YET MORE TIRANA. Or TI-RAIN-A

20th Nov 2022

An interesting museum. See further down.

Albania (or Alb'rain'ia as I have come to know it) has an interesting and complicated history. You can read up on it as well as I, but it was, from 1928 - 1939, a monarchy with King Zog (left) at the helm. He had, previously, been Prime Minister and President. From what I can gather he was a fairly decent cove, compared to what came next.

Right: The King and Mrs Zog at their wedding in Tirana. She was an Austro-Hungarian countess. He was forced into exile after the Italians invaded in 1939, initially in London then France. He died in Paris in 1961.

After the hiatus of WW2, the dreadful Enver Hoxha (left) took over as a communist dictator. The country became a police state.

Hence the 'Museum of Secret Surveillance' which displays various aspects of this period with exhibits and old film footage.

I woke on Sunday morning to further rain. It varied throughout the day between pouring down and torrential deluges accompanied by thunder and lightning....with a few short periods of gentle drizzle. So my touristing was going to be limited to, mainly, indoor sports, and a visit to the 'House of Leaves'.

Right: On the wall of the museum, is a statement by Mr Hoxha. It is amazing how many Albanians actually, indeed zealously, supported this approach. Many cheered him (perhaps they got arrested if they didn't). It reminds me a bit of our Government's draconian policy over the 'Covid panicdemic' period and how the public are so easily cowed into a state of subservience and obedience, even to the point of snitching on their neighbours!

Left: Another description of the state of affairs in Albania between 1944 - 85, enforced by Hoxha's State Security Police, the Sigurimi, and the 'Department of the Defence of the People'.

(click on to enlarge).

Right: Further description of the 'system', which must have been unpleasantly 'Orwellian'. 

Left: More verbage, but explains better than I could what life was like. The 'House of Leaves' building was, before it became a Sigurimi HQ and interrogation centre, a medical research facility.

Right: There were several rooms displaying rather ancient, indeed primitive, surveillance equipment in use during this period. Even binoculars! Who would have thought?! One room displayed and described the 'bugs' planted in rooms, telephones, fixtures, fittings and in people's clothing. It was quite interesting but somewhat repetitive and nothing on display was entirely surprising.

Left: What was described as a typical family sitting-room of the 1960s/70s. I think it looks rather comfortable and considerably cleaner and tidier than anywhere in my house.

Old archive film clips were shown of interviews (after the Hoxha period) with people who had undergone interrogation and torture at the hands of the Sigurimi.

Anyway, it was a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.

Right: Umbrella city. Everbody had umbrellas. Even the scooter riders carried them and I saw a dog with one. Plenty of street vendors were in evidence selling them. I resisted as I am far too mean and had a fairly decent waterproof coat. If I had bought one I would only have lost it at some point. I had one once, which is probably still travelling around the London Underground Circle Line.

Left: I adjourned to the splendid bar/café/museum called the Komiteti Café Museum. It had been recommended to me.

It contains lots of 'objets' and 'memorabilia' around the walls and on shelves, some dating back to the 18th century. There were ancient televisions, radios, ornaments, porcelain dishes and other nicknacks in profusion. It is a very cosy place with several discreet nooks and crannies in which you could sit and a bar at the far end.......

Right:......It also specialised in selling the drink 'raki', which I had not tried before. I believe it is of Turkish origin. They had several  types of the stuff with different flavourings  and I hadn't a clue which to choose, so I just plumped for one. It is made from twice-distilled grapes and very alcoholic (50% proof). You can dilute it with water (it goes cloudy) but I tried it neat. It tasted like a sweet brandy, and rather nice. A glass cost a mere 250 Lek (£1.85p). So I had another. If you are interested and ever passing by, this 'café' is on the corner of Papa Gion Pali and Rruga Fatmir Haxhiu. Recommended!

Another point of interest about this city is that the ladies (as per other Balkan countries, and indeed Ukraine) tend to be slim, attractive, well groomed and well dressed, in stark contrast to many of those on display in UK! There are also many avid smokers. Smoking is permitted inside some (not all) bars and cafés. They are somewhat more 'permissive' here.

Left: The Mosque and clocktower at the south-east corner of Scanderbeg Square. There are several Mosques and a bit of 'calling to prayer' over loudspeakers by the Muezzins, but not too much. I would love to discover where their microphones are.

Right: Of no great interest, perhaps, but this is the late Enver Hoxha's old residence, known as the 'Biloku' on Rruga Ismail Quemali. It is behind locked gates with a guard on duty. Actually, as I have since discovered, I mistakenly took this photo of the back of the place! I never saw the front which is, apparently, quite an impressively fronted villa. I was told it should be open to the public....it probably was at the front.

I haven't finished yet..........