Tirana & Albania's Story

A quick post ... I think it's time to share the bits and pieces of Albania's history that I've discovered through the many excellent museums in Tirana (and now here in Shkoder).  I hadn't done a lot of reading and research before I came to Albania so hadn't realised just how new this country is.  Which makes its growth and transformation even more impressive.

Men in traditional Albanian costumes (they were advertising a tourist show) - not the most flattering of costumes.

Tirana was full of cool arty things - sculptures, murals and ...

... fairly gruesome but fascinating.

So way back in time (1400s), the Ottomans decided to invade - causing all sorts of problems for the (mainly) Christian Albanians, who decided to flee.  Except for Skanderbeg, the great Albanian hero, who put up a good fight for quite a while.  This is where Albania's two headed eagle on their flag comes from, since it was on Skanderbeg's flag.  The Ottomans eventually took control and from this comes the large muslim population and the glorious mosques.

I've become totally used to hearing the call to prayer ... since I always seem to choose accommodation that's right next to a mosque.

This is a 'don't walk' sign for pedestrians.  The 'walk' sign was predictably green.  I thought this was really cool!

In 1912, Albania declared its independence and in 1913 was given its new borders, unfortunately leaving most Albanians outside in countries like Montenegro, Serbia and Greece.  But then Greece wanted bits of the south and Yugoslavia wanted bits of the north and Italy just wanted bits of power so it all got a bit messed up ... and there was a small civil war.  Then they elected their president to become king so they became a monarchy and King Zog 1 ruled until the second world war.

The House of Leaves - the headquarters for the secret police, now a museum showing the methods and techniques used by the Sigurimi to spy on the people of Albania (and any foreigners ... especially Yugoslavians)

At the start of WWII, Mussolini invaded, King Zog ran off into exile (taking with him most of the gold from the national bank) and the Italians decided Albania was part of Italy.  When Mussolini fell, the Germans took over and life became even worse for the Albanians.  In 1944, partisans managed to liberate Albania, led by communist Enver Hoxha.

Why are the school kids running across the road?  Because of the crazy traffic ... that will drive through stop signs, pedestrian crossings, pavements, whatever ... unless there's a policeman.

I found the only secondhand bookshop in Albania ... with books in English.

No room to stand - unfortunately I added to the mess because I wanted a book halfway down the pile.

And then things really went belly up!  Hoxha closed the borders (the first tourists visited in 1988), purged anybody who disagreed with him, imprisoned tens of thousands, had neighbours spying on one another for fear of being denounced, encouraged torture, persecuted any and every religious institution (Albania became the first (and only?)  atheist country ever) ... for 4 decades.  Even when he died, his influence meant that the communist party kept up his policies and methods.

Bunk'Art 2 - one of Hoxha's bunkers is now a museum about the awful history of the 20th century

A harrowing history in pictures, words and objects

Boards listing the names of executed political prisoners

The faces of some of those killed for their religious beliefs and actions

The Site of Witness and Memory in Shkoder specifically looks at the effect of Hoxha's policies on religion

The cells at the Site of Witness and Memory have been left exactly as they were found in 1991 when the regime was overthrown - this was a more harrowing experience than seeing lists of names or reading individual stories.  

There was a photo exhibition in some of the cells of portraits of those who had been held in the prison - I don't know if it was the atmosphere of the place or my imagination but I felt as though I could see their painful memories in their faces ... and maybe their hope for the future.

And then, in 1991, the students protested and people joined them in their thousands.  And the communist party fell.  Albania still had a few problems to come, like most of their money being caught up in a pyramid scheme, but they were free.  Now, they have universal health care, free primary and secondary education, low unemployment and they are becoming a modern nation.  They've joined NATO and are on the road to becoming part of the EU.

One of the more traditional of the traditional restaurants - I looked at the lamb intestines stuffed with its offal but chose the chicken instead!

A posh meal in Tirana - linguine with seafood (cost me about $12)

My favourite bar in Tirana - a pint of Kaon draught and a sausage for 400 lek (about $7) ... and yes, that IS a tree growing in the centre of the room.

Fried whole fish and village salad and local beer ($10)

HOWEVER, people are constantly telling me how corrupt the government is.  As one man said, it might not be the communist party but the people in power are their sons and nephews.  Another told me not to go into any of the new buildings in Tirana because they will all fall down if there's another earthquake ... the concrete is mainly sand.  A lovely man, who made me very strong coffee, agreed that there was low unemployment ... because all of the young people leave for the UK and EU as refugees, since there are no jobs here.

OK, they might be going to fall down but they are pretty impressive

But whatever the past and the present, I am constantly struck by how welcoming these people are.  The older ones were born into an era of terror and repression and yet they are genuinely grateful that you have come to visit their country.  Every time I tell someone how much I'm enjoying Albania, they break out huge smiles and say thank you, thank you, you are so welcome.