Our Tirana Vacation Recap, Part II
I wouldn't mind visiting Tirana again in the near future. For one, travel to Albania is good value for money. It really is cheap to visit. Many of the people, especially the young speak very fluent English. It is easy to communicate with the locals. However, after having traveled to the Balkans for two straight years now, it would be nice to go in the fall and even in the winter instead. Summer temperatures are just too high for me. Going around the city wasn't exactly a breeze at over 100 degrees celsius at times. Next time too, I definitely will prepare an empty suitcase to buy the so many handicrafts and souvenirs I didn't get purchase the first time.
Here's what we did during our first full day in Tirana. -Walked to Skanderbeg Square -Passed by the bookcase mural -Saw the Sound Tree in the courtyard of a mid size apartment complex right in the center of the city -Saw the Independence Memorial -Walked up the Pyramid. Mind you by mid morning, around 10 am, the sun's rays had gotten so intense being outdoors was not pleasant.
-Prayed inside the Mother Teresa Catholic Cathedral -Toured the spectacular Namazgah Mosque -Walked around the grounds of the Toptani Castle -Visited the Bunk Art -Prayed at the Greek Orthodox Church also called the Autocepalous Church of Albania -Window shopped at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral's gift shop -Grabbed some lunch in Burger King at the food court of the Toptani Mall
It was a busy day full of sightseeing and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. After dinner, we made our way back to our hotel. While in the lobby, we asked the lone lady employee at the front desk at the time about which bus or buses to take to go to the North/South Bus Station. We told her that we wanted to take the bus to go to Kruja and Durres. While she mentioned a private tour to both cities for 75 euros per person, she did tell us how to get to the bus station. Turns out, we waited at the wrong bus stop all along. She advised us to take a white bus right by the square. We heeded her advice.
This was the colorful and beautifully painted building right behind the bunker.
This was one of the major bunkers meant to be visited in Tirana. We paid admission and stayed quite a while inside. Though the entrance might seem small in size, do not let it fool you. There are lots of rooms down below street level. We literally went from one room to another full of exhibits inside.
There was a lot of construction in Tirana at the time of our visit. I have no doubt, it will become an even bigger tourist destination in Europe in the years to come.
This was part of the Orthodox Greek Cathedral, the Autocephalous Church of Albania, opposite the House of Leaves. We visited its gift shop three times as I decided whether to buy any more religious icons for my home.
Here's how the inside of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral, the Autoephalous Church of Albania, opposite the House of Leaves looks. It was empty and not so buy the first two times we went. The third time we did, it was full of tourists from a tour group.
The main entrance to the Toptani Castle grounds. We didn't have to go far to visit this castle. It was right behind the Toptani Mall.
Here's a full view of the Greek Orthodox Church also called the Autocephalous Church of Albania, opposite the House of Leaves.
The House of Leaves. We spent a good two ours here visiting the different rooms and galleries which once were torture chambers during the communist era. Pretty scary if you ask me.
Once one enters the Toptani Castle, one sees an area full of restaurants, bars, and shops. This is a partial view of the castle's indoors.
Here's another shot of the Toptani Mall which was a hop and skip away from our hotel. We enjoyed visiting here mainly because its foodcourt had a number of restaurants the locals frequented and dined in. There was the Albanian Nona Restaurant, an Albanian Pizzeria, coffee shops, and even a KFC.
The Et'hem Bey Mosque, officially the Haji Et'hem Bey Mosque. This was the mosque right on Skanderbeg Square. Admission was free although there were two male attendants by the entrance who actively asked for donations for the mosque's maintenance.
The Et'hem Bey Mosque, officially the Haji Et'hem Bey Mosque. This mosque is well known for its frescoes outside and inside the portico which depict trees, waterfalls and bridges.
A view of one of the several frescoes inside the Et'hem Bey Mosque