This trip was full of renewed relationships, some of going back 30 years. One theme kept coming up in our conversations. Rasto from Memo98 in Slovakia called it, “Backsliding Democracy” in the former Communist world. Several Serbian friends told me … Continue reading Backsliding Democracy
Several of you have asked me about the flamingo revolution and asked if we saw the protests. Every night since late May protesters have gathered outside the Prime Ministry to protest a land deal between the government and an organization … Continue reading Protests and Sunsets
In my first blog post from Tirana, I remarked about how different it looked, new buildings, modern and shiny, new highways, lots more cars. It looked like a modern European Capital. I did note some of the funkiness still around, … Continue reading Albania Still Seems Familiar
Back before the country collapsed into chaos one of the travel magazines, I think it was Conde Nast Traveler, touted Albania as “The Next Place.” Those of us living here got a good chuckle, the next place with sporadic electricity, … Continue reading Albania, the Next Place?
For decades Albania was officially an atheist country. Not only was religion persecuted but it was outright banned. When we first came to Tirana in 1993 it had become the great religious bazaar, with missionaries of all stripes trying to … Continue reading Religious Albania.
“If you visit a country for a week, you can write a book. If you visit for a month, you can write an article. If you visit for a year, you can write nothing at all.” This is one of … Continue reading Back to Albania!
This is supposed to be one of those “milestone” birthdays. Even the Bible mentions it, ominously. “Three Score and Ten” is the measure of man’s life. But I’m not feeling like I’ve passed a milestone. Other birthdays were different. When … Continue reading Reflections On Turning 70
1995, Tirana, Albania The Rogner Hotel in Tirana had a big Thanksgiving feed this year. We took our neighbors Vera, Syri and Eda with us. They often express curiosity about this hotel, so we saw our chance. No one understands … Continue reading Thanksgiving in Albania,1995. With Bob Dylan
It’s Throwback Thursday. This is a letter from November, 1993. I edited out the middle of the letter, where I talk about our time in Vlora, for reasons of length. But I remember we went swimming in the Adriatic Sea … Continue reading A 1993 Albanian Bus Adventure, Tirana to Vlora and back
This is a letter from 1993. I pulled it out of my digital files because an Albanian friend posted pictures from this area on Facebook. I got into a Facebook conversation with several Albanian friends about the pictures and this … Continue reading A Trip to Northern Albania, 1993
This coming Tuesday is primary election day in Alaska. I’m beginning my “Throwback Thursday” posts with my family letter about being a municipal election monitor in Albania. Albania was a new democracy and people took their newly won privileges … Continue reading Albanian Municipal Election Day, 1996
New Year’s Eve is not my holiday. I’ve attended New Year celebrations in lots of places, but mostly as an observer, not a celebrant. The forced gaiety makes me uncomfortable. This year I observed New Year’s celebrations in Anchorage. Each … Continue reading New Year’s Eve, Albania — Anchorage
November 28 is Albania’s Flag Day, marking its declaration of independence in 1912. The Albanian Community in the US is celebrating Flag Day on November 27 so it does not conflict with Thanksgiving. This is from a letter I wrote … Continue reading Albania Flag Day, Letter from 1995