The Palace of Congress in the background and the President's office on the right
Sunday, May 28, 2006
A refreshing view from a friend's balcony
The Palace of Congress in the background and the President's office on the right
Baffling processes
Spoiled by the American system that I’ve dealt with for over half a century, I always experience frustrating processes in dealing, for one reason or another, with state or governmental offices in Europe.
In Italy, just in the past 3 years, I had to do summersaults and run around a lot from office to office to obtain documents or clarifications about procedures relating to the settling of an estate, payment of taxes, dealing with utility companies, etc. ….and I didn’t have a problem expressing myself since I speak the language fluently! Albania, not officially part of Europe yet, is no exception. In both countries it’s not possible to get precise information by telephone, ahead of time, so that what’s needed can be prepared and then presented for action where appropriate. One has to find out in person and being “ping ponged” from one place to another in the process. The procedures are convoluted (work simplification is unheard of!), the paperwork unnecessarily complex (forms design at times illogical!), and the staff interaction mostly unsatisfactory (inadequate training and laissez-faire in general!). Feeling powerless, the public yields to these situations and instead of fighting them, when and where it can, looks for more devious ways to offset these inadequacies in order to obtain the needed results; thus sustaining a corrupted way of life that tends to perpetuate and expand itself.
This week, in Tirana, I witnessed what a local has to endure in order to obtain the renewal of a passport. While in the first police district office I was impressed to find a modern numbering system to serve the large crowd, and the form filling was rather expeditious, the situation was quite different at Police headquarters (across town), where one has to go a couple of weeks later to pick up the new document. Six various teller windows, opened only for 1 ½ hour every afternoon, were completely mobbed by the waiting public, six lines deep, screaming and trying to juggle their way to be able to talk to the staff that, undeterred, kept on yelling out names of the fortunate ones whose passport was ready. The interchange was incredibly noisy and chaotic. Many were disappointedly turned away and required to come back with additional documentation the next morning to talk to a ”chief” about how to speed the process. A couple of people I talked to while watching all this happening sadly informed me that they had already spent four days going through this repetitive mode of operation.
The following morning the chief, supposedly available for one hour, appeared at the window 40 minutes late. Realizing that the large crowd couldn’t be accommodated within the time limit, asked a police woman to just jot down the names of those who came and retrieve the additional required documentation. The afternoon process of checking whether the passport was finally available was an exact duplicate experience of the day before. And so life goes on…..
In Italy, just in the past 3 years, I had to do summersaults and run around a lot from office to office to obtain documents or clarifications about procedures relating to the settling of an estate, payment of taxes, dealing with utility companies, etc. ….and I didn’t have a problem expressing myself since I speak the language fluently! Albania, not officially part of Europe yet, is no exception. In both countries it’s not possible to get precise information by telephone, ahead of time, so that what’s needed can be prepared and then presented for action where appropriate. One has to find out in person and being “ping ponged” from one place to another in the process. The procedures are convoluted (work simplification is unheard of!), the paperwork unnecessarily complex (forms design at times illogical!), and the staff interaction mostly unsatisfactory (inadequate training and laissez-faire in general!). Feeling powerless, the public yields to these situations and instead of fighting them, when and where it can, looks for more devious ways to offset these inadequacies in order to obtain the needed results; thus sustaining a corrupted way of life that tends to perpetuate and expand itself.
This week, in Tirana, I witnessed what a local has to endure in order to obtain the renewal of a passport. While in the first police district office I was impressed to find a modern numbering system to serve the large crowd, and the form filling was rather expeditious, the situation was quite different at Police headquarters (across town), where one has to go a couple of weeks later to pick up the new document. Six various teller windows, opened only for 1 ½ hour every afternoon, were completely mobbed by the waiting public, six lines deep, screaming and trying to juggle their way to be able to talk to the staff that, undeterred, kept on yelling out names of the fortunate ones whose passport was ready. The interchange was incredibly noisy and chaotic. Many were disappointedly turned away and required to come back with additional documentation the next morning to talk to a ”chief” about how to speed the process. A couple of people I talked to while watching all this happening sadly informed me that they had already spent four days going through this repetitive mode of operation.
The following morning the chief, supposedly available for one hour, appeared at the window 40 minutes late. Realizing that the large crowd couldn’t be accommodated within the time limit, asked a police woman to just jot down the names of those who came and retrieve the additional required documentation. The afternoon process of checking whether the passport was finally available was an exact duplicate experience of the day before. And so life goes on…..
Monday, May 22, 2006
Scenes of Albanian life in Tirana
In this capital the new modern structural (steel and glass) high raisers of this millennium are mixed in with a variety of old brick buildings, dating back to almost one hundred years ago. Some are originally Albanian (low 1-2 story) single family homes, while others (with 3-4 stories) were built by the Italians before and during their occupation during WWII (late 1930’s - mid 1940’s), followed by the ones during the Russians (1950-60’s), and Chinese (1965-70’s) influences that conditioned the country at the end of the war. This is the situation in many parts of the city, and also in the very center of it. The once private backyards (with grape vines and mandarin trees) are disappearing and living conditions are now crowded everywhere. Few are the remaining 2 story villas of the old fashioned wealthy families, which are now being renovated and can maintain a private garden area around.
Notwithstanding the clusters of assorted constructions and the incredible congestion of vehicular traffic that permeates the city, one can find astonishing quiet in their own quarters. Away from the main boulevards (4-6 lane wide), the movement of cars in the narrow passage ways in between the buildings has to proceed at a snail pace, parking spots are continually negotiated and inventively created, with the humble pedestrians carefully trying not only to avoid the traffic, but to find a few inches where to squeezing their way through. At night, even with open windows, there is complete silence in my apartment, with not a sound to be heard.
Due to closeness of the buildings, however, during the day, when the shutters are rolled up, I cannot help but observe how life in this city is lived. From the glass enclosed balcony of mine, just sitting down at my desk, I can see women appear and disappear often on their open balconies to hang and reposition their laundry, as it dries. They even talk to each other across the way, and some of them lovingly attend to their planted pots that display a variety of flowers.
As I got up this morning and opened my bedroom window I could see a city sanitation truck quietly picking up the garbage that accumulates fast in the open bins that are strategically positioned in the midst of the buildings. The system is the same as the one in Italy, where the metal bins are called “cassonetti”, but the trucks I see here are not specifically built for such a task. They are regular open vans and the men have no choice but to use bare hands and shovels to collect the stuff and throw it on top of the truck. They work in pairs and one of them, from time to time, walks on top of the collected pile to ‘compact it’ with his feet….
Here I never hear the noise produced when the trucks come rolling by for similar collections such as in NY or in Italy, but I do know that these rounds are faithfully made every 2 days. I also see quite often men and women wearing blue or orange uniforms carrying a sack and a picker and broom; they roam around and sweep away and collect paper or trash discarded in the streets. Such are some facets of Albanian life in Tirana these days.
Notwithstanding the clusters of assorted constructions and the incredible congestion of vehicular traffic that permeates the city, one can find astonishing quiet in their own quarters. Away from the main boulevards (4-6 lane wide), the movement of cars in the narrow passage ways in between the buildings has to proceed at a snail pace, parking spots are continually negotiated and inventively created, with the humble pedestrians carefully trying not only to avoid the traffic, but to find a few inches where to squeezing their way through. At night, even with open windows, there is complete silence in my apartment, with not a sound to be heard.
Due to closeness of the buildings, however, during the day, when the shutters are rolled up, I cannot help but observe how life in this city is lived. From the glass enclosed balcony of mine, just sitting down at my desk, I can see women appear and disappear often on their open balconies to hang and reposition their laundry, as it dries. They even talk to each other across the way, and some of them lovingly attend to their planted pots that display a variety of flowers.
As I got up this morning and opened my bedroom window I could see a city sanitation truck quietly picking up the garbage that accumulates fast in the open bins that are strategically positioned in the midst of the buildings. The system is the same as the one in Italy, where the metal bins are called “cassonetti”, but the trucks I see here are not specifically built for such a task. They are regular open vans and the men have no choice but to use bare hands and shovels to collect the stuff and throw it on top of the truck. They work in pairs and one of them, from time to time, walks on top of the collected pile to ‘compact it’ with his feet….
Here I never hear the noise produced when the trucks come rolling by for similar collections such as in NY or in Italy, but I do know that these rounds are faithfully made every 2 days. I also see quite often men and women wearing blue or orange uniforms carrying a sack and a picker and broom; they roam around and sweep away and collect paper or trash discarded in the streets. Such are some facets of Albanian life in Tirana these days.
Agonizing efforts
Can you imagine having to work with a 45 Kbps dial up connection? This is unfortunately what I have to deal, and put up with while in Tirana. The service that I use while here is one of several available, but I can vouch that it’s a real pain to have this type of connection with Internet (how did we ever live with 28K modems only a few years ago?).
Any click, or command, takes forever to respond; what can one do, but stare at the ceiling meanwhile? When I dared mention my frustration to either other users or even the manager of the providing server I was calmly told that this is what they are supplied with here and they just resign themselves to it! Even all the state offices, which now do try to use email in their daily routines, have the same type of service. Only exception may be some special high-speed lines used only by very large businesses, which can afford the related high costs.
Compared to last year, however, there is some improvement. Now, thanks goodness, there is at least electricity available to keep operating for many hours at a stretch, although it’s interesting to notice that the energy output (totally lacking last year for many - 8 to 10 - hours a day) is quite weak! A simple chore such hair drying takes much longer than we are used to in the States. The same goes for cooking with the stoves being electrically operated since there is no gas city wide distribution yet.
Going back to computing, based on my experience of this week, it’s no wonder that a lot of the software used here is unlicensed. The slow connections may not be the only excuse, but it’s certainly easier to just copy one master package rather than spend days to install software onto several machines.
This week I duly purchased online a noted antivirus package only to discover that I was unable to download it via Internet due to the slowness of the connection and the unforeseen, and frequent dropping of the phone line. It tried 3 times unsuccessfully (even in the middle of the night), and lost more than 4 hours in the process! The ISP provider kindly obliged me when I complained. I had, however, to move myself to their premises, where I finally got hold of my purchase, by using 2 different workstations there: one to download the software, and the second one to burn the CD I provided so that I could carry it at home.
However, my anguish was not over!! It took another 2 hours to install the package and update it, as routinely necessary, online, by downloading the latest additions and the virus definition file. Whew!
What it may take 15 minutes in the US to accomplish, here it took most of one day. Bottom line: how can anyone be efficiently working in such an environment? The locals are used to this slow pace, but for me these and similar undertakings are agonizing and exasperating experiences!
Any click, or command, takes forever to respond; what can one do, but stare at the ceiling meanwhile? When I dared mention my frustration to either other users or even the manager of the providing server I was calmly told that this is what they are supplied with here and they just resign themselves to it! Even all the state offices, which now do try to use email in their daily routines, have the same type of service. Only exception may be some special high-speed lines used only by very large businesses, which can afford the related high costs.
Compared to last year, however, there is some improvement. Now, thanks goodness, there is at least electricity available to keep operating for many hours at a stretch, although it’s interesting to notice that the energy output (totally lacking last year for many - 8 to 10 - hours a day) is quite weak! A simple chore such hair drying takes much longer than we are used to in the States. The same goes for cooking with the stoves being electrically operated since there is no gas city wide distribution yet.
Going back to computing, based on my experience of this week, it’s no wonder that a lot of the software used here is unlicensed. The slow connections may not be the only excuse, but it’s certainly easier to just copy one master package rather than spend days to install software onto several machines.
This week I duly purchased online a noted antivirus package only to discover that I was unable to download it via Internet due to the slowness of the connection and the unforeseen, and frequent dropping of the phone line. It tried 3 times unsuccessfully (even in the middle of the night), and lost more than 4 hours in the process! The ISP provider kindly obliged me when I complained. I had, however, to move myself to their premises, where I finally got hold of my purchase, by using 2 different workstations there: one to download the software, and the second one to burn the CD I provided so that I could carry it at home.
However, my anguish was not over!! It took another 2 hours to install the package and update it, as routinely necessary, online, by downloading the latest additions and the virus definition file. Whew!
What it may take 15 minutes in the US to accomplish, here it took most of one day. Bottom line: how can anyone be efficiently working in such an environment? The locals are used to this slow pace, but for me these and similar undertakings are agonizing and exasperating experiences!
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Visiting and paper shuffling
Yesterday I received two courtesy visits. In the late morning an old friend, whom I consider like a brother, came to spend some time with me and catch up with our mutual news. Our parents, now long deceased, used to be close friends their entire lives, and we, as babies, used to play a lot together way back then. WWII forced our lives to take separate paths and this went on for 54 years. It was a very emotional moment when we rediscovered each other upon my return to Tirana for the first time in 1993. Now, whenever we have the chance to get together, we update ourselves, try to forecast the future for the younger generations, and talk a lot about the past, especially about the history of Albania, much of which I’m learning through him, who has lived every moment of it, throughout his entire life inside the country. Time flies when we chat and we even forget to eat.
The other visit by a friend of recent years was in the late afternoon. This is the time when people who work take the time to get off from the daily routines. They usually have late lunches (especially state employees, whose work day ends at 3pm); consequently, they dine late. As in many European countries, the in between hours are dedicated to “la dolce vita”, enjoying a stroll, stopping at a café’ for a chat, or visiting family and/or friends.
Today all my activities were mostly sedentary. At the computer before a brief lunch at home, and then off to the National Library where I planned researching some old historical documents that I’m interested in. Spent 3 tiring hours sifting through dusty bounded volumes of the “State Official Gazette”(1940’s). These collections are invaluable for their content and are perused on a daily basis by loads of people, trying to collect documentation, history, and references about their families, their properties, and the laws that affected them in the past.
It's an exhausting, but fascinating trip into the past, where one can visualize the trials and tribulations of the entire population under the communist regime. The records are incredibly detailed in many cases: from the list of actual confiscation of real estate properties, to the home contents of the persecuted people (sold at public auction); from the verdicts of condemnation of political dissidents, to the military decorations of the soldiers and officers that distinguished themselves to defend the country from the abhorred foreigners.....the list goes on and on, the aging pages are heavily marked in pencil or pen, a lot of them are torn, and falling apart. I guess, however, that these documents are preserved also in microfiche format, as I know are the confiscated personal documents of the people that were arrested, tried, and imprisoned for years. A large part of the Albanian population went through these processes, and entire families ended up spending their lives in concentration camps. There their children were born, their parents and grandparents died, and many never knew what it means to live in a free world!
Enough of reminiscences for one day....Was glad to leave the stuffy library, which was filled to capacity by all sorts of people, young and old, all intent into their various diggings...and to get back into the nice afternoon breeze. The sun was starting to set and the large central square, named after the national hero “Skanderbeg”, was in full swing, and I could not resist taking pictures of the well known structures (see above) that surround this wide open area.
The other visit by a friend of recent years was in the late afternoon. This is the time when people who work take the time to get off from the daily routines. They usually have late lunches (especially state employees, whose work day ends at 3pm); consequently, they dine late. As in many European countries, the in between hours are dedicated to “la dolce vita”, enjoying a stroll, stopping at a café’ for a chat, or visiting family and/or friends.
Today all my activities were mostly sedentary. At the computer before a brief lunch at home, and then off to the National Library where I planned researching some old historical documents that I’m interested in. Spent 3 tiring hours sifting through dusty bounded volumes of the “State Official Gazette”(1940’s). These collections are invaluable for their content and are perused on a daily basis by loads of people, trying to collect documentation, history, and references about their families, their properties, and the laws that affected them in the past.
It's an exhausting, but fascinating trip into the past, where one can visualize the trials and tribulations of the entire population under the communist regime. The records are incredibly detailed in many cases: from the list of actual confiscation of real estate properties, to the home contents of the persecuted people (sold at public auction); from the verdicts of condemnation of political dissidents, to the military decorations of the soldiers and officers that distinguished themselves to defend the country from the abhorred foreigners.....the list goes on and on, the aging pages are heavily marked in pencil or pen, a lot of them are torn, and falling apart. I guess, however, that these documents are preserved also in microfiche format, as I know are the confiscated personal documents of the people that were arrested, tried, and imprisoned for years. A large part of the Albanian population went through these processes, and entire families ended up spending their lives in concentration camps. There their children were born, their parents and grandparents died, and many never knew what it means to live in a free world!
Enough of reminiscences for one day....Was glad to leave the stuffy library, which was filled to capacity by all sorts of people, young and old, all intent into their various diggings...and to get back into the nice afternoon breeze. The sun was starting to set and the large central square, named after the national hero “Skanderbeg”, was in full swing, and I could not resist taking pictures of the well known structures (see above) that surround this wide open area.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Hot day
A real hot day in every sense of the word.
Awaken early by a business phone call, I Immediately felt that the temperature outside must have been higher today because I began to sweat just moving around my apartment. By the time I went out on errands, there was real (after a week of rain) heat going on, as only in Albania can be, because the sun here seems to be closer than elsewhere. The countless outdoor cafés were displaying their myriad of colorful umbrellas and, as usual, many are people that fill these spots at all hours of the day and night. The ones that couldn’t find a place to sit, were carrying on their conversations under the shade of the trees that line every boulevard of Tirana.
As I was traveling by car later on in the day, going from appointment to appointment. I observed the recent positive changes along the roads repaved since last year, the additional constructions of office and apartment buildings, the extra planting of new trees along the long inland waterway (called “Lana”) that crosses the entire city. Only a few years ago this canal was a terribly smelly site with stagnating water, full of discarded garbage, with illegally erected one story buildings all along its path. Now all the constructions are gone (destroyed), its bed has been cleaned up of the debris, its deep margins are fully covered by beautiful green lawns, and its very long sidewalks are lined up with lovely young plantings and old European type street lamps (candelabra style). A nice sight day or night.
After a meeting at midday during which I heated the atmosphere with strong, but ethical, remarks that I felt needed about the conducted business, I went shopping at the great supermarket at the outskirts of the capital. Two of the smaller supermarkets that were available last year in town, and not too far from my apartment, are currently closed for unknown reason, although someone hinted that this was due to non payment of bills, and their consequent bankruptcy. The large, and spacious, American style supermarket was not as busy as during the weekend, thus, I was able to shop quickly and be served with extra attention. The meat was cut European style and to order (as it was in my youth), the vegetable were fresh, the fruits ripe and tasty, and the goodies available all the way around. I really went to town and after cooking up a storm at home, I had a great dinner.
It’s still hot into the late evening, as I am writing this. When I closed the window shades tonight a very bright satellite was shining high up in the sky right outside of my balcony, and I wondered......could it be the same one I see from my kitchen window every evening in NY around 11pm in the south-eastern skies?
Awaken early by a business phone call, I Immediately felt that the temperature outside must have been higher today because I began to sweat just moving around my apartment. By the time I went out on errands, there was real (after a week of rain) heat going on, as only in Albania can be, because the sun here seems to be closer than elsewhere. The countless outdoor cafés were displaying their myriad of colorful umbrellas and, as usual, many are people that fill these spots at all hours of the day and night. The ones that couldn’t find a place to sit, were carrying on their conversations under the shade of the trees that line every boulevard of Tirana.
As I was traveling by car later on in the day, going from appointment to appointment. I observed the recent positive changes along the roads repaved since last year, the additional constructions of office and apartment buildings, the extra planting of new trees along the long inland waterway (called “Lana”) that crosses the entire city. Only a few years ago this canal was a terribly smelly site with stagnating water, full of discarded garbage, with illegally erected one story buildings all along its path. Now all the constructions are gone (destroyed), its bed has been cleaned up of the debris, its deep margins are fully covered by beautiful green lawns, and its very long sidewalks are lined up with lovely young plantings and old European type street lamps (candelabra style). A nice sight day or night.
After a meeting at midday during which I heated the atmosphere with strong, but ethical, remarks that I felt needed about the conducted business, I went shopping at the great supermarket at the outskirts of the capital. Two of the smaller supermarkets that were available last year in town, and not too far from my apartment, are currently closed for unknown reason, although someone hinted that this was due to non payment of bills, and their consequent bankruptcy. The large, and spacious, American style supermarket was not as busy as during the weekend, thus, I was able to shop quickly and be served with extra attention. The meat was cut European style and to order (as it was in my youth), the vegetable were fresh, the fruits ripe and tasty, and the goodies available all the way around. I really went to town and after cooking up a storm at home, I had a great dinner.
It’s still hot into the late evening, as I am writing this. When I closed the window shades tonight a very bright satellite was shining high up in the sky right outside of my balcony, and I wondered......could it be the same one I see from my kitchen window every evening in NY around 11pm in the south-eastern skies?
Saturday, May 13, 2006
It happened on the way.......
Funny day, today!
After not feeling well all week, and finally enjoying some sunshine in a calm Saturday in Tirana, I decided to take it easy and relaxed myself with a soothing pedicure at a new lovely beauty salon recommended by a friend. I was prompt for my 11 o’clock appointment and so was the young lady owner, who had just finished blow drying another lady. At the entrance, as she was greeting me, I also hear my name called by another customer, who was very surprised to see me there. I’ve known the other lady and have followed, for quite a few years now, her career in the banking system here that led her to become a VP of marketing for one of the largest financial institution in this capital. This was the first surprise of the day, but another interesting experience followed soon thereafter.
A few days ago my attention was attracted to an eloquent blog of a Canadian woman that claimed to be living in Tirana and enjoying very much, with her husband and dog, her stay here. From the little hints in her comments and some of the beautiful pictures she included in her blog, I got a strong feeling that she might be living in the same building where I also reside while here. Sure enough, today, my impression was confirmed as correct. As I was entering the elevator to come home, after a leisure lunch out, she was exiting it to walk her dog and I recognized them both from the pictures in her blog. Surely it’s a small, small world out there, made even smaller by the Internet connections!!
Today I had a hot lunch at a nearby restaurant that I patronize from time to time when in Tirana because of its convenient (for me) location, and, every time with a big smile, I am greeted by name by one of the young waiters that is always eager to serve me. As an aside, I wish to mention an interesting (for Americans) fact that, in a country such as this, unfortunately still plagued by corruption at many levels, no tip is expected when eating out. Most people just round off to the nearest dollar the total as presented, but the service, regardless, is always very pleasantly performed.
Today my waiter encouraged me to eat outdoors, and proceeded to show me the great inside courtyard recently renovated by the owner. This restful and peaceful area, recessed from the street, includes bar and restaurant facilities, a huge outdoor pizza oven, a functioning well, and swinging lounges. To complete the serenity of this scene there are several hanging cages with colorful birds, green trestles and potted exotic plants, a display of ancient artifacts and tools, as you can see from the pictures below. The air is filled only by the low key chit chat of the few customers, the chirping of the birds, and the cooing of a pair of large and fat pigeons that feel very comfortable roaming around, undisturbed, in search of more food. Europeans in general, even if poor, really know how to carve out some enjoying moments in their daily lives. In surroundings like these the troubles of the world seem so far away!
After not feeling well all week, and finally enjoying some sunshine in a calm Saturday in Tirana, I decided to take it easy and relaxed myself with a soothing pedicure at a new lovely beauty salon recommended by a friend. I was prompt for my 11 o’clock appointment and so was the young lady owner, who had just finished blow drying another lady. At the entrance, as she was greeting me, I also hear my name called by another customer, who was very surprised to see me there. I’ve known the other lady and have followed, for quite a few years now, her career in the banking system here that led her to become a VP of marketing for one of the largest financial institution in this capital. This was the first surprise of the day, but another interesting experience followed soon thereafter.
A few days ago my attention was attracted to an eloquent blog of a Canadian woman that claimed to be living in Tirana and enjoying very much, with her husband and dog, her stay here. From the little hints in her comments and some of the beautiful pictures she included in her blog, I got a strong feeling that she might be living in the same building where I also reside while here. Sure enough, today, my impression was confirmed as correct. As I was entering the elevator to come home, after a leisure lunch out, she was exiting it to walk her dog and I recognized them both from the pictures in her blog. Surely it’s a small, small world out there, made even smaller by the Internet connections!!
Today I had a hot lunch at a nearby restaurant that I patronize from time to time when in Tirana because of its convenient (for me) location, and, every time with a big smile, I am greeted by name by one of the young waiters that is always eager to serve me. As an aside, I wish to mention an interesting (for Americans) fact that, in a country such as this, unfortunately still plagued by corruption at many levels, no tip is expected when eating out. Most people just round off to the nearest dollar the total as presented, but the service, regardless, is always very pleasantly performed.
Today my waiter encouraged me to eat outdoors, and proceeded to show me the great inside courtyard recently renovated by the owner. This restful and peaceful area, recessed from the street, includes bar and restaurant facilities, a huge outdoor pizza oven, a functioning well, and swinging lounges. To complete the serenity of this scene there are several hanging cages with colorful birds, green trestles and potted exotic plants, a display of ancient artifacts and tools, as you can see from the pictures below. The air is filled only by the low key chit chat of the few customers, the chirping of the birds, and the cooing of a pair of large and fat pigeons that feel very comfortable roaming around, undisturbed, in search of more food. Europeans in general, even if poor, really know how to carve out some enjoying moments in their daily lives. In surroundings like these the troubles of the world seem so far away!
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Dismal weather
So far this week the weather has been incredibly uncooperative. Torrential rain in cold and clammy mornings, followed by a few hours of real hot sunshine by midday, and again dark clouds hanging overhead in breezy late afternoons and evenings. It does not take very much for meteorological changes to speed across this tiny country of Albania, covered by three tiers of mountains spanning from north to south for ¾ of its size, with the balance forming the narrow stretch of plains along the coast facing the Adriatic, Ionian and Mediterranean seas.
My body is in real pain between sweats and chills, and the result is a beauty of a chest cold, which is making me miserable and sluggish. Must recuperate fast due to the expected busy time ahead!
My body is in real pain between sweats and chills, and the result is a beauty of a chest cold, which is making me miserable and sluggish. Must recuperate fast due to the expected busy time ahead!
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Sunday, a quiet, visiting day
Planned only a couple of things for today, but more popped up along the way.
After exchanging some money into the local Albanian currency (leks), I paid a visit to the enormous cemetery in the outskirts of Tirana, where my father and uncle are buried. Although there are no privately owned plots (all land is still property of the state and there are no individual concessions), local people have now gone out of their way to build mausoleums and marbled tombs, none of which were permitted during the half a century of communist dictatorship, when just small markers were installed by the families to remember their plot’s location. This cemetery alone consists of about 5 sections, as large as any similar ones in the US, and the long road leading to it now is flanked on both sides by loads of monuments builders and flower shops!
When, in 1995, I was lucky to find where my uncle was buried (in 1953, after 7 years of political imprisonment) there was no available marble for headstones. I was unaware of this fact, but, unbeknown to me, the funeral parlor I dealt with then, traveled long distances to find one piece to be inscribed with what I wanted.
At that time I had arranged for my father’s remains to be brought back to Albania from Turkey, where he had died in exile 55 years earlier. I wanted the two brothers to be together in death, just as they were always in life, thus the current inscription (under their names and dates of birth and death), translated from Albanian, says: “For their country, united in death as in life”.
The next visit today was to a very modern, huge shopping mall, where one can find anything that’s desired, from clothing boutiques, to wine stores, and supermarkets stocked with all sorts of goodies, including foreign imports of all kind. I just wanted to buy some staples, but by the time I finished, the dark clouds that had formed within one hour, let loose not only torrential rain, but hale galore, with some pieces the size of an egg! Back home with all my stuff I had to change since I was completely drenched and turned the heat on not to shiver! By 5pm the sun reappeared in full!
Earlier in the day, I fortuitously met an acquaintance in the street, and he wasted no time in inviting me to go to a nearby office where a lawyer friend of his would be interested in meeting me. Apparently he is initiating an additional activity, such as publishing a new type of newspaper dealing with some of the 'unjust' situations that the country is still facing and that remain 'unsolved' to today notwithstanding the past dozen years of democratization. I obliged, although pressed for time, and we agreed to meet again to discuss further a possible collaboration.
In the late afternoon I received the visit of another young friend, who brought me lovely mandarins and beautiful roses from her garden. We talked into the evening about a lot of things and agreed that there is still so much to do here, if everyone would collaborate and would think more globally rather than individually. Now, however, I’d better prepare for tomorrow when I’ll be fully immersed in my work and pre planned meetings related to the projects I’m involved with.
After exchanging some money into the local Albanian currency (leks), I paid a visit to the enormous cemetery in the outskirts of Tirana, where my father and uncle are buried. Although there are no privately owned plots (all land is still property of the state and there are no individual concessions), local people have now gone out of their way to build mausoleums and marbled tombs, none of which were permitted during the half a century of communist dictatorship, when just small markers were installed by the families to remember their plot’s location. This cemetery alone consists of about 5 sections, as large as any similar ones in the US, and the long road leading to it now is flanked on both sides by loads of monuments builders and flower shops!
When, in 1995, I was lucky to find where my uncle was buried (in 1953, after 7 years of political imprisonment) there was no available marble for headstones. I was unaware of this fact, but, unbeknown to me, the funeral parlor I dealt with then, traveled long distances to find one piece to be inscribed with what I wanted.
At that time I had arranged for my father’s remains to be brought back to Albania from Turkey, where he had died in exile 55 years earlier. I wanted the two brothers to be together in death, just as they were always in life, thus the current inscription (under their names and dates of birth and death), translated from Albanian, says: “For their country, united in death as in life”.
The next visit today was to a very modern, huge shopping mall, where one can find anything that’s desired, from clothing boutiques, to wine stores, and supermarkets stocked with all sorts of goodies, including foreign imports of all kind. I just wanted to buy some staples, but by the time I finished, the dark clouds that had formed within one hour, let loose not only torrential rain, but hale galore, with some pieces the size of an egg! Back home with all my stuff I had to change since I was completely drenched and turned the heat on not to shiver! By 5pm the sun reappeared in full!
Earlier in the day, I fortuitously met an acquaintance in the street, and he wasted no time in inviting me to go to a nearby office where a lawyer friend of his would be interested in meeting me. Apparently he is initiating an additional activity, such as publishing a new type of newspaper dealing with some of the 'unjust' situations that the country is still facing and that remain 'unsolved' to today notwithstanding the past dozen years of democratization. I obliged, although pressed for time, and we agreed to meet again to discuss further a possible collaboration.
In the late afternoon I received the visit of another young friend, who brought me lovely mandarins and beautiful roses from her garden. We talked into the evening about a lot of things and agreed that there is still so much to do here, if everyone would collaborate and would think more globally rather than individually. Now, however, I’d better prepare for tomorrow when I’ll be fully immersed in my work and pre planned meetings related to the projects I’m involved with.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
On the move again
Traveling to Albania, using Austrian & Tyrolean Airlines for the first time, was an excellent experience, although, generally speaking, traveling today is no longer a pleasure, but a real chore. The flights are totally booked, the taxes on the tickets consist of almost 50% of the total fare, and the seats are smaller and very restricting on the transatlantic routes, where 767 aircrafts are used.
Somehow I expected Austrian airline to be well organized and I was not disappointed. There is usually some delay leaving from JFK airport due to the congested New York traffic, and all airlines seems to be equally affected upon departure. This was also the case for the Austrian, late evening, flight I boarded for Vienna, where I was supposed to have an hour to connect with the Tyrolean flight for Tirana. To be frank I was a bit nervous when the departure from NY was delayed by 45 minutes, but the captain forecasted correctly the arrival in Vienna, almost to the minute. Many are the connections made here and when I stepped out of the plane (1/2 later than the regularly scheduled time) I was surprised to find not one, but 8 Austrian airport personnel waiting to quickly direct all passengers to the various gates.
Austrian airline web site that I had read carefully before leaving NY, promised connections within 30 minutes for all flights, and they were certainly right! This, I believe, is due not only to the well programmed schedules, but for the very judicious assignment of this airport’s gates. Normally, as I have traveled thru Italy, France, and England, arriving from the States is usually at the opposite end of the airport for the European connecting flights, because they separate the transatlantic from the Schengen traffic areas, thus forcing the passengers to cross the entire airport to check in at the next flight. But this apparently is not the case in Vienna! The gate for Albania, and other neighboring countries was 3 minutes away; thus, the remaining ½ hour for the connection was plentiful!
Another wonderful surprise, and the first of this kind: on the Tyrolean plane to Tirana (of the old propeller type, but looking very clean and almost new!) the announcements were made in 3 languages, which included Albanian! This is what I call ‘knowing how to do business’, and that’s why probably almost 2/3 of the passengers on my flight from NY were Albanian. Several of them were elderly ladies, who needed assistance, which was provided, as I observed, very efficiently at both NY and Vienna gates.
At Tirana’s Rinas airport (now named ‘Mother Theresa’), where German and American companies are handling a large modernization program, I found lots of new construction ongoing for a very large, modern structure and architecturally designed terminal, of the same type as other European ones. The new building’s skeleton is soaring toward the sky, where there was waste land only 4 months ago. It’s a must since several are now the airlines servicing Albania. Among the latest one: British Airways; however, a passenger arriving from the US must change airport in London to catch the local flight to Albania.
Upon arrival at my rented apartment/office in Tirana, I found my friends had already stacked my fridge with some food and drinks; thus I was able to just relax, catch up with some local news, and then go out to dinner with them. A month worth of work is expecting me now, and I am ready for it!
Somehow I expected Austrian airline to be well organized and I was not disappointed. There is usually some delay leaving from JFK airport due to the congested New York traffic, and all airlines seems to be equally affected upon departure. This was also the case for the Austrian, late evening, flight I boarded for Vienna, where I was supposed to have an hour to connect with the Tyrolean flight for Tirana. To be frank I was a bit nervous when the departure from NY was delayed by 45 minutes, but the captain forecasted correctly the arrival in Vienna, almost to the minute. Many are the connections made here and when I stepped out of the plane (1/2 later than the regularly scheduled time) I was surprised to find not one, but 8 Austrian airport personnel waiting to quickly direct all passengers to the various gates.
Austrian airline web site that I had read carefully before leaving NY, promised connections within 30 minutes for all flights, and they were certainly right! This, I believe, is due not only to the well programmed schedules, but for the very judicious assignment of this airport’s gates. Normally, as I have traveled thru Italy, France, and England, arriving from the States is usually at the opposite end of the airport for the European connecting flights, because they separate the transatlantic from the Schengen traffic areas, thus forcing the passengers to cross the entire airport to check in at the next flight. But this apparently is not the case in Vienna! The gate for Albania, and other neighboring countries was 3 minutes away; thus, the remaining ½ hour for the connection was plentiful!
Another wonderful surprise, and the first of this kind: on the Tyrolean plane to Tirana (of the old propeller type, but looking very clean and almost new!) the announcements were made in 3 languages, which included Albanian! This is what I call ‘knowing how to do business’, and that’s why probably almost 2/3 of the passengers on my flight from NY were Albanian. Several of them were elderly ladies, who needed assistance, which was provided, as I observed, very efficiently at both NY and Vienna gates.
At Tirana’s Rinas airport (now named ‘Mother Theresa’), where German and American companies are handling a large modernization program, I found lots of new construction ongoing for a very large, modern structure and architecturally designed terminal, of the same type as other European ones. The new building’s skeleton is soaring toward the sky, where there was waste land only 4 months ago. It’s a must since several are now the airlines servicing Albania. Among the latest one: British Airways; however, a passenger arriving from the US must change airport in London to catch the local flight to Albania.
Upon arrival at my rented apartment/office in Tirana, I found my friends had already stacked my fridge with some food and drinks; thus I was able to just relax, catch up with some local news, and then go out to dinner with them. A month worth of work is expecting me now, and I am ready for it!
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