dave's thashetheme: Tirana Qender I

Qender means center, and in this usage is akin to "downtown," although it has a narrower connotation than does downtown, but not as specific as stadtmitte, which as I remember from Germany was not only a loose term for city center, but was an actual marker in the exact "center" of the city, and from which the mileage calculations were made. Which was totally different from the U.S., where mileage calculations are from the city limits. So in the U.S., from Jackson to Ridgeland may be 0 miles, since their city limits adjoin; in Germany it might be 10 miles, center to center. Not sure why this is relevant here, but it's late. These photos are all from the Qender, taken over Christmas/New Year's vacation, when we went downtown in an effort to cure a bout of cabin fever. Qender is pronounced Chender, like lender, and the ch is like the ch in church. Close as I can come.

This first photo is the mosque on Skanderbeg Square. In the background, dissected by the minaret, is a new building under construction. Construction has slowed substantially in Tirana during this downturn, and although work is still progressing on this building, it is extremely slow. I keep up with the position of the crane, so I know it is still moving, and I'm assuming from that that work is ongoing.

Just to the right of the mosque is one of the ministry buildings built by the Italians in the pre-war period.

This is me, as Susan pointed out on facebook regarding another photo, sans glasses. Since my two cataract surgeries I now have Alcon plastic lenses embedded in place of my old ones, which were corroded. There is another more precise medical term which escapes me. I used to occasionally take the deposition of a Dr. Guy Vise in Jackson, an orthopedic surgeon, who would self-deprecatingly describe orthopedic surgery as carpentry, using drills and saws and screws and just repairing the framing. That's kind of what they did to my lenses -- took out the old ones and put in new plastic ones. Since they can put in any sort of lens they want, they match my glasses prescription, so with the new lenses my vision is almost 20/20. Except for reading. Since the lenses are plastic they don't adjust to closeup, so I have reading glasses. To which I will adjust, hopefully, eventually. Actually, now that I have a lanyard and they continually dangle from my neck, at least I can find them, which is a great improvement.

Anyway, behind me is the Tajwan Center, which has a few restaurants, a bowling alley, ringed by coffee houses, and surrounded by a one-square block park. It is the only park in the area. Tirana has a serious shortage of public spaces. We have Sunday lunch here occasionally and eat and watch the people.

Compare this scaffolding to the top photo. This is all wooden frame scaffolding on the new Orthodox Church being built close to the square. It has the main building plus baptistry and clock tower. The first Albanian Orthodox bishop was ordained in Boston (I think Boston -- may have been New York) in 1908 (I think 1908.) I may be misremembering the time and place. Fan Noli was his name, and he was active in Albanian politics and religion.

This is the mosaic on the front of the national history museum. It was built by the Russians, but the mosaic was designed and constructed by Albanian artists. It is a typical revolutionary motif, and one of these days I'll post a closeup and more explanation. Not too many years ago there was a movement to destroy it as not being appropriate for a democratic country, and a reminder of the dictatorship, but preservationists won out and it's still here. I think it would be a mistake to just obliterate all reminders of Albania's communist past. It is healthier to recognize it and deal with it, and not deny it.