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