Crossing into Albania, we felt like we travelled back in time 70 years. We drove from Montenegro, which is an EU country, and arrived in someplace akin to Amish Country. The streets were crowded with people on bikes, horse-drawn carts, and old women in native dress pushing wheel barrows.
The rest of our time in Albania did not feel so old-fashioned, it was only the immediate contrast of coming from a quite modern country into one that is just finding its feet in the global economy. I’m not sure what we were expecting, but we were pleasantly surprised by the country.
- I hate to admit that despite having close friends who lived in Tirana, I knew virtually nothing about the country’s history until we arrived. We took a free walking tour of Tirana, and learned so much. Our guide grew up here, and besides giving us a wealth of information, was able to provide his first hand experiences.
Prior to 1992, Albania was a communist country, with no ties to the outside world. The leader, Enver Hoxha, even cut ties with other communist countries, Russia and China, for not being communist enough! In a situation that our Albanian guide compared to North Korea, Albanians were brainwashed into thinking their country was the best, most prosperous nation in the world. They were not allowed to leave the country. Those who were caught trying to escape were killed. Luckily, free elections took place in 1992, and the country has quickly entered into the modern world, allowing the economy to grow annually.
- The capital, Tirana, is literally a very colorful place. In an effort to liven up the drab Communist buildings punctuating the city, people painted the gray buildings all different colors. Apparently, when Coca Cola first arrived in the country in the early 90s, families would place the red can in their living rooms as decoration, just to add a splash of color.
- The Bllok, which was the section of town reserved for communist government officials, is now the trendy section, with tons of cool cocktail bars and restaurants.
- There are still reminders of the country’s dark past, such as bunkers. Bunkers were built by a paranoid Hoxha in preparation for an attack, which never occurred. Some 750,000 of them are scattered throughout the country.
- It is possible to buy chickens anywhere. Like on a railroad track in the middle of a city.
- Albania has beautiful beaches. We drove south, towards Greece and were rewarded with crystal clear blue water. We also found cows on some of the beaches, which made me infinitely happy.
We were able to swim to the islands in the background. 
How do you make a beach even better? Add cows! 
It’s not a beach, a spring called the Blue Eye, which was also pretty. - The food is delicious. Cottage cheese and peppers, lamb, Greek salads, stuffed eggplant, even sheep head stew.
Roasted peppers with cottage cheese. It was SO good. 
Greek salad with outstanding feta 
We don’t even know what this was, but it was good. - We aren’t sure that many Albanian men work. All over the country, men sat in cafes and drank coffee and raki (like grappa). The older men sat outside playing chess, dressed in their Sunday best.
Paul was coerced into having a drink and cigarette before breakfast, like the locals. 
- There are a crazy number of Mercedes on the roads.
- It’s so cheap. A hotel room with balcony on the water cost us $16, and we probably could have haggled for a better price. But, it was also off-season. A 3 course meal including drinks and a generous tip cost $10 each.
The view from our $16 room. - There are many well preserved Greek and Roman cities around the country.
Apollonia, an ancient Greek city. 
Butrint, a Roman city near the Greek border. 
Theater at Butrint. Many of these ruins are from the 4th century BC - The UNESCO world heritage city of Berat, full of white Ottoman houses perched on a hillside is dramatic. We were able to wander through the alleys between the 13th century houses that are still occupied, with virtually no other foreigners in sight.
White city of Berat It was here that I was also able to communicate with locals by speaking Italian.
From the border crossing in the north, to the beaches in the south, we really enjoyed Albania. Our first impressions just added character to a country that already has so much character. There aren’t a lot of other European countries in which you can, within the span of 5 minutes, share the highway with cars, bikes, horses, dogs, pedestrians, a donkey, and a herd of goats. It’s definitely a country to which we hope to return.
