Home ---- TRIP: The Balkans 2008

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This great trip through the Western Balkan countries of Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia, these places are just full of history, beauty, diversity and conflict. From the newly awakened Albania following years of Communism to the modern great cities of Dubrovnik and Zegrab in Croatia to the new Capital of Sarajevo in Bosnia & Herzegovina rising again following the war to the grand city of Lubljana in Slovenia this was a travelers adventure.

2 It's 3 A.M. and I'm waiting for my ride to the airport, off on another adventure.

3 I still love airline food.

4 I've got an 8 hour layover in Frankfurt, Germany. Good time to take a nap.

5 Frankfurt is a very progressive city, I notice a porn store right in the airport.

6 First stop Albania. Albania, officially the Republic of Albania is a country in South Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Greece to the south-east, Montenegro to the north, partially-recognized Kosovo to the northeast, and the Republic of Macedonia to the east. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the west, and on the Ionian Sea to the southwest. It is less than 72 km (45 miles) from Italy, across the Strait of Otranto which links the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea.

7 Tirana, Albania's capital, Central Square from my hotel room.

8 Tirana Central Square.

9 One of the buildings in the square exhibits all the architectural styles of the Communist era.

10 Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg (6 May 1405 - 4 December 1466) (Albanian Gjergj Kastriot Skenderbeu, widely known as Skanderbeg, Turkish Iskender Bey, meaning Lord or Leader Alexander), or Iskander Beg, is probably the most prominent historical figure in the history of Albania and of the Albanian people. He is also known as the Dragon of Albania and is the national hero of the Albanians. Through the work of his first biographer, Marin Barleti, he is remembered for his struggle against the Ottoman Empire, whose armies he successfully ousted from his native land for two decades.

11 A large poster in front of the historical museum is definitely done in a Communist style.

12 Skanderbeg Square.

13 Old men spending their afternoon playing chess.

14 A walk through the Tirana streets.

15 We notice a little outdoor cafe and check it out.

16 My choice is a local Tirana beer, the nuts were free.

17 Tirana River was, not so long ago, a dirty little sewage ravine going through the city before it was concreted in and cleaned up. The city is on the rebound.

18 I had to go half way around the world to find the Laguna Pizza and Ice Cream parlor.

19 At the end of the day we take a walking tour of the city. It's warm out, it's a weekend, everyone comes out in the evening to avoid the heat and to socialize.

20 We pay a visit to the mosque next to Skanderbeg's statue in Central Square.