Tirana's contrasting views

Just within a couple of blocks......


Every two days, promptly at 8am, this truck picks up the garbage from the designated local bins, and deals with the difficulty of having an open ended rear....everything is picked up by hand! The remaining litter on the street is swept away a while later by the foot patrol of street cleaners (usually women in colorful uniforms).


Right near the large main Skanderbeg square, in the maze of internal narrow streets amidst tall buildings and remnants of old properties, a homeless man with his ambulatory 'cargo of possessions' - an unusual sight here, compared to New York.


Across the street, the display of clothes drying in the sunshine, is a daily occurrence - it's always wash day for the housewives of Tirana.


A couple of blocks away, the modern bus shelter, is always crowded with waiting passenger....although the rides are quite frequent.


One of the city's main boulevards, named after the ex monarch (Zog I), and repaved last year.

Inefficiencies

By now I should be used to the ad hoc way of operating in Albania, but sometime I never cease to be surprised because daily life always offers special challenges here.

Perfect examples are recent experiences about tax filing for the organization I am involved with. New tax laws went into effect this year, and were immediately applied, but without providing appropriate form changes to the affected business. New technology, already in place, does not necessarily furnish correct data due to improper input, and ‘dulcis in fundo’ there are no real procedures in place. For someone like me that has worked for decades in work simplification, data processing, highly tested computerized processes, working with this way seems inconceivable, but this is reality, and I might add, not only in Albania, but also in Italy where I had to cope with similar experiences until about a year ago.

It’s coincidental that just this morning I read an online letter, addressed to the Italian newspaper “Corriere della Sera”, in reply to someone that, after having lived in the US for a while, found that things ‘got better’ in Italy after his return. The response (in Italian for those who might be interested in) is particularly ironic with counter experiences ‘enough for a thesis’, according to the writer, who offers specific examples of dealings with state offices, and describes employees’ behavior that I can well relate to.

The funny part is that Albanians, traditionally so closely connected to Italians, replicate a lot their mode of living, whether good or bad. A couple of examples are the state new electrical billing that charges customers not on actual usage, notwithstanding the modern metering system, but favors a monthly ‘forfait’ instead, and the tax forms I just dealt with that are as elaborate and large sized (big as a newspaper!) as the ones I’ve used years ago in Italy! (*)

It took the better part of one morning and three trips to accomplish the payment of local taxes at City Hall this week. Original inquiries about what was needed were never replied to accurately, or completely, thus requiring repetitive visits and production of additional documentation that could have been requested ahead of time.

With such a waste of time and experiences it’s very easy to understand how much remains to be implemented in this country to catch up with efficiency. If, according to my friends and relatives, Italy has decades to go on this, compared to the US, Albania is light years behind, unfortunately! I agree with my Albanian friends that it will take an entire generation, but this does not stop me from trying to help out the current ones as they struggle to forge their future.

(*) PS -
As I wrote the above, I thought of checking whether I could get an update on the refund due to me for taxes overcharged in 2005 by the Italian government. I was informed that my patience should be stretched a couple more years since that state is only now refunding individuals overcharged in 2003. No further comments necessary!!

Speaking of transport.....and dates!

Although previously mentioned and photographed, I just stumbled on the new web site of Tirana International airport , which I have already used more than once since its inauguration on March 21st of this year. As an advocate of simpleness and clarity, I like the way this site was designed and pleasantly surprised by the information it provides.

For the many friends, who read me regularly, I just want to let you know that due to the good progress in the affairs I'm handling while here, I've now postponed my return to NY by another couple of weeks. More to follow.....meantime, from 'hot' Tirana (upper 80'sF) a great and a

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Urime!


Thanks to a friend in the US I can also offer a rose!

Transport and quirks

A couple days ago I was walking across Rinja Park, near the center of Tirana, as a shortcut from the luncheon I attended, while on the way to the post office. The paths in the city’s parks have a fair number of benches that are used a lot by elderly people during the daily walks, and by a couple of hobos that from time to time can be seen lying down on them.

During the above walk my eye caught an interesting occurrence. A young outdoor vendor that was displaying a variety of junk for sale, was playing an interesting trick on passersby. He was placing a cell phone on the ground, and strategically located it underneath a bench. Then, from a distance, he would ring that phone to attract attention, and when a person instinctively would bend down to pick up the unit, he would quickly retrieve it via a long and extremely thin wire, invisible at first sight. I wonder whether this apparent joke was just to pass the time or whether it had a more hidden agenda!

Another quirky episode happened to me another day when I decided to take a local bus instead of walking or taxing to my destination.

Until just a couple years ago, it wasn’t easy to travel within or outside of the city with public transport. Private taxis and vans were available in strategic places, and at all hours, but they were old and not very clean. Now Tirana can show off many taxi stands, modern buses, with 9 lines within the city, and long distance routes to the rest of Albania and bordering countries such as Kosova, and Macedonia. Rather new to this capital are also very modern bus shelters with seats that have nothing to envy from the ones in NY City!

The fare in Tirana is 20 leks (~ 20 cents) for any ride, short or long, to any place within the city, while a normal taxi ride ranges between 300 to 400 leks. I have made a great use of the latter over the past years to avoid inhaling the large amount of dust and pollution of this city while walking.

BTW, the number of street lights have proliferated across town, at major intersections, and both pedestrians and vehicles are getting better at navigating the traffic, which is still, however, pretty chaotic and dangerous. There is also still no specific system in boarding or leaving the buses, although some doors are clearly marked “entry” or “exit”, and the ticket agent on board roams around from front to back and vice versa to get the fares.

To get back at what happened to me the other day, I handed the ticket agent my 20 lek coin, and he gave me back 10 leks. Instead of giving me a ticket in return, he requested that I pay again, totally oblivious of what he just did. Rather than having an argument that I couldn’t sustain in Albanian, I dished out another 20 leks, but let him know that what he did was incorrect! A bit surprised, but disregarding my remark, he proceeded to collect more fares, thinking that I must have been a crazy tourist. I, however, was experiencing another case of ‘non concentration on the job’ that becomes more frequent in today’s world everywhere.

Capricious weather

After a few days of cloudy and rainy weather, today the sun is shining again in Tirana and we have 80F degrees at noon.


Temperature and weather changes happen very quickly here due to the topography of the city, with the Adriatic sea just a few miles away and the Dajti mountain chain surrounding its rear. The clouds swiftly fly by and the sun plays peek a boo, on and off among them, when the weather is not completely clear, but, interestingly, there is not much wind all the time, as it’s always the case in New York. Sunny days are always very hot by midday, when the sun beats down unmercifully (and it seems so much closer than in the US!).

It would be interesting to study the differences in barometric pressures between Tirana and NY. Physically I feel much better in the former, where I don’t experience the osteo-arthritic pains that plague me instead in NY! Dealing with the smog, heavy dust, and visible pollen from the trees lining all the boulevards is another story.

In Tirana evenings, however, are usually very pleasant and a light jacket is needed, even though the midday temperature may have been high. I have been here for several years now during both late spring and falls, and I’ve always slept with 2 woolen blankets at night!

This morning I had to run an errand and found myself sweating profusely by 10:30am, but for my sleep in the cool bedroom heavy covers are always present!

BTW, today I finally managed to get a decent picture of the Skanderbeg statue in the middle of the large square bearing its name, which is a maze of, and never ending pedestrian and vehicular traffic. It's such a challenge to criss cross it either by foot or in car!

Interesting chat?

Wish I could sneak in the group of the women in green coats, with funny style hats, reminiscent of chinese times in Tirana. They are assigned to park's maintenance in front of the Pyramid (ex Hoxha museum). The night rain of the past couple of days, however, has taken care of watering the lawns, and the hose (better seen when enlarging the picture )is not needed! Time for a chat, instead!

Day of rest

What a gorgeous day this Sunday! We have had beautiful weather in Tirana for over 3 weeks now, but the forecast for the next few days is for badly needed rain.

I was invited by some local friends to lunch with them out, and we had an excellent fish meal at a restaurant I had discovered last fall, called “Peshku", which, BTW, is within a short distance from my apartment.



They wanted me to have a taste of a variety of fish, and, after a delightfully crunchy mixed salad, with a light dressing of good olive oil and balsamic vinegar, I enjoyed 4 different types of beautifully grilled fish, served with mixed vegetables.

There I had an interesting encounter, when a couple of gentlemen entered the dining room. One of them, whom I’ve met several times over the years in NY, and still works there as an Albanian government representative, was very surprised to see me here, and we exchanged greetings.

Right next door to the restaurant there is an Italian company, called ‘gelateria artigianale’that, I know, produces excellent varieties of ice cream ('gelato’ made according to home recipe), but we decided to walk a bit. A while later, my friends and I stopped at an Albanian and Macedonian pastry and ice cream parlor where they wanted me to try a local product. The menu offered a huge variety of flavors and combinations, including some which were also named American style (ie: ice cream sunday, what else?). Excellent stuff!

It was great to stroll along an unusually non crowded Rr. Durresit on a Sunday afternoon, when the traffic, normally impossible to cope with, was very light and it was not a problem to cross the avenue -- during the week this is quite a feat!



A great contrast, hidden just a block away from this renovated and modern thoroughfare, there are narrow winding streets still populated by ancient structures, obviously still in use, and dominated by a maze of electrical wires and cables amazingly hanging in midair……

Overall a very relaxing and pleasant day!

And life routine goes on.....

My visiting friend from Italy went back home a week ago, happy about her Albanian experience, and, at the same time, sorry to have to resume her daily activities.



And so was I. Life goes on and my tasks here seem never ending. We have been very lucky to have wonderful weather throughout, which reaches the mid to upper 70’s (F) by midday. I hear from NY that the big apple continues to be cold and rainy, with lots of floods also in other states.

This past week has gone by very fast with meetings interspersed with daily chores, which come by having my own place to stay when I am in Tirana. The other side of the coin is that it offers a flexible schedule for meals, sleeping, entertaining, and shutting off the rest of the world, when wanted.

As you may have gathered by my most recent postings, I now have a high speed connection available 24 hours daily. I’ll spare my readers with the experience of the related installation -- suffice to say that I was ready for it, including the setting of the modem and a plan for the cabling. I suspected that the technicians would come without a plan on how to bring inside my apartment the dedicated line from the street, and I was right. They gladly accepted my suggestion and in no time the work was completed and the connection tested ok. After that I went to town downloading additional software and updating other packages, which couldn’t not be done via dialup. Hurrah!

More beach pictures

These shots of a state run resort along beach #13 in Durres, where only state employees and their families can enjoy vacations at a very cheap price, is a self enclosed park with many amenities and gardens.



I was lucky to be able to enter the premises to take the pictures by standing on my own parcel of land, where the government decided to plant some beautiful flowers (without asking my permission, however!).....



...too bad I can't enjoy yet this lovely spot!

Other touring (2 of 2)

One full day was spent going to both the town of Kruja, up in the mountains, and ex capital of Albania during Skanderbeg times, and then down the coast along the shores of Durres and Golem.



Although it was a week day, I was surprised by the large crowds visiting the Skanderbeg Museum in Kruja, which was designed by the ex dictator’s daughter.



When I came to this place in 1993 I was the only visitor, and the museum director was happy to let me roam around by myself within its huge halls. Now, the narrow and steep streets of this town can hardly cope with the many buses and cars that are vying for parking space, and the tour groups inside the museum must be managed by several guides, and paced appropriately for specific presentations.





During our visit we observed entire classrooms that came from as far away as Kosova and Macedonia. The street that leads to the museum is now also lined with many vendors with a great variety of souvenirs, that were no where to be found anywhere, not even in Tirana, when I returned for the first time in 1993.

Thanks again to the gorgeous weather (~75F) we were able to have another great lunch (this time of wonderful fresh fish) at “Benilva” along the coast (on the road that goes from Durres south toward Golem).



We even took in a snooze on the beach lounges of this hotel/restaurant and soaked in some sun, refreshed by the gentle sea breeze of the Adriatic.





Before returning to Tirana we went to the top of the hill in Durres, where the residence of ex King Zog is located, to have a look at the city and its port from above, and we also stopped briefly for a look at the renovated hotel/restaurant ”Adriatik”.





It was a state run resort during the communist time, but now it’s privately owned and it has its share of ‘stars’ in the list of the most modern tourist places in Albania.

Other touring (1 of 2)

While entertaining my friend, I squeezed in a few meetings that I couldn’t postpone, but managed to give her a feeling of daily life in Tirana, which includes shopping for the fresh veggies and fruits at some local markets, in addition to the usual weekly supplies at the larger supermarkets.


One new supermarket “Conad” belongs to the Italian chain by the same name, and it imports fresh goods from Italy on the daily basis. It made its appearance in Tirana last year and, apparently very successful, now plans to expand to 3 other locations, as advertised in newspapers, with lots of openings for needed personnel.

One afternoon we visited the National Historic Museum, which occupies one complete side of the large Skanderbeg square.





Its content changed a great deal since I saw it last about 4 years ago. Its collections have largely expanded and now cover not only what was available during the dictatorship that created it, but also more recent historical periods, with well documented photography and explanations also in English. The Albanian and Arberesh (from Albanian colonies in southern Italy) costume exhibits are particularly beautiful. The 2 hours allotted for the visit are not enough to take in all there is to see in this museum, and I vowed to return to it soon.

silver engraved arms

Italian friend's visit

An old school friend of mine (from elementary times in Italy more than half a century ago!) is an adventurous petite grandma, who has traveled a lot in her lifetime, but has never been to Albania. When I invited her to join me for a visit during one of my stays in Tirana, she readily accepted, and planned to spend a week in the country, unfortunately well known in Italy mostly for its ‘troublesome exports’ ….With her usual verve, and armed with great curiosity, she informed me of her arrival from Milan and I met her at Tirana’s airport a couple of days after I reached Albania.

We spent a wonderful week together, and I am delighted that she enjoyed very much learning a bit of Albanian history and getting to know the ‘real’ Albanians, the ones that have struggled to remain in their country, notwithstanding the hard times, that have maintained their self-respect in the face of poverty, tribulations, and violence, but still live with dignity, and teach their children the old values of honesty, gentleness, dependability, loyalty, in addition to be known for their traditional hospitality!

Her stay was too short to be able to travel long distances, but we (old timers after all!) still managed, in the brief time available, quite a bit of touring around and took a lot of pictures. We were joined by some personal Albanian friends of mine, who took care of suggesting also some visits to Catholic Institutions, knowing that this would please my visitor, and she was.

Petrele castle

an old olive tree along the road

One day we went to the town of Petrele and visited the old castle on top of the mountain, which I had seen for the first time in 1995. Now, after pushing and puffing our way up the long stony road (with no safety railing) that offers, however, a great panorama, one can find a café’ and restaurant right on the summit, with comfortable tables under beach umbrellas perched up among the ruins of the ancient fortress. We chose, however, to eat elsewhere.

ready to climb?

a bit more effort....


On the way back to Tirana, we stopped for a late, but relaxing lunch, at a huge and beautiful restaurant, on a hill, named ‘King’s Table’. We enjoyed good food in a lovely garden, overlooking a mature river, way below us, while being caressed by a gentle and warm breeze. It was a gorgeously sunny day, and so was the rest of the week.

European Tower

Tirana's Twin Towers

in front of the Pyramid (Expo)

Completely oblivious of normal daily business, and relaxed in good company, I never checked my cell phone until I got home. Unfortunately, I managed to loose it. I believe it slipped out of my pocket while getting in and out of the car, and thus, I had to spend time and money to replace it, another day, when we walked around Tirana, and stopped for drinks at the large Café’ Taiwan, centrally located in one of the city parks.

Cafe's fountains

Cafe's rear access

This structure includes more than one café’ (indoors and outdoors), restaurants, a casino, billiards halls, and bowling alleys on 2 floors.

a moment of relax

(more to come on our sightseeing and pictures in another installment)

Frustration....

Since my arrival in Tirana I'm having all sorts of technical problems with email, uploading, and downloading data, and even blogger does not seem to work well all of a sudden....have loads of stuff to post here, but I must postpone it until I'll figure out how to have an easier time online. Have ordered a high speed connection that should be installed in a couple of days, and I may have to reinstall my system software, which may be corrupted. In any case, drop in from time to time, for some more news.

Tirana International Airport

Having read about the recent opening of a new Terminal at Tirana’s airport I was really curious to see it.

I have vivid memories of what this airport looked like when I returned (after a life time abroad) to Tirana in early 1993. The small one room arrival area then was chaotically busy with passengers that were pushing their way through a couple of passport control booths and were scrambling to get their luggage (being thrown inside through a big hole in the wall) in the midst of other public of friends, relatives, and curious individuals that were uncontrollably allowed into the same area creating an indescribable and wild situation. Since then, during each and every one of my frequent trips, I was able to follow the slow, but steady progress of this tiny place, which showed dramatic changes even within brief periods of time.





When I left last fall I could see the skeleton of the newly planned building next door, with its steel beams and modern roof shaped upward, toward the open sky, and now I couldn’t wait to see the final product. Really impressive, I must say! There is even an observation deck facing the runways, and it looked crowded!

The plane that took me to Tirana in 1993 was subjected to a very bumpy roll upon landing on the single old, and short runway, constructed during the communist era, and made up of concrete hexagonal, and uneven pieces. I remember thinking then whether we could make it into one piece to the arrival spot. No other planes were in sight at this airport except for just 2 lonely Russian Migs, parked discretely at a distance, near a tiny little hangar. Now the new terminal can accommodate one million passengers and the 13 airlines that regularly already service Tirana.

During this trip I used again the very efficient Austrian airline from NY to Vienna, and noticed with pleasure that a new and larger craft (an Airbus A320) was used for the last portion of the trip (from Vienna to Tirana), which is now run in partnership with Lufthansa, instead of the older and smaller Tyrolean plane of last year. On board I was also surprised to hear, for the first time, all the announcements also made in the Albanian language.

In the new terminal twelve are now the passport control stations upon entry: 7 for Albanian citizens, 4 for foreigners, and one for the Diplomatic core.

On this arrival I observed another dramatic change -- which probably reflects a sign of the times -- how people are processed into the country. The Albanians were whisked through quickly, while the foreigners (which made up almost half of the arrivals) had to patiently wait the slow handling on the part of the young (men and women) personnel assigned to this task, who, very intently, asked questions and checked computerized data. This experience is exactly the opposite of what used to happen until just a few years ago. The Albanian crowd impatiently had to wait their turn, while the smaller number of foreigners were sped through.

Inside the terminal




In the midst of so many changes, however, one thing seems to me to have remained, thank goodness, the same: the courtesy of staff and the waiving of the entry visa fee, even with a foreign passport, if the individual is checked to be of Albanian origin. Such at least has been my experience all along, accompanied by welcoming smiles and greetings, typical of traditional Albanian hospitality!

Other big surprises upon exiting the terminal were the huge parking lot and the manicured lawns, freshly smelling of cut grass. Leaving the lot with a car, however, was a totally different, and frustrating experience: the impatience of the locals was quite evident, both verbally and in their mode of driving.

There were 7 men assigned to direct the exiting traffic! They frantically tried to cope with obviously a still to be perfected system, while the tempers flared.....my initial reaction to the huge jam and the enormous amount of vehicles involved -- which, BTW, can be diagonally well positioned under beautifully roofed areas -- suggests, however, that the entry and exit roads are too narrow, and not well directionally marked, with the payment booth seemingly not strategically located, thus forcing drivers to momentarily leave their vehicles, with motor running, to pay the fees. Additionally, the related receipts had to be collected by hand, because of the malfunctioning machine at the exit, on top of the fact that such exit consists of a single lane into which non-stop traffic merges from 3 other separate roads! A bit maddening, I think!

I must say though that, once out, we sped toward Tirana using a brand new stretch (7 km long) of smoothly paved road, which shortens a great deal the distance to the capital. Tired, I finally made it in, safe and sound!

Albanian diaspora

Today’s article in the Italian site, called DireGiovani , (http://www.diregiovani.it/gw/producer/dettaglio.aspx?id_doc=1172) brings to mind my trip to Bologna 2 years ago. I stopped there then, while on the way to Albania, to attend an International conference by ECAS (European Citizen Action Service, headquartered in Brussels) that was aiming at “building networks of cooperation and dialogue between Civil Society and the Public Administration in the enlarged Europe”.

The 2 day event was run under the auspices of the Emilia Romagna region, which has always been ahead of all other Italian regions, in creative endeavors and initiatives, not only locally, but also abroad (I’ve in fact attended other events by them right here in NYC).

While enjoying the conference then, I noticed that among the hundreds of registered attendees there were also a few Albanian names and related NGOs. I had looked forward interfacing with them, but was disappointed since none showed up at this gathering.

What I find interesting now by reading the above and I didn’t know then, is that Emilia Romagna has quite a large and well established Albanian community. It’s the 2nd largest ethnic group in this region, with more than 40,000 registered residents. Among them 8,000 school children and 1,500 university students (500 of them in Bologna alone). The Albanians here come 3rd for entrepreneurial and business activities after the Chinese and Moroccans. These numbers sound remarkable as compared with what is talked about the Albanian diaspora in the US of more than half a million.

Every one knows that the largest concentrations in the States have always been in the Great Lakes area, Massachusetts, and New York, but I was extremely surprised by what I found out when I visited the newly restored Ellis Island Historic site almost a decade ago. Although I cannot remember specific figures, the museum statistics indicated that Albanians are present in every one of the 50 US states, including a large group in distant Anchorage, Alaska.

Wish I could attend the current Bologna seminar, entitled “The Albanians in Emilia Romagna: 16 years of….data, emotions, and reflections” -- its apparent goal is aiming at recognizing third parties contributions, reducing prejudices, equalizing civil rights (eventually allowing also voting privileges), without having to renounce identities, for a truly multiethnic society.

Instead now, I must attend to wrapping up loose ends here in NY and prepare for the next upcoming trip to Albania, where I’ll land shortly. I am also looking forward to some additional company: a long term Italian school friend has decided to come (from northern Italy) to visit me for a week in Tirana, soooo….. keep tuned in!

Living varieties

The bus I take to the pool where I exercise is usually not crowded due to the midday ride hour since the aqua aerobics classes are always scheduled between noon and 1pm. The ride to the sport fitness center I belong to is rather short, but it gives me a respite from the busy morning usually spent at the computer with all sorts of activities, catching up on the previous night news and email, especially from overseas. The return trip is equally a nice break after some strenuous physical work, when muscles feel aching all over, but the warm that exudes from every limb due to better circulation feels marvelous!

This morning I had to rush to wave the bus because when I saw it coming and I was still far away, it looked like it had no intention of stopping due to no other passengers waiting. As I was sitting right across from the driver, I couldn’t help observing his style. Contrary to so many others that, outwardly not showing any concern for schedules, drive as of they were taking a stroll in the park on a Sunday afternoon, the guy I was watching this morning, although quite sure of what he was doing, was speeding and zigzagging in the maddening traffic as if he needed to win a race!

The sport center I frequent has more than a swimming pool, including one of Olympic size, and one of them is rather unique for two reasons: it’s fed with very hot water and it’s equipped with a movable floor. It’s used for special therapeutic exercises and clientele, such as arthritic, disabled people, or babies accompanied by parents. Its floor is raised to the top edge to facilitate the entry/exit of the users, and then it’s lowered to whichever water level is needed.

While waiting for the other pool to be readied for my water aerobics class, I had more than one occasion to watch the babies class, with unexpected pleasure. Each baby is accompanied by either a father or a mother, who follow the instructor’s suggested exercises, and the results provide a variety of reactions, distinctly showing the personalities of both the parents and their offsprings.

Some display a terrified look of getting their head under water, or being helped to kick their legs, and may even cry while desperately holding on to their parent; others (the majority) plug away with nonchalance, and a few are exactly the opposite, and display total independence from the holder and perseverance in retrying the learned exercises. All this going on is topped by babies’ giggles and cries, parents’ inciting prods, and the instructor’s singing along to lead the group. It’s quite a scene!

Humboldt, the philosopher, used to say that the world is beautiful because it’s diverse – it surely is, with such a variety of personalities, young and old!

Spring tasks and travel

Another month flew by me, but I haven’t been twirling my thumbs during this time! It’s a matter of fact these past few weeks have been packed with all sorts of activities, and a good part of them included complete medical checkup and a multitude of related tests, while attending to some important deadlines in my private affairs (not yet ready for publication, however!). Bottom line is that I completed all of the above with flying colors and I’ve self imposed a pat on my shoulder!

At my age, I’m lucky to enjoy good health and continue to have the energy that I’ve been known for throughout my entire employed life. In my retirement, which I triggered at an early age to pursue my lifetime dreams, I still maintain a constant work schedule, although I have now carved out the evenings for some enjoyment and relaxation.

Although I’ve less ‘time off’ in planned vacations than when I worked, these past few years I’ve been more itinerant in the pursuits of the above mentioned dreams. It’s more complex and costly to plan and carry out travel plans these days, but the discomfort of trooping around for me is offset by the rewarding results in what I’m trying to accomplish.

This past month even the weather was a real challenge here in NY, but the sub zero temperatures are, hopefully, finally over. Today we expect to reach 58F and I’ve made great progress in the annual tax forms preparation; thus, it’s time to plan the next travel to (guess what!) Albania, my favorite destination!

Now, am off to the pool for some aqua aerobics!

Fast start

I am incredulous that January has come and gone! I usually enjoy the quietness of the first week of a new year and 2007 was no different. It seems like father time stands still for a few days after the frenzy of the holiday period and before the flurry of activities that the new year brings about.

During the first half of this January the weather was even unusually warm, but a couple of weeks ago we finally began to feel the harshness of winter, which in NY can be rough due to its constantly strong blowing wind. At midday today, while the sun shines splendidly, the temperature is at 18 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the past 3 weeks I’ve been involved in lots of activities related to my several projects. As my work pace picked up speed, my calendar also got crowded with appointments for my annual medical check ups and related tests, some of which are still ongoing. So far I have received good results, and, as I tackle what else I need to do, I feel lucky not to have to face the outdoors. I can operate and work within the confines of my residence, with sunny exposures south and west, and, even enjoy my own greenhouse effect surrounded, as I am, by my several plants!

Greetings - Urime !

SEASON’S GREETINGS AND BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL!

GËZUAR FESTAT E FUNDVITIT SI DHE SUKSESE NË 2007!