Europe, Soviet Russia, Yugoslavia, and the Turks have
pushed and tugged Albania every which way. If that wasn't enough,
the Albanians invited in the Chinese when they wanted to break from
Soviet communism and instigated their own Maoist cultural revolution.
Seems they can't get enough foreign influence.
A visit to Albania will fascinate anyone interested in
cultural meeting points. It really doesn't get more muddled than this
one, at least along the Mediterranean Coast. And that brings us to
an added attraction, taking a dip in the Adriatic far away from tourist
crowds in Italy or Greece. For towns, Gjirokastra was our favorite,
so long as you can pronounce it well enough for a driver to take you
there.
Highlight: The only Muslim dominated country of
Europe, see how Islam adapts in a place of chaotic cultural diversity.
