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Last autumn i decided to go to Albania from Athens by bus. There are daily departures from Athens to Tirana, the capital of Albania, the bus leave from the square of Metaxourgio, in the center of Athens (near Omonia, stop at the metro station Metaxourgeio).
Allow a bit more than 30 euros and 13 hours of bus. The trip usually takes place at night (leaving around 20 o'clock from Athens, you arrive in the morning in Tirana). You will pass by Patra and Ioannina.
I discovered a country in transition, trying to over pass a long period of dictatorship that isolated the country from the rest of the world for about 50 years. The transition is difficult, corrupt governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, lack of infrastructure, gangsterism, uncontrolled urbanization, mass emigration. But Albania is making progress, with EU integration as its goal.
What caught my eye first is the uncontrolled urbanization in the area of Tirana-Durres because of the rural exodus, but for you to understand better let me show you a video and some photos.
One of the many unfinished buildings between Durres and Tirana.
Concrete, concrete, concrete...
Tirana, the capital of Albania has changed a lot in the past few years, the morose center with its communist architecture has been metamorphosed, gray facades have been repainted, many parks have been created, pollution and poverty has been reduced. A record that made the mayor Edi Rama "best mayor in the world" in 2004!
Main square of Tirana in construction, Skanderbeg Square,
with buildings from the Italian occupation, now used as ministries.
The heroic statue of Skanderbeg, the national hero.
Another heroic effigy...rambo? Amusement park on Skanderberg square.
The main river of Tirana, Lana River. Although once clean, it now carries garbage and is very polluted.
Before there were many buildings around and on the banks of the river, but they were removed by Tirana's mayor Edi Rama, and the banks have been planted with trees.
A market in Tirana, as messy and noisy than a souk, it reminds the cultural influence of the Ottoman that occupied Albania for about 500 years.
Colorful Buildings....a bit of color on the old gray communist buildings
ALONG THE TIRANA TRAIN STATION
Difficult to imagine that you can find a art-space in this desolated place, territory of stray dogs, and yet there was one, a alternative art space opened in 2011, located in the warehouses of the train station, called 'Tirana-Ekspres'. (2014 Now they moved in the center of the town). This art space hosts art exhibitions on a regular basis.
Slide show of all the pictures taken during my trip in Albania; Durres, Tirana, Skandeberg Square, the night life district of Blloku, a market in Tirana, along the train station.
And finally the place where i stayed, a nice and cozy youth hostel run by a couple German-Albanian.
Their website for more information: Hostel Albania
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