**Written - November 29, 2004:

We just returned from a 9 day trip that was awesome!!!  This, plus planning another trip for the holiday season, has certain helped with the post-election blues!  I hope that you can do something to take your blues away too?  Maybe skiing?  

Anyway, back to our trip...  I toured the south western (including coastal) Albania two times in 9 days! It is truly an incredibly beautiful country--but the roads suck and beat the piss out of ya! 

First, I went on a study tour with my main co-worker, Natasha, and 12 other men (municipality staff and citizen advisory commissioners).  The advisory commission is a new thing that SNV helped get organized and we took them to see other cities that have advisory/citizen groups.  What a trip!  I have much to tell about this but too tired at the moment to write it all. Just to give an idea though, dig this:  over half have never been to southern Albania, seen the coast or experienced real tourism (in particular, a resort town called Saranda. Very sophisticated (at least for Albania) catering to Italian tourists.)  Most did not know how to eat a prawn so when I took the lead for all of them to watch, at a dinner in our honor (put on by the mayor of Saranda), I felt I did my part for "capacity building!"  Another night we had pizza and two of the guys didn't know what it was. When we broken down (transmission fell out of the bottom of the mini-bus) they started pulling out their homemade Raki--we all bonded on that day. They were like little kids experiencing and seeing so much for the first time. What fun!  Oh, and they learned a lot too!

I met Jim in Fier, a coast plain city where I had a two day meeting and he drove a bunch of my teammates there from Peshkopi--in our new rig!  After the meetings, we took off for our first real road trip!  Jim and I traveled down the same coastal roads as I did 4 days before.  The difference was it was just the two of us, we had tunes, and I was the tour guide!  “Oh, here is where to stop to buy olive oil along side of the road; here is where we broke down; here is a great place to eat lamb; here is a good place to pee!”  ;-)  We stayed in Saranda--as tourists--and got a great price because it’s off season.  Toured the ruins at Butrint (4 BC - 6-7th AD) just south of Saranda (across from Corfu, Greece). 

Next day, we went over the mountain pass to Gjirokaster, a really old and very cool city!  Incredible streets: narrow, stones, and very hilly!  We met our friend Zino and stayed at his grandma's house for his brother's wedding.  We were not alone of course, as all the cousins from the villages also stayed there!  We joined in the ritual of "getting the bride."  This started with drumming, songs, and circle dancing at the groom's side of the family (in this case, his father's house). Then, we all got in vehicles (the head ones are decorated) and drove to the bride's family's house.  This driving is a parade of honking horns and all the people on the streets waving at you; other cars yielding; etc.  When we get to the bride's family's house, we park at the bottom of the street and all walk together up toward the house; again drumming and singing songs about how our boy is great and are you ready for him?... we are coming to get you... you will be joining our family now... etc...   Then, we circle dance outside while they are doing some kind of wedding ceremony in the house.  It's not that it is private (the ceremony) or at least that was not our impression.  It was more that it was cold and there is not much room in the house, so only the immediate family was in the house.  After the bride and groom emerge from the house, there is more singing and rice and stuff (candy) being thrown on them until we reach the cars again.  This time the newlyweds lead the procession of cars and we really go for a trip!  Up to the castle, around the lake, through all the narrow city streets (obviously made for foot; maybe horse carts?), and eventually make our way back to the groom's house.  There, is mostly picture taking and Raki toasts, etc. until its time for the reception/party at a restaurant. The reception started at about 8 pm.... we left at 5 am!!! 

The entire time we ate, drank and danced!  Whew, impressive!  And, this was their last night of many, partying.  This was considered the "groom's wedding."  The night before was the "bride's wedding."  Having never been to one, I am not sure what the difference is. People said it was basically the same but with the bride's side of the family and not the car parade thing.  At the party we were at, only about 10 "representatives" of the bride's family were present among the 180 people. We were told that there are no facilities big enough for all the families to be together and so this has been a tradition for a long time (that is, to have 2 weddings).  Once we heard that, we were very impressed at the bride and groom's stamina!  The other nights (Albanian weddings last for 5-7 days) are mainly visiting, coffees, gifts, singing and dancing too.  We are not sure, but we think there is less food at these other gatherings--but probably not less Raki! ;-)  

We had one in our neighborhood that lasted for 7 days and the music did not stop until 2 am (the drumming started at 6 am).  Also, in Peshkopi one time this summer, we saw a wedding parade (probably from the village) that had no cars!  Similar, however, it had horses and donkeys all decorated in the front, a band playing music and the drummer, and then all the people walking and waving in a long procession.  In Kosovo, during the car parade, Albanian flags are flown from the windows and guns are shot off (even back at the reception and into the night). 

Conclusions:  Albanians love their weddings and take them seriously!

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