After what seemed like 3 hours sleep (in fact only about 5) after our midnight sojourn to the pub we emerged on a soon to be hot day to get our first glimpse of Tirana Albania.
Scoffing through breakfast I took off with Pommie Pete at a rate of knots to join a free city walk tour recommended by Kiwi Pete. Kev and Julia did likewise on a privately organised tour while Henley appearing late for breakfast decided in true Aussie spirit to pass on his remaining germs to the newer members of our cycling group.
Our walking tour was excellent with info provided highlighting how the former ruthlessly run communist country had only achieved democracy in 1991. Despite the progress made (particularly on human rights) the country still faces significant challenges with over 17% unemployment and an average wage of just $10, 000 AUD a year !
From statues, to mosques, to churces to underground nuclear bunkers and above ground machine gun posts we strolled around town on a bloody hot Sunday morning
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| Tiranas "water cooled" main square ! |
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| One of nearly 200,000 pill boxes previously dotted around the country ! |
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| A distinctly Communist Mural ! |
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| Tirana's former Nuclear Bunker - now a memorial |
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| Communist style buildings |
One of the highlights included walking past the house of former communist leader Enver Hoxha an unimpressive and now dilapidated 2 storey building still standing as Albanians slowly come to grips with an oppresive past that included the incarceration and torturing of thousands of locals.
Walk done we headed with Aussie Kev to the nearby Sky Tower complete with revolving deck to have a beer and take in the views. We sat back and took in the mountain filled surrounds and suburbs of dated architecture.
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| View from the Sky Tower ! |
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| Hoping that these are not the hire bikes ! |
A rest and it was time to meet up with rest of our group and be briefed re the coming 12 day adventure that starts tomorrow with a beautiful cruise followed sadly by numerous kms of climbing.
A lovely dinner of mixed food (mainly vegetarian) gave us a chance to become acquainted with the remaining members of our group with the final tally being - 2 Aussies, 1 Kiwi, 1 French Canadian, 5 Brits, 1 Swede and 1 Brit living in Australia -
A 5.30 start tomorrow and we're on the road !
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5.30am start?? Are you kidding! and you thought 8 am was early.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt It will be lovely watching the sun rise over the mountains
Enjoy .