Christmas scenes in Tirana

As we leave for Christmas vacation in Vermont, we bring you some Holiday scenes in Tirana, Albania. The country is not very religious so, although the symbols look like Christmas, they have mostly gone up in the last few days and it is to celebrate New Years. During the Communist time, this was the day when the Dictator had more meat, vegetables, fruits and sweets available in the stores for the citizens to feast on as the other 364 days of the year it was bread and basics
Enjoy.

Who says that big corporations aren't festive. Inside, all the Coke Zero you want!

Anyone for an orange Christmas tree?

If you don't like the triangle shape, go for a fake palm tree

This photo doesn't do the street justice...every light moves in different directions and the street is 1/2 kl long!

      

                                      MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

Recognize this guy????

Five Full Days in Italy

Palace of Justice

Leaving the Albanian 100 Year Anniversary celebrations, we flew to Rome. A colleague of Peter's in the Albania office, lives in Rome with his family. He accompanied us and we packed in 18 hours of sight seeing. Angelo is a fount of knowledge about art history, history and literature. He also spouts Greek and knows the height of everything in the city. What an architectural stock of buildings they have!

St. Peter's Cathedral

Now this is pizza Italian style!

After 6 pieces of pizza including chocolate pizza!

This is a 6 story manager scene, Italian style. Too big for my collection!

This was one of 6 murals on the ceiling of the lobby of our hotel in Rome!

A wonderful birthday dinner with Angelo and his sweet family

Day 2 we rented a car and drove south to Pompeii and Amalfi Coast

August 24th, AD 79 the volcano from Mt. Vesuvius erupted and within 17 hours, 25 meters of volcanic ash reigned down on this city, killing 2,000 people. The silver lining was that this ash preserved the mosaics, walls, fountains, pillars and even bodies for 1500 years.

We drove the dramatic and gorgeous Amalfi Coast, finding a sweet hotel with a view of the Mediterranean. Check out the tower at the point. It is called the Clavel Tower!

Town of Positano

Lots of funky art neighborhoods

Five Full Days in Italy Part 2

Day 3 we drive across Italy, to the marvelous Puglia Region on the east coast. We can practically see Albania across the Adriatic Sea! This region is not so touristy and very special. The wine could be the best in Italy and inexpensive. The food was excellent, each meal carefully prepared. We were in a rural region with a lot of agriculture, stonewalls, smaller towns, each with 2-3 amazing churches and the old part of town had tiny winding streets with small scale houses and buildings. It gives a very intimate feel.
The first village is Alberobello. You can't believe the 1400 homes (Trulli) that are like Alice in Wonderland cottages cascading up a hill. We stayed in one and what a trip. They have lived like this since the 1400s!

Look closely to see who is climbing the chimney..

Our home for the night!

Day 4 We drive through towns called Martin Franca, Ostumi, Locorotondo to the city of Lecce.
The photos tell it all.

Rural "Trulli" on the road to villages

Day 5 we arrive in the city of Lecce. It is an amplified version of the small towns we have visited and enjoyed all day.

Baroque at its ultimate. This is 1/20 of a church!

The last supper of shrimp and crawfish, wine and olive oil!

There should be one more photo here......
I dragged Peter to IKEA, yes IKEA in Bari before we flew home (40 minutes) to Tirana. Gotta love the merchandise, particularly after Albanian styles.


This was a perfect packed but delightful vacation!

Albania Celebrates Its 100 Year Anniversary

100 YEARS of the Country of Albania

TIRANA is all decked out for its 100th Birthday

This 100 year anniversary is the only known anniversary being celebrated in  3 countries, Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania

There are the Albanian Kosovars, Albanian Macedonians and Albanian Albanians!!

November 28 and 29 are Albania's 100 Year Anniversary.
(The two major political parties couldn't agree on which day or town/event to commemorate)

These are some of the displays in Tirana. Plenty of vibrant red and black. While Peter and I will be in Italy, I am sure it will be festive. In 100 years, they have had 4 heads of state for the first 4 years,  WW1 where Italy tried to "take" Albania, then a man named Zog who became a self-proclaimed King in the early 30's. Add WW11 and then the dictator for 45 years. Seven years later there was a massive Ponzy scheme in 1997 that produced killings in the street. So....12-14 years of relative calm has been a blessing!

Tirana International Hotel (was the Communist Hotel - been upgraded!)

This is one car that drives around town blaring the National Anthem

Basic Communistic architecture  but residents full of spirit.

Peter posing at a local shopping mall. This is their declaration of independence.

Contrary to what you may believe, this is not Peter and I...!