As we approach Tirana, we pass through small settlements. Even though it is early in the morning, children are walking around in torn clothes, people are sitting and chatting in small cafes.
The roads are like E5 but there are no lane lines.. Traffic is a mess. Unexpected events happened to us in traffic.. Those standing in the middle of the road, those coming from the left lane in the opposite direction… A mixed traffic. For a moment, I thought to myself how regular the traffic was in Istanbul.
Then we asked the driver about the meaning of the granite stones on the roadside, similar to tombstones, decorated with flowers with pictures on them.. They were tombstones made by their families to commemorate those who died in traffic accidents at that point.. There is a tombstone almost 100-150 meters on the road.. But in this traffic flow, I thought to myself that there are still few.
There are many car cemeteries besides gravestones on the side of the road.. We also saw places selling pork on skewers.
In Tirana, we first came to the center where there is a statue of Alexander the Great and many public buildings.. There is a big hotel in the square, there are many betting offices and casinos around.
Tirana has a tiring noise.. People are unhappy, hardly anyone smiles and doesn’t want to help you. When you ask a question, you usually get the answer “I don’t know”.. We are happy to see a French couple of tourists and ask them for directions.. They immediately mark us the main mosque and the statue on the map.. “Another?” we say. They say, “That’s it.”
After visiting the mosque, we sit in one of the similar cafes and observe people.. Hookah culture is also very common here.. It is as if there is a dissatisfaction with life and it is permeated everywhere.
The things you will most often come across as souvenirs on the main street; Small versions of the statue of Alexander the Great and Tirana postcards.
The newly built, modern and very spacious Tirana Airport is in great contrast to the city.
