Byllis, 2nd time

so here's the set up to the story
We had rented a car for a Sunday drive to Byllis, an old Roman city 400BC..The car was to be delivered at 9:30a... by 10a, both of us were very disappointed they never called, didn't answer the phone, or respond to emails.. soo off we went on our day, walked in the park, bar hopped for beers, and generally wasted the day away... A call came at noon telling us they had some "problems".. no more explanation than that, but again, that's Albania...
Much to our surprise, this email came the next morning...Read and get a laugh... we did

A client rented the Astra that we reserved for you for today and was supposed to return it at 08:00.
He not only did not come to return the car but he also wouldn’t return our calls.
At 08:30 Erjon and I went to his business at Kavaja street to repossess the car with our spare key.
The client came out cursed at us, pushed Erjon, and tried to hit me.
I pushed him back and at that time a police car that was driving came to us and arrested us all.
Erjon was not involved at the fight so he was released immediately.
I told him to call you and tell you that we had technical problems.
The client and I were kept for verification and police procedures until about one hour ago.

We really apologize for letting you down.

To make it up to you we would like to offer you the vehicle for free this coming weekend.

Sooo, 2nd time around, the following weekend, we take off for Byllis!!

About 3 hour drive south and east of Tirana.. A little known archeaological site, but in the most beautiful setting and a very important place between mountains and the Vjosa River...The road wasn't the best and of course we should have had a 4 x 4, but the car was free, so we didn't complain too much.

Here's Mark's blog for more info  http://www.kickedinthebalkans.blogspot.com/
He describes the area a lot better than I do.  Most of the time I'm the guide, reading the books and trying to figure out what little bit of information is available on a map. Byllis could be so much more of a tourist  site if people knew how to get here.. We were lucky, someone told us to go past the oil derricks, and turn right up the hill...

View from the top of the fortress

Gracie among the ruins

My favs... too bad it wasn't a clear day, the water supposedly looks like a glacier

of course, everyone wants their pic taken with Gracie.. some Albanians from Gyrokostra

We had a really great time wandering the ruins..and definitely will go back in the Spring, with a 4 x 4 and a lunch!

More Fun and Food in February

There's always an excuse for Food in Tirana.. This just happened to be Valentine's Day!  We decided to have an international dinner, with traditional foods from each of our countries. There were Faggots from Wales,Curry from the UK, Fish Pie from Ireland, Rolladen from Germany, Elk and Reindeer from Sweden, a Romanian dish, and Cheesecake from Israel (?)...(shula makes the BEST).. and of course Hamburger sliders, and Mark's fabulous Macaroni and Cheese.. Check out some of the pics!

Faggots and Peas

Mouse and Reindeer Sausage

My plate!

And as if we didn't have enough fun eating it all, our hosts had games prepared!

First was a poem rhyming game ( we all failed), then a round of "Newlywed Game".

Mark started out thinking I liked dinner better than flowers, then proceeded to forget what we did on our

anniversary last year, but redeemed himself with what I wear to bed.. His response of "nada, nothing, zilch" got applause from the crowd!

Gracie had fun too!

Next up was another silly game of pass the Orange..

Jay getting ready

Kirt and Luisa ready to go at it!





We all had a really fun night, ate and drank way too much.. but already made plans to do it again!

February... already?

I can hardly believe how fast the time is going. I guess that's a good thing, otherwise I would be complaining about the "long days" til I get to come home!  The weather has been so great and keeps most everyone in a good mood. Mark said when he moved here mid Jan last year, it rained for 6 weeks straight.

So the past month has been interesting. Weekly protests against the current government have resulted in 4 people being killed and many injured. A very unfortunate situation and likely to erupt again. For now, we have spent most Fridays inside and away from the fray, with Mark actively involved in all that's going on with ASP. He actually has like being able to do "real police work" from crime scene investigation to information he'd have to kill me if I leaked it! No Wikileaks here!

I've mentioned before that we find fun where we can. The "Dart" party was just that!
So our hosts Kjell and Farida have their own dart board and darts and a "safe" place to mount it!

Getting prepared to play!

Focus

I did hit the board, still have no clue how the scoring really works!

It was more about the food for most of us

And the fun

Some of the winners

A fun night, no one got hurt and with a little more practice, I might like this game!

The next FUN was the day at "Ali' Baba's" the name coined by the TWIG girls for the largest notion/haberdashery/stuff store ever!  We were in search of buttons, ribbon, sparkles, and the like to decorate our crafts. A good time was had by all, including the bag o' batting bought on the street!


The group in front of Ali Baba





Ruth and Luisa about to dig for buttons

And of course, the best part is always "the food". Our German friend, Lucie, prepared the most delicious Thai Grass Soup! Worth the long walk
around Tirana.














Yet another great night!
Started at Floga, a delicious Albanian restaurant, serving traditional read "way too much food and meat"



and beer.  Once you have a group over 4 people, they always say "I bring you good food"...the feral dogs love the leftovers!

Ben, Ruth and Kjell

Shula and Wendy, Israel loves Wales

US  at the Rogner

After dinner, we walked, "the long way", to the Rogner Hotel, where every Thursday night that have a jazz night in the bar.
Fabulous music performed by the Qjemi Family. Grandpa is 78 and plays the violin, Son plays the keyboards and clarinet, and Granddaughter, 15, plays the violin as well. Great music, all types from Soundtracks to current. Mark and I left at 11p, heard the rest of the group managed to make it home around 1a.. These people like to drink and party. We will definitely go back

Back on Track in Tirana

It's now been 2 weeks since we returned from our US visit, and besides still not sleeping, life is getting back to "normal". I managed to direct my first TWIG meeting with a guest speaker from Bethany House, a local orphanage, where I also have started volunteering once a week. Bethany House is both state and privately funded and houses babies to 2 years old. There are about 40 children at any given time, and each caregiver has as many as 7-8 at one time!  Can you imagine?  So we go there, play with them, hold them, smile and coo (love is the universal language) and hope that soon all of them will one day be adopted or taken back to the families who for whatever reason cannot take care of them currently.  It's a rewarding couple of hours..
Most everyone in my "group' has returned from their holidays abroad and each one has the same story.. Wonderful to visit, but happy to be back "home".. We're back to coffee, lunch and step aerobics. For me, the class has moved even farther away, so I'll be "walking 25 minutes" before I even begin  the class.. All in hopes of thinner thighs and healthier heart.
Mark had a 3 day weekend, thanks MLK, so we decided to take advantage of another "day trip" to Korca.
A lovely town south east of Tirana, close to the Greek and Macedonia border.  Again, we don't list distance here, it's how long it takes.. and with the roads and traffic,  125k shouldn't take 4 hours...but alas, a nice drive, first stopping on the shore of Lake Ohrid for fabulous lake fish, Koran, which is like our trout.

view from the restaurant

Mark doesn't eat fish, we tried to order him veal, but the head nodding problem prohibited his meal from ever making it to the table.. He had lots of delicious salad, olives and yogurt with honey and walnuts and bread, so happy we were. 
The rest of the drive took us thru Pogradec and small towns along the way, finally reaching our destination of the Bujtina Sidheri Bed and Breakfast. Of course, nothing has a street number, so we had the name, and as luck would have it found our delightful place without too many looks from my wonderful husband

Our room, there are 4 total.. we were the only ones in the place

hallway to sitting room

entrance to breakfast room

We spent the afternoon wondering around the town, all of the museums were closed, this being a very Orthodox village, they aren't like Tirana where nothing is observed.

The largest Orthodox church in Albania built in 1992





2011

Happy New Year to all..
We just returned from 3 weeks in the USA.. Vegas, Omaha and Portland.
Once I get over jet-lag, I promise to start posting again.
I have been appointed Co-Chair of my TWIG Group and our first meeting of 2011 is next
Wednesday.. and my co-chair is still out of the country.
I'll give you the high points of the meeting at the next posting.
till then, enjoy good health and happiness in the new year

Apollonia and Ardenica

I was fortunate enough to be invited along on a US Embassy trip to Apollonia. A small busload of us, including a wonderful family with 3 well behaved children, started out early from the Embassy and headed for the 2 hour drive, southeast of Tirana. Apollonia is the largest archeaological park in Albania. It's quite decieving, because most of the city is still uncovered and lies beneath the beautiful hills of grass.  It is a Greek Colony founded around 600BC.  It is currently about 8 km from the Adriatic sea and was an important port . Over the years, due to earthquakes and the changing direction of the Vjosa Rover, it use to be much closer to the sea and was the beginning station of the southern branch of the Roman road that linked Durres and Greece and Turkey. 

Administrative Center



Gathering spot

Monestary on the grounds





Our guides Blerta and Roza



Ardenica is the site of St. Marys Church, dating to the 13th Century.. We were able to get inside but not allowed to take pictures.. Amazing frescoes on the walls, currently being renovated.. beautiful..

Oh, and of course, the highlight, were these adorable puppies, 5 of them in all..Their mom and dad hang out at the site, Mark remembers them from his visit last February.. Everyone wanted to take them home!



Puppies of Apollonia

A beautiful day, ended with a gorgeous Sunset overlooking the city of Fier

We made the cover of the Embassy Newsletter