After a tiring day at Budva, we had to take a rest
Our hotel
The fountain in front seems to be held up by wires!
The sun was setting when we arrived
As there was an hour before dinner, I took a dip
The water was not as cold as I thought. The seabed was full of corals.
We had dinner on the terrace of the hotel
One corner of the terrace
Another corner
The table wine
Our main dish
After dinner, I strolled along the beach
It seemed that the seafront was lined with bars, restaurants and hotels
The bathers had long retired
The hotel pool
maybe it's end of the season, I was given a very good room
Sun in the room in the morning
Shadows on the hotel room
I got up early to take a look
The hotel pool in the morning, barely a soul
The beach too was still empty
But a number of boats were already out, ready to take guests
We had to be on our way to Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro
We had 75 km to do that morning. So we had to get up quite early.
We passed by many coastal resort towns
The coach had to climb quite high into the mountains
Some of the little towns or villages we passed by
We passed through some lowlands too
We passed by a double-headed eagle, the national symbol of Albania or Austro-Hungarian Empire?
And many canola seed fields
They used a method of crop rotation
They alternate fields with different harvesting times
Their colors are pretty basic
Some ripening maize
maize fields alternating with canola fields
A house built from land hacked out from the hillside
We passed by a double-headed eagle, the national symbol of Albania or Austro-Hungarian Empire?
This is our rest stop in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro but we didn't stay there. We went straight into Albania
the shop next door: plenty of meat and sausages
This is the Sahat kula, a clock tower, opposite to our rest stop restaurant, one of the very few Ottoman landmarks that survived World War 2 bombings in Podgorica. The city had been called Titograd from 1946 to 1992 when it formed part
of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a city with a population of
more than 156,000 people, slightly less than a third of the
entire population of the country and its administrative, economic,
cultural and educational focus.When founded (before the 11th
century), the town was called Birziminium. In the Middle Ages, it was
known as Ribnica.
From1326, the name of Podgorica had been used. It's at the crossroads of several historically important routes, near the rivers Zeta, Morača, Cijevna, Ribnica and Sitnica, in the valley of Lake Skadar and near the Adriatic Sea, in fertile lowlands with favourable climate. It was already settled during late Stone Age.
In the Illyrian age, the area between the Zeta and Bjelopavlići valleys was occupied by two Illyrian tribes, the Labeates and the Docleats, totalling some 8,000–10,000.
From the 5th century, the first Slavic and Avar tribes arrived when the Roman Empire began to break up. Slavic groups in the area were always battling Byzantium and a new town was established called Ribnica, after the river, ruled by the Serbian royal family, the Nemanjići.
The city was on the trade route between Dubrovnik and the State of Nemanjici and was a busy regional centre of trade and communication. But it was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1474 and became a kaza of the Sanjak of Scutari in 1479. The Ottomans built a large fortress in Podgorica which became the main Ottoman defensive and attacking bastion in the region.
In 1864, Podgorica became a kaza of the Scutari Vilayet called Böğürtlen 'blackberry' or Burguriçe in Albanian.
The Berlin Congress in 1878 annexed Podgorica to Montenegro, marking the end of four centuries of Ottoman rule, and the beginning of a new era in the development of Podgorica and Montenegro. The city developed quickly and became a strong marketplace.The first forms of capital concentration were seen.
In 1904, Zetska savings bank, the first significant financial institution, was formed. It would soon grow into Podgorička bank. Roads were built to all neighbouring towns and, in 1902, a tobacco plant became Podgorica's first significant commercial company.
World War I marked the end of dynamic development for Podgorica, by then the largest city in the newly proclaimed Kingdom of Montenegro. Podgorica was occupied, as was the rest of the country, by Austria-Hungary from 1916 to 1918.
After the liberation by the allies in 1918, a controversial Podgorica Assembly was held at Podgorica Tobacco Monopoly building. The assembly marked the end of Montenegrin statehood, as Montenegro was merged with Serbia and incorporated in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
Between the two world wars, the population of Podgorica was about 13,000. Podgorica was bombed over 70 times throughout the course of the WWII razing it to the ground and killing more than 4,100 people. The city was liberated on 19 December 1944. Under the name of Titograd, the city became the capital of the Socialist Republic of Montenegro on 13 July 1946. A period of unprecedented expansion followed, which marked the SFRY (Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) era: the population increased dramatically, the city was heavily industrialised, infrastructure was improved, and health, educational, and cultural institutions were founded. The city rapidly became the commercial, socio-economic, and cultural centre of the country.
Progress halted again when the break-up of SFRY began in the 1990s. The name of Podgorica was reinstated on 2 April 1992. Following the successful independence referendum in May 2006, Podgorica became the official capital of an independent state. Podgorica is home to three main religious groups: Orthodox Christians, Sunnite Muslims and Catholic Christians.
From1326, the name of Podgorica had been used. It's at the crossroads of several historically important routes, near the rivers Zeta, Morača, Cijevna, Ribnica and Sitnica, in the valley of Lake Skadar and near the Adriatic Sea, in fertile lowlands with favourable climate. It was already settled during late Stone Age.
In the Illyrian age, the area between the Zeta and Bjelopavlići valleys was occupied by two Illyrian tribes, the Labeates and the Docleats, totalling some 8,000–10,000.
From the 5th century, the first Slavic and Avar tribes arrived when the Roman Empire began to break up. Slavic groups in the area were always battling Byzantium and a new town was established called Ribnica, after the river, ruled by the Serbian royal family, the Nemanjići.
The city was on the trade route between Dubrovnik and the State of Nemanjici and was a busy regional centre of trade and communication. But it was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1474 and became a kaza of the Sanjak of Scutari in 1479. The Ottomans built a large fortress in Podgorica which became the main Ottoman defensive and attacking bastion in the region.
In 1864, Podgorica became a kaza of the Scutari Vilayet called Böğürtlen 'blackberry' or Burguriçe in Albanian.
The Berlin Congress in 1878 annexed Podgorica to Montenegro, marking the end of four centuries of Ottoman rule, and the beginning of a new era in the development of Podgorica and Montenegro. The city developed quickly and became a strong marketplace.The first forms of capital concentration were seen.
In 1904, Zetska savings bank, the first significant financial institution, was formed. It would soon grow into Podgorička bank. Roads were built to all neighbouring towns and, in 1902, a tobacco plant became Podgorica's first significant commercial company.
World War I marked the end of dynamic development for Podgorica, by then the largest city in the newly proclaimed Kingdom of Montenegro. Podgorica was occupied, as was the rest of the country, by Austria-Hungary from 1916 to 1918.
After the liberation by the allies in 1918, a controversial Podgorica Assembly was held at Podgorica Tobacco Monopoly building. The assembly marked the end of Montenegrin statehood, as Montenegro was merged with Serbia and incorporated in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
Between the two world wars, the population of Podgorica was about 13,000. Podgorica was bombed over 70 times throughout the course of the WWII razing it to the ground and killing more than 4,100 people. The city was liberated on 19 December 1944. Under the name of Titograd, the city became the capital of the Socialist Republic of Montenegro on 13 July 1946. A period of unprecedented expansion followed, which marked the SFRY (Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) era: the population increased dramatically, the city was heavily industrialised, infrastructure was improved, and health, educational, and cultural institutions were founded. The city rapidly became the commercial, socio-economic, and cultural centre of the country.
Progress halted again when the break-up of SFRY began in the 1990s. The name of Podgorica was reinstated on 2 April 1992. Following the successful independence referendum in May 2006, Podgorica became the official capital of an independent state. Podgorica is home to three main religious groups: Orthodox Christians, Sunnite Muslims and Catholic Christians.
The street corner a little distance away, our only glimpse of the urban centre of the city
Shadows on the wall of a house at the square
Some locals outside the bar, taking a morning drink and whiling away the time
The boss had to think of some ways to attract truck drivers. Free magazine to peruse with your coffee
A picture on the wall
I took the opportunity to photograph some flowers whilst the others are waiting their turn at the loo
A ripe fruit
Logs ready to be chopped outside one of the houses on the square
Chopped logs on the ground
A view from our next rest stop
A dried up river at the side of the rest stop
The mountains look pretty barren
Our dessert
The mountains look pretty barren
But as we moved on the land became less dry
Time for lunch
The way in
The other side of the corridor
But first we had to wash our hands
ladies too
decoration at a corner of the restaurant
Some of the tables there
Our drink
Some were already seated
Our bread
Our soup
Our napkins
We're on our way again after lunch
Colorful sun shades
A flower I found before boarding our coach
It was a pretty long journey to Tirana, the capital of Albania, 150 KM.
We passed through many small settlements at the feet of the hills
And isolated houses
We passed through a boulevard in Tirana, the capital of Albania
This is a view of Tirana Central Park, Tirana is the capital of Albania (Albanian: Shqipëri/Shqipëria; Gheg Albanian: Shqipni/Shqipnia), a republic southeast of Montenegro and southwest of Kosovo, west of Macedonia and north of Greece and less than 72 km (45 mi) from Italy, just across the Strait of Otranto which links the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea. A member of NATO, the Council of Europe and the WTO and is one of the founding members of the Union for the Mediterranean, Albania has been a candidate EU membership since January 2003 and formally applied for such on 28 April 2009.
Historically part of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia (southern Illyricum), Macedonia (particularly Epirus Nova) and Moesia Superior, it first became independent after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in Europe following the Balkan Wars 1912 and was recognized a year later.
But in 1939, it was invaded by Italy and became a Nazi protectorate in 1943. In 1944, it became a socialist People's Republic under the leadership of Enver Hoxha and the Labor Party.
In 1991, the Socialist Republic was dissolved and it became the Republic of Albania.
Tirana has some 600,000 people, slightly less than a quarter of the entire national population. It's now in transition into a free market and is quickly developing its energy and transportation infrastructure.It's No.1 Destination in Lonely Planet's list of ten top countries to visit for 2011.
Albania is the Medieval Latin name of the country which is called Shqipëri by its people. In Medieval Greek, the country was variously called Albania, Albanitia, Arbanitia.
During the Middle Ages, the Albanians called their country Arbër or Arbën and referred to themselves as Arbëresh or Arbnesh.
In the 17th century, the name Shqipëria and its ethnic demonym Shqiptarë gradually replaced Arbëria and Arbëresh. According to historians, the two terms "Shqipëria" and "Shqiptarë" are popularly interpreted as "Land of the Eagles" and "Children of the Eagles" , they derive from the adverb "shqip", which means "understanding each other". Under the Ottoman Empire, Albania was referred to officially as Arnavutluk and its inhabitants as Arnauts (Turkic Arnavutlar). These terms remain the same officially and in common usage in the current Republic of Turkey.The word is considered to be a metathesis from the word Arvanite, which was the Medieval Greek name for the Albanians.
Under Roman (Byzantine) control until 7th century when the Slavs moved in, in the 9th Century, it was integrated into the Bulgarian Empire and when the Byzantine Empire and Bulgaria became weak in mid and late 13th Century, most of its land became part of Serbia, first as part of the Serbian Grand Principality and in 14th Century a part of the Serbian Empire.
In early 15th Century, when the Ottoman Turks took over control of South Eastern Europe, they erected may garrisons throughout southern Albania and by 1431, established formal jurisdiction over most of Albania. Along with the Bosniaks, Muslim Albanians occupied an outstanding position in the empire, and were the main pillars of Ottoman policy in the Balkans.
However, on 1443 a great and longstanding revolt broke under the lead of the Albanian national hero Skanderbeg, which lasted until 1468, defeating major Ottoman armies led by Sultans Murad II and Mehmed II many times. Köprülü Mehmed Pasha was the most effective and influential Ottoman Grand Vizier of Albanian origin. Enjoying this privileged position in the empire, Muslim Albanians held various administrative positions, with over two dozen Grand Viziers of Albanian origin, such as Gen. Köprülü Mehmed Pasha, who commanded the Ottoman forces during the Ottoman-Persian Wars; Gen. Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed, who led the Ottoman army during the Austro-Turkish War (1663–1664); and, later, Muhammad Ali Pasha of Egypt.
In the 15th Century, when the Ottomans were gaining a firm foothold in the region, Albanian towns were organized into four principal sanjaks. The government fostered trade by settling a sizeable Jewish colony of refugees fleeing from persecution in Spain at end of the 15th Century.They imported merchandise from Europe like velvets, cotton goods, mohairs, carpets, spices and leather from Bursa and Istanbul. Some citizens of its port Vlorë even had business associates in Europe.Albanians could also be found throughout the empire, in Iraq, Egypt, Algeria and across the Maghreb as vital military and administrative retainers.This was due mainly to their early use under the so-called "Devşirme system".
The Islamization of Albania was gradual, beginning with arrival of the Ottomans in the 14th century. Even today, there's a small minority of Albanian Catholic or Orthodox Christians, though the vast majority of its population have become Muslims. Timar holders, the bedrock of early Ottoman control in Southeast Europe, were not necessarily converts to Islam, and occasionally rebelled; the most famous of these rebels is Skanderbeg. His figure would be used later in the 19th century as a central component of Albanian national identity. The first organization that opposed the partition of Albania and pushed for greater autonomy was the League of Prizren, formed on 1 June 1878, in Prizren, Kosovo. The League used military force to stop Northern Albania being annexed by Montenegro and Serbia, the southern Albanian areas being assigned to Greece by the Congress of Berlin. But after several battles with Montenegrins, the league had to give up Ulcinj to Montenegro. It was then defeated by the Ottoman army.
Albanian independence in 1912 was partly the result of the uprisings of 1910–1912, the Ottoman defeat in the Balkan Wars and the advancing Montenegrin, Serbian and Greek armies into the territories where Albanians were majority.
Albania's independence was recognized by the Conference of London on 29 July 1913, but its borders ignored the demographic realities of the time.The short-lived monarchy (1914–1925) was succeeded by an even shorter-lived first Albanian Republic (1925–1928), to be replaced by another monarchy (1928–1939).
Albania was occupied by Fascist Italy and then by Nazi Germany during World War II.Albania's socialist reconstruction began immediately after the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of a "People's Republic". In 1947, Albania's first railway line was completed, with the second completed eight months later. New land reform laws were passed granting the land to the workers and peasants who tilled it. Agriculture began to become cooperative, and production increased significantly, leading to Albania becoming agriculturally self-sufficient. By 1955, illiteracy was eliminated among Albania's adult population.
Historically part of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia (southern Illyricum), Macedonia (particularly Epirus Nova) and Moesia Superior, it first became independent after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in Europe following the Balkan Wars 1912 and was recognized a year later.
But in 1939, it was invaded by Italy and became a Nazi protectorate in 1943. In 1944, it became a socialist People's Republic under the leadership of Enver Hoxha and the Labor Party.
In 1991, the Socialist Republic was dissolved and it became the Republic of Albania.
Tirana has some 600,000 people, slightly less than a quarter of the entire national population. It's now in transition into a free market and is quickly developing its energy and transportation infrastructure.It's No.1 Destination in Lonely Planet's list of ten top countries to visit for 2011.
Albania is the Medieval Latin name of the country which is called Shqipëri by its people. In Medieval Greek, the country was variously called Albania, Albanitia, Arbanitia.
During the Middle Ages, the Albanians called their country Arbër or Arbën and referred to themselves as Arbëresh or Arbnesh.
In the 17th century, the name Shqipëria and its ethnic demonym Shqiptarë gradually replaced Arbëria and Arbëresh. According to historians, the two terms "Shqipëria" and "Shqiptarë" are popularly interpreted as "Land of the Eagles" and "Children of the Eagles" , they derive from the adverb "shqip", which means "understanding each other". Under the Ottoman Empire, Albania was referred to officially as Arnavutluk and its inhabitants as Arnauts (Turkic Arnavutlar). These terms remain the same officially and in common usage in the current Republic of Turkey.The word is considered to be a metathesis from the word Arvanite, which was the Medieval Greek name for the Albanians.
Under Roman (Byzantine) control until 7th century when the Slavs moved in, in the 9th Century, it was integrated into the Bulgarian Empire and when the Byzantine Empire and Bulgaria became weak in mid and late 13th Century, most of its land became part of Serbia, first as part of the Serbian Grand Principality and in 14th Century a part of the Serbian Empire.
In early 15th Century, when the Ottoman Turks took over control of South Eastern Europe, they erected may garrisons throughout southern Albania and by 1431, established formal jurisdiction over most of Albania. Along with the Bosniaks, Muslim Albanians occupied an outstanding position in the empire, and were the main pillars of Ottoman policy in the Balkans.
However, on 1443 a great and longstanding revolt broke under the lead of the Albanian national hero Skanderbeg, which lasted until 1468, defeating major Ottoman armies led by Sultans Murad II and Mehmed II many times. Köprülü Mehmed Pasha was the most effective and influential Ottoman Grand Vizier of Albanian origin. Enjoying this privileged position in the empire, Muslim Albanians held various administrative positions, with over two dozen Grand Viziers of Albanian origin, such as Gen. Köprülü Mehmed Pasha, who commanded the Ottoman forces during the Ottoman-Persian Wars; Gen. Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed, who led the Ottoman army during the Austro-Turkish War (1663–1664); and, later, Muhammad Ali Pasha of Egypt.
In the 15th Century, when the Ottomans were gaining a firm foothold in the region, Albanian towns were organized into four principal sanjaks. The government fostered trade by settling a sizeable Jewish colony of refugees fleeing from persecution in Spain at end of the 15th Century.They imported merchandise from Europe like velvets, cotton goods, mohairs, carpets, spices and leather from Bursa and Istanbul. Some citizens of its port Vlorë even had business associates in Europe.Albanians could also be found throughout the empire, in Iraq, Egypt, Algeria and across the Maghreb as vital military and administrative retainers.This was due mainly to their early use under the so-called "Devşirme system".
The Islamization of Albania was gradual, beginning with arrival of the Ottomans in the 14th century. Even today, there's a small minority of Albanian Catholic or Orthodox Christians, though the vast majority of its population have become Muslims. Timar holders, the bedrock of early Ottoman control in Southeast Europe, were not necessarily converts to Islam, and occasionally rebelled; the most famous of these rebels is Skanderbeg. His figure would be used later in the 19th century as a central component of Albanian national identity. The first organization that opposed the partition of Albania and pushed for greater autonomy was the League of Prizren, formed on 1 June 1878, in Prizren, Kosovo. The League used military force to stop Northern Albania being annexed by Montenegro and Serbia, the southern Albanian areas being assigned to Greece by the Congress of Berlin. But after several battles with Montenegrins, the league had to give up Ulcinj to Montenegro. It was then defeated by the Ottoman army.
Albanian independence in 1912 was partly the result of the uprisings of 1910–1912, the Ottoman defeat in the Balkan Wars and the advancing Montenegrin, Serbian and Greek armies into the territories where Albanians were majority.
Albania's independence was recognized by the Conference of London on 29 July 1913, but its borders ignored the demographic realities of the time.The short-lived monarchy (1914–1925) was succeeded by an even shorter-lived first Albanian Republic (1925–1928), to be replaced by another monarchy (1928–1939).
Albania was occupied by Fascist Italy and then by Nazi Germany during World War II.Albania's socialist reconstruction began immediately after the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of a "People's Republic". In 1947, Albania's first railway line was completed, with the second completed eight months later. New land reform laws were passed granting the land to the workers and peasants who tilled it. Agriculture began to become cooperative, and production increased significantly, leading to Albania becoming agriculturally self-sufficient. By 1955, illiteracy was eliminated among Albania's adult population.
The national opera house
A view of the opera house, nothing fancy
The biggest hotel in town
This is the national museum
Another view of the town square, a mosque and beside it a church
The national hero Skanderbeg who led the first Albanian struggle against the Turks.
A closer view of the national hero. George Kastrioti Skanderbeg (Albanian: Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu; 1405 – 17 January 1468), widely known as Skanderbeg (from Turkish: İskender Bey, meaning "Lord Alexander", or "Leader Alexander"), was a 15th-century Albanian nobleman. He was appointed governor of the Sanjak of Dibra by the Ottomans in 1440. In 1444, he initiated and organized the League of Lezhë, which proclaimed him Chief of the League of the Albanian people, and defended the region of Albania against the Ottoman Empire for more than two decades but his rebellion was not a general uprising of Albanians eg. the big Albanian cities in the Ottoman-controlled south and Venetian-controlled north didn't support him while his followers were of different races like Albanians, Slavs, Vlachs and Greeks. He a military genius whose skills helped stop Ottoman expansion and was thus considered by many in western Europe to be a model of Christian resistance against the Ottoman Muslims. Skanderbeg is Albania's most important national hero and a key figure of the Albanian National Awakening and his insignia the double-eagle has become the national symbol of Albania. .Born to a noble family the Kastriotis in a village in Dibra, he was taken hostage by Sultan Murad II in 423 and for the next 20 years, he fought for the Ottoman Empire and only deserted in 1443 during the Battle of Niš and became the ruler of Krujë and the following year, he organized local leaders into the League of Lezhë, uniting their forces for war against the Ottomans. Skanderbeg's first victory against the Ottomans, at the Battle of Torvioll in the same year marked the beginning of more than another 20 years of war with the Ottomans, winning more than 20 victories in the field and withstood three sieges of his capital, Krujë. To ensure protection, he recognized de jure the suzerainty of Kingdom of Naples through the Treaty of Gaeta, 1451 although he remained a de facto independent ruler. Between 1460–1461, he joined in Italy's civil wars in support of Ferdinand I of Naples. In 1463, he became the chief commander of the crusading forces of Pope Pius II, but the Pope died while the armies were still gathering. Together with Venetians he fought against the Ottomans during the Ottoman–Venetian War (1463–79) until his death in January 1468.
The minaret of the mosque seem at the feet of the horse.
a drunkard taking a nap in the sun at a park
Children playing at the park
Young girls in the streets
it seems that they like at least two colors on their public buildings
This one also in two colors
Another public building around the plaza
Another view of the Skanderbeg Plaza
A mural in celebration of its revolution
Another view of the surrounding public buildings of the plaza
After the brief stop at the plaza for about an hour, we're on our way again
More hilly country but not bare
An industrial building we passed by
More fields
This seem to be a gas station or a general store
By the time we crossed the border into Macedonia, it was already getting dark again
A trail in the sky produced by a jet
Time for dinner again
A corner of the restaurant, whose walls were decked with all kinds of old fashioned items
It looked like an antique shop
All kinds of stuffs were there: its boss must be a collector
Guitars on the wall and rifles as well
We were to dine inside
A corner of the restaurant, whose walls were decked with all kinds of old fashioned items
It looked like an antique shop
All kinds of stuffs were there: its boss must be a collector
Guitars on the wall and rifles as well
More musical instruments
Stringed instruments
The young man with a camera in his hand is our tour leader taking a group photo after briefing us
Musicians playing some traditional music
First our salad
Then more musicians appeared
They were joined by 4 ladies
Then it's time for our appetizers platter
They were dancing
Then it's time for our main dish
The girls are dancing with the boys. I asked their leader whether they did that every evening and was told that they came at the request of a group from Poland because it was the birthday of one of their members!
Four beautiful young girls. They were very nice and agreed to allow me to stand amongst them for a photo! I was so happy!
And time for our dessert
沒有留言:
張貼留言