Category: Albania

• 

  Finding Harmony on an Accordion in Shkodër, Albania

  The moment we stepped into the tiny Albanian bar bearing mint-green walls, I regretted having not been more studious when learning Italian several years earlier. The five gentlemen inside the Shkodër establishment spoke Albanian of course, but between the two of us, Shawn and I only knew about five Albanian words. The seven of us quickly defaulted to Italian. When that…

• 

  Albania and its 700,000 Bunkers: Profiling a Man Who Built Them

  As our minibus chugged through the Albanian countryside during a 6-hour trip, my husband and I inadvertently created a new car game to pass the time: Who could first spot a bunker as a new one appeared in the ever-changing scenery? With nearly 700,000 bunkers still dotting this southeastern European nation’s landscape, the game didn’t…

• 

  Photo du Jour: Commuting by Horse-Drawn Cart – Shkoder, Albania

  Transitioning from Montenegro, we’ve arrived in Shkoder, Albania. To get here we had a two-hour bus ride from Kotor to the border town of Ulcinj, Montenegro. Then, we traveled from Ulcinj to the Albanian city of Shkoder. It is fascinating to watch the pace of life here in the semi-rural neighborhood where our guesthouse is located.…