Albanian Report: The Italy - Albania Connection

Geographically, Italy and Albania are practically next-door neighbors. Historically, the two countries have enjoyed (mostly) good relations. Yes, Italy did invade Albania during WWII; but the Albanians don't seem to harbor hard feelings about it. In earlier times Albania was a part of the Roman empire, and it still has the remains of a road (the Via Egnatia) and some ruins to prove it.

At the moment, the Albanians appear to be cheerfully importing Italian food and clothes and energetically exporting immigrants to work and send money home. The Albanian diaspora in Italy began as early as the 15th century when Albanians fled Turkish rule and seems to have continued off and on until the present, with as many as 200,000Albanians emigrating to Italy during the 2000s. Many send remittances to family back home (and some figures show that remittances make up more than 10% of Albania's GDP).

This is all by way of lead-in to an explanation of how I decided to travel to Italy for the recent five-day weekend. Yes - another weirdly random congruence of two Albanian holidays (Independence Day and Flag Day), American Thanksgiving, and the weekend created a five-day hiatus from work. I know, I know but what could I do - the courts were closed.

So off to Italy I went and I don't think I really need to say much other than: 1. Italians truly know how to celebrate the beauty and pleasure of the table, and 2. if ever you go to Tuscany and you wish to avoid the normal tourist haunts, may I suggest spending time in and around Pisa. (And if you do, book at a B&B called "Il Molendino" in Calci. Stefano is a recovering lawyer and Fabiola's tarts are not to be missed).