Albanian Mafia and too much food!
It was 6am, and we were getting up and ready to check out. I was so tired, I even slept through the call to prayer around 5am.
Thankfully I was already packed, so it as just a case of getting dressed and taking a few last minute photos from the balcony. It was even too early for breakfast, although they did offer us coffee which we politely declined.
The taxi driver was already in reception when we went down to check out, he took our cases and we were on our way to the airport. Ludwig, our guide from yesterday, told us to get to the airport three hours ahead as there is security as you go into the airport, passport control, further security and it is a huge airport. We had quite a bit of time to spare, but I would still recommend getting to the airport early. We decided to go for some breakfast; now I complain that 2 large lattes, a croissant and a muffin cost a fortune in the UK (about £13), but here was ridiculous, we even took a picture of the till - £25!
Aside from this being the most expensive airport that I think I have ever been in, it was clean and it didn’t feel as crowded as Heathrow. Unfortunately, we were delayed an hour, but we had a seat and waited patiently. Boarding finally commenced and we got on our way. I wasn’t expecting much from the flight as we were told Air Albania is the equivalent of Ryanair, but we were given a warm sandwich and a drink free of charge. We disembarked the flight an hour later than expected, so we were hoping the taxi would still be there; he was there but he wasn’t particularly happy and complained that he had been waiting over 2 hours. Once he found out we were Scottish though, he wouldn’t stop talking! I’m not sure what to say about driving in Albania, but I would not recommend renting a car as lanes don’t seem to matter and there doesn’t appear to be right of way anywhere. I seem to say this a lot, but we were happy to be alive!
The hotel we were staying at is just off the main plaza in the city centre so we were delighted when we finally made it, plus I had booked a junior suite at the Hotel Opera. I always think it’s best to stay in a better hotel, particularly when you have no idea what the city is like. Just on that, I’ve definitely come to realise this holiday, it’s best to ignore Western media; if you read about Albania, you would be put off by stories of the Albanian Mafia and how its unsafe at night, we will see if that’s the case or not.
We needed a bit of time to decompress after the journey from the airport, and had an hour or two before we had to meet the guide for a city and food tour. The hotel is only a few minutes walk from Skanderbeg square, the main area in the centre of Tirana, and where we were meeting Giulio. The square was named after the Albanian national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu and there is a massive monument which is hard to miss.
There were 4 of us on the tour, Iain and I plus an American couple who lived in Germany. We started by walking a street with lots of second hand shops; there were sofas, washing machines, ovens, you name it, it was there. We stopped at a little fast food restaurant where we could try a stew; we had the option of paçe (cow head stew), tasquebap (beef stew) or fasule or grosh (bean stew). Surprisingly, none of us chose cow head stew which is apparently very fatty and great hangover food. Iain went with bean and I went with beef stew, his was definitely better in my opinion.
Our next stop was a cafe just a short walk away, we got the choice of coffee so we went with Albanian espresso which was pretty good. We stayed and chatted for 15 minutes before heading through the market to our next stop. All areas of the city have their own market squares like this so that locals do not need to stray far from their homes. The next stop was for a strange ice cream milkshake, like an ice cream float in the UK. It was called Bozë me Akullore (Fermented corn with ice cream). Iain thought it was disgusting, I thought it was ok once it was mixed, but it was not refreshing in the least.
Our next stop was a combination of old and new; firstly, the old bridge, or Tanners bridge, an 18th Century stone footbridge which determined the city boundary, the birthplace of the Albanian flag, the Great Mosque of Tirana, financed by the Turks, and not yet completed (will be the largest mosque in the Balkans) as well as the Parliament which looked quite tiny in comparison to the mosque.
The next food stop was an olive oil tasting; its owned by a family and we got to try medium and strong olive oil. The medium was quite nice, but I dont suggest “drinking” olive oil if you are not used to it, my stomach was not particularly happy!
We continued back past Skanderbeg square, the Memorial of Independence Monument, the Pyramid of Tirana (to be turned into a tech hub), Postbllok Checkpoint (which commemorates political prisoners who suffered under the Hoxha regime), Taiwan square (so-called to annoy the Chinese after relations broke down) and The Resurrection Cathedral (an Albanian Orthodox Church).
Our last and final stop was for food, it was called Tymi King Pils and reminded me of the Hard Rock Cafe. The food was excellent, but it was too much. I’m not sure I can remember everything, but we had: Chicken Kebab, Salad, Pitta with Dip, Stir-fried vegetables, beetroot, olives, melted cheese like cheddar, feta type cheese, roasted vegetables, and some other meat dish which I can’t remember. I also had some homemade red wine, which was delicious.
For the second night in a row, we had eaten too much and waddled back to the hotel. There was a big celebration happening in the square, apparently anyone who helps finance projects within Albania gets a celebration, this time it’s Azerbaijan. The music and dancing was good, and there was food to try. By this point, we never wanted to see food again and headed back to the hotel via a little kiosk which sold beer!
Time for an early night and a late alarm!
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