Sunday, August 29, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Albania, Greece, and little of Italy
This summer I had an amazing opportunity to go to Europe with a friend of mine, Shae Ashby. We spent most of our time with my sister, Heidi, and her family in Albania. We traveled with them to Greece for a little bit, and our last week we spent in Italy, just Shae and me.
Along one of the roads in Tirana. The buildings are all painted really bright colors with different patterns and designs. During Communism the buildings were plain concrete. The Albanians have spiced it up a little more now.
One of our first stops on our Albanian adventure. Gijyrocaster is an ancient fortress. We found out while we were there that they were holding Miss Albania here in this ancient fortess a week after the time we left. How disappointing.
Shae and I (with Tony in the background) at Gijyrocaster.
The ferry ride from mainland Greece, to Korfu was extremely windy.
The Baird family on a cobblestone street in Korfu, Greece.
On the balcony of Achilles' Castle on Korfu. This castle was built as a summer home by royalty from somewhere else in Europe. They named it in honor of their son, who had a weakness, so they associated him with Achilles. It was gorgeous.
Jonathan, Laura, and Timmy playing chess on a life size chess board. This was probably one of their favorite things of the whole trip.
Isaac watching the others play chess.
The oldest fortress on Korfu with the Athenian looking church and the clock tower at sunset.
Korfu, the Greek island is behind me. You can see the old fortress.
Heidi and I at the amphitheater at Butrint, and ancient Roman city in southern Albania.
When we drove back from Butrint to Vlor we had to drive over the mountain because it juts into the sea. This road switch-backed up the mountain, with no guard rails. I was very glad Tony was driving. He said the last time they took this road it wasn't even paved. Oh the joy of Albanian roads. The view was gorgeous though with nothing to block it.
A market in Kruja, Albania. I loved just walking through this market. I did get a really cool cifteli (a two string guitar like instrument) and a double holed flute.
Everyone at the beach at Schkoder.
Isaac playing in the very dark sand.
Yes, this is a stuffed animal hanging off a wall. The Albanians are very superstitious and feel that by hanging something on anything being built, it will keep away the bad/evil spirits. They were all over the place in Albania.
A little bit of old Albania with modern Tirana in the background.
The turtle we found on Timmy's birthday. All the kids wanted to keep it, but Heidi and Tony didn't think it would travel to America very well.
Timmy's birthday party. Notice his light saber cake.
The Grand Canal in Venice
Shae and I finishing our gondola ride.
A Venetian street
Along one of the roads in Tirana. The buildings are all painted really bright colors with different patterns and designs. During Communism the buildings were plain concrete. The Albanians have spiced it up a little more now.
One of our first stops on our Albanian adventure. Gijyrocaster is an ancient fortress. We found out while we were there that they were holding Miss Albania here in this ancient fortess a week after the time we left. How disappointing.
Shae and I (with Tony in the background) at Gijyrocaster.
The ferry ride from mainland Greece, to Korfu was extremely windy.
The Baird family on a cobblestone street in Korfu, Greece.
On the balcony of Achilles' Castle on Korfu. This castle was built as a summer home by royalty from somewhere else in Europe. They named it in honor of their son, who had a weakness, so they associated him with Achilles. It was gorgeous.
Jonathan, Laura, and Timmy playing chess on a life size chess board. This was probably one of their favorite things of the whole trip.
Isaac watching the others play chess.
The oldest fortress on Korfu with the Athenian looking church and the clock tower at sunset.
Korfu, the Greek island is behind me. You can see the old fortress.
Heidi and I at the amphitheater at Butrint, and ancient Roman city in southern Albania.
When we drove back from Butrint to Vlor we had to drive over the mountain because it juts into the sea. This road switch-backed up the mountain, with no guard rails. I was very glad Tony was driving. He said the last time they took this road it wasn't even paved. Oh the joy of Albanian roads. The view was gorgeous though with nothing to block it.
A market in Kruja, Albania. I loved just walking through this market. I did get a really cool cifteli (a two string guitar like instrument) and a double holed flute.
Everyone at the beach at Schkoder.
Isaac playing in the very dark sand.
Yes, this is a stuffed animal hanging off a wall. The Albanians are very superstitious and feel that by hanging something on anything being built, it will keep away the bad/evil spirits. They were all over the place in Albania.
A little bit of old Albania with modern Tirana in the background.
The turtle we found on Timmy's birthday. All the kids wanted to keep it, but Heidi and Tony didn't think it would travel to America very well.
Timmy's birthday party. Notice his light saber cake.
The Grand Canal in Venice
Shae and I finishing our gondola ride.
A Venetian street
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