15 Interesting Facts about Albania
1) Did you know that Mother Teresa was Albanian? Though born in Macedonia, she was born to Albanian parents and is the only Albanian to win the Nobel Peace Prize
2) Albanians nod their head up and down to say no, and shake their heads sideways to say “yes”. I didn’t know this when I was in Albania, and was very happy when women nodded their head up and down when I asked them if they found me cute. Damn!
3) Let’s give you the good news. Its one of the cheapest European countries to travel in! Most of my meals cost me less than 3 euros. So I gorged on a lot of food! Yay!
4) Tirana is one of only two European capital cities that doesn’t have a McDonalds. The other is Vatican City.
5) There are reportedly more Albanians living outside the country than inside. Greece, Italy, US, Canada are some of the countries having many Albanian immigrants. Hundreds of thousands shifted after the fall of Soviet and Communism in 1991 and the ensuing economic crisis that hit all the communist countries
6) Never depend on an Albanian bus (also called Furgons) timetable. They go only when they are full, not according to the time listed. While I was in Albania, one backpacker told me how she was sitting in a bus going to the airport, and the driver suddenly stopped the bus midway and decided he was ending the journey then and there because there weren’t enough passengers. No amount of protests from the passengers sitting in the bus could convince him to change his mind!
7) Till 1991, there were only 3000 cars in Albania for a population of 3 million!! Only Communist party workers were allowed to have cars then. Once Communism collapsed, more cars came in, and Mercedes Benz is the most common vehicle, even cabbies drive Mercedes.
8) Albania has a lot of flowers, a lot! (Albanian boys, perfect opportunity to make a girl happy). Park Llogara, a national park, has a lot of flora and fauna so you might want to visit it!
9) In many towns in Albania, you will see a scarecrow hung on a building, or hanging from a roof, a nail. Its like the scary masks/lemon that we put in India for “nazar”. Albanians believe that putting a scarecrow there brings good luck, and wards off evil spirits from the neighbourhood surroundings. Sometimes they put a teddy bear instead of a scarecrow. These scarecrows and teddy bears aren’t just tied lightly to the buildings, they are impaled or hung like a noose.
10) The national drink is Raki. It is a pretty strong drink, and that made in the villages will give you a really good high
11) If you get a haircut in Albania, at the end of it, they give you a slap on the back of the neck. Naah, they don’t beat you up, its like a backslap And then they say “Me shendet” which loosely translates to “cheers” or “good health”. Haha!
12) Albania has a reported 700,000 military bunkers. These were built under the regime of Dictator Enver Hoxha. After the fall of communism, they are now all unused, and are scattered all across the country, on hills, in unused corners, some converted into small cafes and hotels. Isn’t it ironical, the country that built the highest number of military bunkers is also the same country that gave birth to the apostle of peace – Mother Teresa! Do remember, where there is bad, there will always be a lot of good as well. We evolve when we understand this, when we can see the brighter side and not just write off someone or something.
13) Albania has never won a medal at the Olympics. Aww you guys! Come, take a hug.
14) In 1995, a law was passed that required all citizens should pay a small tax for the traffic lights in their cities. The people in the town of Shkodra protested vehemently. Reason: the city has no traffic lights! Haha. Its a very pretty town, and the views of the lake from Rozafa fort are gorgeous
15) Last but not the least, Albanians don’t call their country ‘Albania’. They call it Shqipëri (The Land of Eagles). So which country should you kids definitely visit?? Bolo bolo…. yes… Shqiperi!!