By this Author: pscotterly

12 hours on 2 planes
30 minutes on an Amsterdam city bus
8 hours on 3 trains
10 minutes on the S-Bahn in Munich
20 minutes by foot through the Marienplatz in Munich

Here is my first view of my first destination as I rose from the S-Bahn.

I have forgotten all the German spellings of the places I visited and threw away the pages I had torn from my guide book - so will just include slightly incorrect English terms.

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Opera house

Church Towers

Christine at Art museum

I was especially intrigued by the beautiful exterior of the contemporary art museum. It is encased in colored hollow rods that control the temperature and lighting of the interior of the museum.

Contemporary Art Museum in Munich

On Monday, I spent the day on my own roaming the streets of central Munich.

Imagine der fuerher speaking here

In the evening, I took the S-1 to a hotel near the airport. This time, I did NOT drop $200 and 200 euro as I had the first time I tried to figure out the ticket machine. But both times, I did have to ask for assistance.

Now on to Albania

Guests are treated royally. I was not supposed to help in the kitchen - couldn't even clear the table or help with the dishes.
Every AM we had Turkish coffee prepared over a bunson burner. Second morning, I asked to try. Oops - I boiled it over. I was not allowed to make the coffee again.

Byrek is a traditional Albanian dish. You can buy it llittle shops and in all restaurants.
It is prepared with 18 layers of filo-like dough with various sauces between layers 6 and 12.
Grandmother planned to make it one day, so I asked for lessons.

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Demonstration

I get to try

Faster, Faster says Xherrie

Grandma can't bear to watch me struggle.

I am allowed to add the sauce

No one in Albania believes I can cook.

Hosts watching out for me from nd floor balcony

Always watching out for me

Brothers , Friends, and Cousins

At the opera hall

Thursday evening we had a special dinner at a restaurant. Xhestie placed the order and recommended the wine. Xherri had to work again.

The starters have been ordered

Xherri in front of his University

My Albanian Twin

Mirella

Xherri and Mirella at the caffe bar

Religious affiliation was denied during communism. Affiliation is now a majority Muslim, then Orthodox, a smattering of and Bektashi Teqe ( a Muslim Sect), and I read about the occasional evangelical Christian mission in the rural areas.

Practioners appear to be less radical and emphatic than in the USA (isn't everyplace?) and other Muslim countries. My guides and hosts claimed to be Muslim, but very relaxed practioners. My hosts were also Bektashi Teqe practioners and showed me photos of when they went on the anual retreat to the mountains for a ceremony and sacrifice/feast of many sheep. My host Mirella and I stopped by the Orthodox chapel one evening, and she lit a candle and touched the icon as is the Orthodox custom. I think that many embrace all faiths.

Orthodox Chapel

Orthodox clock and bell tower

Chapel through the gate

Duress Mosque

Chandelier in Duress Mosque

Tirana mosque

Bektashi Teqe mosque (muslim sect)

Green is the color of honoring death

Bektashi Teqe meeting room and place of prayer

Duress is Albania's largest seaport. There are also many, many tourist apartments and restaurants along the shore - A place for families to come and stroll on Sundays.
Our Friendship Force guide lived in this city during her youth. At that time, she was a true Patriot for the Communist cause.

Duress, Albania

Street scene in Duress

Fishermen

Beachfront cat

Fishermen II

My name in graffiti

Toys for sale

Street Cleaner in Duress

Going to work at Shipyard in Duress

Tourists and a transient

Sunday is the day for weddings

In honor of defense against Italy in 1940

Honoring soldiers

Honoring Soldiers 2

One day in the 1960s, a tree in someone's back yard sunk into a hole in the ground. Upon examination, a Roman amphitheater was discovered.

Would have seated 18000 spectators

Roman Amphitheater in Duress, Albania

Previous cell turned into baptismal font

Current depth

I enjoyed this day trip immensely. I saw so much of Albania's glorious history before the 20th century.
Skanderberg is a National Hero in Albania, who lived in the mid 1400s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skanderbeg

Kruja is an ancient city where his castle and fort were located. As late as the 1990s, only rubble was on this spot. It is now a spectacular museum.
This is a good example of the accomplishments of this country in the last two decades.
http://www.albanian.com/main/countries/albania/kruja/index.html

Statue of National Hero Skanderbeg

Footprint and partial wall of 15th c Skanderbeg Castle

Next to the rebuilt castle is an 18th century ethnographic museum of a typical wealthy Muslim household. This is beautifully created.

18th C Muslim home in Kuja

Garden at the ethnographic museum

Women's room in Muslim ethnographic museum

Men's Room in Muslim ethnographic museum

Women's serving and peeking place into the Men's Room

Sauna in 18th C Muslim home

A bazaar that has been selling goods for centuries is also in Kruja.

Bazaar shop in Kruja

Shoppers at the Kruja bazaar

A feast of Albanian grilled lamb and potatoes

Left to Right - Jane from Chicago, Diana our Albanian Friendship Force tour leader, Itonka President of the Albania Friendship Force chaptr.