The history: it still astounds me that there was a country essentially in the middle of Eastern Europe that managed to be hermit. The closest comparison for the Hoxha years I heard while talking to folks there was North Korea, and it does not seem like an overstatement. Stories abound of families of attempted escapees being tortured and killed, of people disappearing. These sound familiar to one who keeps an eye on world politics. Hoxha was a truly awful man, and anyone who breaks ties with Stalin and China (their last two allies in world politics) for being “not communist enough“ certainly has a hard-line idea of how they want their country to be.

“Hoxha‘s Revenge”: the stomach bug you’‘ll get from drinking the water in certain places. Named after the communist dictator who ruled for 40 years, he is thankfully gone, but certainly not forgotten - to which any unfortunate traveller may attest.

Rubbish: a problem; one that is getting better as the older generations learn about recycling and the environment (not exactly priorities under Hoxha). Younger Albanians on the whole seem to take more care about where they put their wrappers, cans and cigarettes (SO MANY CIGARETTES).

The People: without exception curious, willing and wanting to help. From my broken conversations with groups of Albanians on the ferry over (between my little-to-no Italian, their little-to-no English and various pictures, we got by), to my lengthy conversations with Saimir in Durres, to the old bloke in Tirana decked out in Union Jack garb telling me he used to live in England and loves Australians and helping me to the airport bus (“no problem, I ask for you! Australians too much good people! I know Australians in England - they tell me about park, with having cooking in park with friends. I love that!“). The mouth-half-open-stares as I walk by became a little much occasionally, but on the whole they are just curious, with so little arrogance that they are genuinely wondering what you are doing there.

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October 19th, 2015

Spain

July 19th, 2015

May 24th, 2015

Brussels, Toulouse, Biarritz, San Sebastian, Bilbao

Switzerland, Italy.

DORSET, AVEBURY, COTSWOLDS, LAKE DISTRICT, EDINBURGH, MANCHESTER, WALES

October 19^th, 2015

July 19^th, 2015

May 24^th, 2015