Albania 2004 In October 2004, I was part of an OECD-LEED expert mission on the (re-integration of returning migrants) to Albania. The trip was well organised by the OECD-LEED-Team and we gathered a lot of new information, insights and impressions during only one week in the country. Here are some of them. (For an article on this topic, go to the section "Articles").

Tirana has some curious remnants from the period of their long-time ruler, communist Enver Hodsha..	..but the new major is trying hard to improve things, in this case, by ordering some colours on gray buildings!
Going west and south we came across this lovely lake - unfortunately filled with petrol and smelling like hell..	One curiosity that I had always wanted to see -  the former Hodsha regime had built thousands of these mini-bunkers around the country to defend the nation!
Gjirokastra in the south, close to the Greek border, is a tourist attraction waiting to happen!	Stretched across a valley with several hills, the characteristic stone roofs of its old houses..
..its cobble-stone streets, its stone houses (which are, sadly, slowly decaying)..	.. and its stone castle on top, it has been nick-named: "The City of Stone".

 

The Albanian coast, too -  here in the south..	close to the main southern Albanian port, Vlora -	.. is waiting for tourists: be one of the first, for once!

HOME done on 13.11.2004