Durres, Kruje & Tirane, Albania
The Panorama pulled into Durres, the largest port city of Albania just before breakfast this morning. It was our second day in Albania, and today we would be seeing two of the major cities of that country. Our morning bus ride would carry us up into the Kruje Mountains to the old capitol city of Kruje, located just beneath Albania’s central limestone escarpment. We traveled by bus for approximately an hour making our way across a large and fertile plain on our way towards a very windy road that took us the final few kilometers into the old capital. Once inside the city we had an opportunity to walk through the traditional Albanian Bazaar that zigzagged through several streets just below the Skanderbeg castle and museum. Our group was divided into two sections and we traded our visits between the Ethnographic Museum and the Skanderbeg Museum.
The Ethnographic museum represented life in a typical Albanian house in the 18th century. The family who would have lived in this house would have been financially secure, and able to take care of most of their needs under their own roof. The lower floors had space to take care of and house animals, a distillery, an olive oil press, and several workshops for making the necessary items that an 18th century house would need for the care of family and workers. The upper floors had the family rooms, complete with all the belongings, paraphernalia, and apparatus necessary to run an Albanian home. The kitchen was complete with many different tools characteristic of the 18th century. The men’s and women’s rooms and the bathing room all held personal touches that would have been included in a home over 200 years ago. The house also had a small museum room displaying intricate handmade clothing showing some of the traditional dress of the period. Traditional Albanian filigree that had been embroidered onto blouses and vests were draped through out the showcases. Storage boxes hand painted with typical Albanian designs were also on display.
After nearly an hour our groups switched and those of us who had been in the Ethnographic museum left through a back exit, and we made our way across the central courtyard to the Skanderbeg museum. This museum was built in the 1980’a by the communist regime with the intention of teaching the Albanians about their culture using a very powerful propaganda tool for the promotion of national pride among Albanians.
Larger than life sculptures decorate the entrance to the museum, followed by several walls with beautifully painted murals depicting the gathering of princes by Skanderbeg. George Kastrioti, who is known as Skanderbeg, was the first Albanian to organize and mobilize a large group of Albanian princes in an effort to fight Turkish invaders. Something he accomplished in the 15th century. His seat of power was very short, a mere 25 years, but he made a lasting impression that figures strongly to this day, making him one of the most important folk heroes of Albania.
After our tours were finished we had a short time to explore the Albanian Bazaar, where with a quick and practiced eye several of us came away with a few Albanian treasures; antique Albanian olive oil lamps, much filigree jewelry, embroidery, antique flutes, semi-precious stone necklaces just to name a few of the items that were brought back to the Panorama.
All too soon we were called back to our waiting busses and began the journey down the switchback road, this time heading into the modern capitol of Albania, Tirane. A shorter ride found us all in the suburbs of Tirane. The traffic was fairly heavy giving ample time to watch the daily lives of the Albanian people of Tirane. Our lunch destination was the Restaurant Sarajet located in a beautiful house built in the 1800’s and recently converted into a restaurant.
As we enjoyed local wines and appetizers, a very famous traditional folk dance troupe called the Eagles entered the main dining room and began a lively display of both music and dance. After excellent wine and some Albanian specialties, not to mention dancing, we were ready to begin the journey back to the port of Durres and the waiting Panorama. A brief stop at that city’s Roman era amphitheater was offered, giving anyone interested a chance to stretch his or her legs and see another preserved archeological site.
Back at Panorama, we prepared for our evening recap…a glass of wine, a great selection of questions about our two days in Albania and a lovely barbecue dinner just ahead! Tomorrow would bring the third country of our journey reminding us that each day gives much to see and learn as each country opens its doors to a small group of curious travelers.
