500’s and preventing their expansion into Western Europe.
We arrived just in time for the “First Day of Summer” festival, which always lands on March 14th. There was music and traditional ballokume, which is a large, sweet cookie made from cornflour, butter, sugar and eggs and is traditionally kneaded in a copper bowl. Apparently, people wear verore (red & white bracelets symbolizing the beginning of summer). Traditionally, these bracelets are then hung on trees for good luck. We saw lots of bracelets for sale but no one buying, wearing or hanging them. The square and surrounding streets were decorated and filled with vendors and loud music.
I find the architecture here very interesting and different, as if they were rebelling against the boring buildings of communist rule. The first pic is meant to resemble Skoderbeg. That was also him on the horse.
I climbed the steps of the nearby Pyramid of Tirana and took in the view
And investigated inside “The Cloud” sculpture 
Walked by the Kapllan Pasha Tomb, a cultural monument where the former Ottoman ruler was buried before being relocated to Istanbul.
And the friendship monument, representing friendship and cooperation between Albania and Kuwait
And walk by, but didn’t go in (yet) Bunk’Art 2, which is an underground labyrinth under the Ministry of the Interior buildings. It is a Communist-era nuclear bunker turned into a museum and art space. Bunk’Art 2 is comprised of 24 rooms, while Bunk’Art 1, a few km away has 104 rooms. I’m debating quantity over convenience in deciding which one I’ll visit. This is a small peek through the open entry.
I enjoyed the various sculptures around the area, even if I don’t know much about them
One day I was walking by this restaurant at midday and stopped to peek at the menu outside. The server came out to chat with me and asked me to come inside a try a free sampling of their food. I think because they didn’t have much daytime business due to Ramandan. They gave me a meat and yogurt stew (very traditional) on focaccia type bread. It was very good.
Another day, I walked to the military cemetery to see the Mother Albania statue, which overlooks Tirana. The gate was closed, but a friendly cab driver showed me how to go around the fence.
And from there, I walked to the Grand Park which surrounds an artificial lake. Very nice walking area, which I’ve returned to since.
Near one of the park exits there’s a Woodrow Wilson school and nearby, George W Bush library. The latter is actually a coffee shop with no affiliation to the former president. And there’s no library, although apparently “it’s in the works”
Yesterday, I joined a hiking tour to Bovilla Lake and Gamti Mountain. It was a cheap tour, but very enjoyable and worth the <$20 I paid for it. There were lots of people from various tours making it difficult to pass on the sometimes narrow rocky path.
Great views.
This featured blog entry was written by Deb Godley from the blog Deb Travels the World.
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