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I spotted this grandma walking through a dusty traffic jam on the outskirts of Tirana. The picture doesn't show it well, but she is talking on her cell phone and gesturing. To me, this portrait shows a lot about how Albania, isolated for half a century and now merging with the rest of the world, blends the old and the new ways of life...
Albania might be the only remaining European country with a currency black market. The rates you get from the people in the street are better than those at the bank. The practice of changing money in the street seems to be semi-legal and it's done quite openly. The people in this business seemed to be quite honest but use common sense and don't try to change money at night or in front of a police station. Euros and Dollars are the only accepted currencies.
Shaking heads: Like in Bulgaria Albanians shake their heads when they agree or say yes. It also happened to me when people realized that I was not aware about this that they switched over to the other head signs were shaking means “no”. This is even more confusing!Smoking: Are there non-smokers in Albania? I can´t remember that I have ever seen so many smokers in a country. Nevertheless smoking on public transport is forbidden!Domino seems to be favourite game. If you know how to play and feel like socialising, this your chance…Marriage: the day to get married is on Sundays. Many convoys were cruising through the streets of Tirana blowing their horns constantly!
i liked albania so much that i decided to get a tatoo while i was there.i ended up getting the double headed albanian eagle tatooed on my back.the guy who did it was very good.he's an artist that does tatoos aswell as paintings and the place was very clean.unlike most tatoo guys he was well spoken and really nice.not the criminal biker type who normally do tatoos in the western world.all together a very cool experience and i can only recommend the guy highly.the tatoo place is located in a small side street to a big road called suleyman delvina, right next to the post office.
One thing that is very confusing in Albania, is the nodding of the head. If you want to say say yes you shake your head side to side, if you want to say no then you nod your head in agreement. It's opposite to what we do in most other countries, so it gets very confusing, there was often times when I asked someone a question, especially if I asked could I use the bathroom, and they would shake ther head, I'd get really upset wondering why they wouldn't let me. The only way I remembered was if they said po or Jo which is yes or no.
Yes in Albania is much like the gentle lilting of Indian peoples from side to side. No is a sharp tut accompanied by a serious expression on the face.Shaking hands and kissing are approved forms of greeting.Blowing your nose in public is frowned upon, as is farting and burping!Generosity is the key. Kindness is rewarded with kindness. To decline an offer of generosity is an insult.
We were first introduced to this delicious, vanilla-flavored liquor by an ethnic Albanian waiter in Skopje , Macedonia. When we came to Albania, we couldn't resist buying some bottles to take home. Don't miss this national drink when you're in Albania, it's tasty and inexpensive.
The big one is that handshakes especially between men should be strong and firm, and the hand held out level. Albania is a macho society so Albanian men will expect other men to be the same. Also it is polite to take your shoes of when visting someones house.
In Albania, don't be surprised to see large groups of men hanging out on street corners staring at you. Whereas in North America this might be taken as a sign of you being targeted in an impending riot, in Albania it means nothing. Albanian men seem to enjoy socializing in large groups outdoors and the sight of a tourist seems to provide nothing more than a simple diversion from the usual scenery.
If you want to make some instant friends in Albania, ask if you can try some of the local Albanian raki! Whenever I did this, smiles would usually break out all over. Everyone seems to brew their own and is usually very happy to share some with you. Don't expect it to be poured out of a store bought liquor bottle! Warning - the Albanian raki can be extremely potent! - much more so than straight vodka or gin, with a taste similar to Greek Metaxa. Anytime seems to be a good time for a drink in Albania so don't be concerned about asking for one at 9:00 a.m. on a rainy cold day as I did (and don't be surprised when they buy you a round afterwords)!
Sheraton Tirana Hotel and Towers Tirana
4 Reviews and 70 Opinions Having spent approximately 5 months in the Sheraton-Tirana, I know the "ins" and the "outs" of the...
Hotel Berati Berat
3 Opinions
Grand Hotel Europa Shkoder
11 Opinions
Reviews and photos of Albania attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Albania sightseeing.
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Q: Hello all I'm planning to visit Albania in 2012 and i need every bit of advice going. There doesn't seem to be a huge amount of...
A: I have been to Albania several times over the years and i would say you should try and make a visit to Berat aswell as Girokaster. These places are very scenic places...
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