Albania in a Roundabout Way

Last Updated on June 24, 2019 by PowersToTravel

We drove south from Durrës through a town our guide called Bochova, however  I was unable to find it on any maps; perhaps I mis-heard.  It was an oil town and such a surprise to see.  I had no idea that Albania had oil reserves.  Apparently the reserves are somewhat difficult to extract and Albania granted Canadian companies the drilling permits since the terrain is very similar to the Canadian fields.

Many towns have a roundabout at the main intersection, that is to say, a traffic circle.  Each town has placed at the center of its traffic circle(s) statues representing the town’s industry or history or values.  On our way from Tirana to Durrës we saw the striking double-headed eagle shown in my posting “On the road to the ancient city of Durrës“.

In Shkodër we saw a large bicycle.  You’ll have to wait for me to write the article on Shkodër to learn its meaning.

In fact, I was amazed at the quality and quantity of statues in Albania.  So many had strength and resistance as themes;   they commemorated the resistance to Nazism, and then ultimately to Communism.   In Shkodër in the north we saw a statue commemorating the death of student protesters who were killed in the first days of the rise against Communism.

I don’t have many pictures of the roundabout statues.  As the car would go swinging around the circle, avoiding cyclists, horses and even cows, my camera and my stomach would swing wider.   I’ve only got a few:

Bicycle in Shkoder circle

Shkoder is known as the Bike Capital of Albania

Sheshi Demokracia in Shkoder

Commemorating the beginning of democracy. Students were killed in early demonstrations here.

Symbol of Albania

The double-headed eagle

Kucova

Oil Derrick

Ali Pasha at the Tepelena circle

"Lion of Yannina" (1740 – 24 January 1822),

Roundabouts are tricky in any country

Shkoder

Gee they look so real

Shkoder

Not just statues in the roundabouts

Diabetic Travel Tips

I’d like to talk about our cooler which always travels with us – it keeps insulin safe and Diet Dr. Pepper cold.  It takes up about a quarter of our suitcase.  I always pack the stray things in it, to fit everything in when we fly, but then  once we arrive, the cooler comes out, along with its heavy brick converter plug, and its car cigarette-lighter plug.  Greg puts ice in a baggie in the morning, plugs in the cooler in the car for all day, and then plugs it into the hotel’s house power at night.  24 hour protection for my insulin!

Check out this article of mine too:

Albania Travel Blog – Itinerary, Impressions and Diabetic Travel Tips