International Insights: Albania Through the Eyes of an Estonian Diplomat

As Albania gains attention as a top destination in Europe, it's heartening to see international friends’ eagerness to explore its charms. Amidst Tirana's bustling streets, where Italians, Germans, Spanish, and Americans mingle, today we're in for a delightful chat with an Estonian diplomat. But beyond these formalities, he's also a cherished friend, forged through shared experiences at the European Academy of Diplomacy during the difficult times of COVID-19. From endless Zoom calls to Warsaw and Gdansk rendezvous, I recently had the joy of showing him around Tirana. Meet Rainer Verner Samolberg, my dear friend, who wears many hats: a communications expert, avid traveler, and passionate enthusiast of history, art, and politics, of course. Here today to share with us his adventures in Albania - more specifically in Tirana and Kruja.

1. What were your initial impressions of Tirana and Kruja when you arrived?

Rainer: Your capital is a buzzing city full of various sights to explore. We especially appreciated the tonality of your architecture. No house resembles the one standing next to it. It's super chaotic. It takes a bit of getting used to it but it has its charm once you settle in. Kruja was just magnificent. The views, ruins, and food were just a cherry on top.

2. Were there any particular buildings or landmarks in Tirana and Kruja that fascinated you? Why?

Rainer: Yeah, Bunker was eerie and sad but very interesting from a historical perspective. And the whole region around Kruja, enriched by amazing landscapes was one to remember forever.

3. Albania has undergone significant changes in recent decades. Was this noticeable in your eyes??

Rainer: As your country has its troubled past, understandably, you want to turn a new page and in my eyes, you have succeeded in doing so. Perhaps you have still a bit to go in terms of open governance and transparent leadership but the path you are on is the right one.

4. Did you encounter any cultural differences or customs in Albania that stood out to you compared to Estonia?

Rainer: The main thing is probably the level of sound exposure. Albanians love to talk and express themselves, and by doing so they generate a certain level of audio. For us – Estonians it’s always a challenge as we are quiet and solitude-loving people who hide themselves often in forests when things get a bit too buzzy. Also, I loved the food customs you have - meaning I found it wonderful how you share things put on your table. In Estonia, we usually have our own dish that we eat and that’s that. :)

5. Estonia is renowned for its advanced digital infrastructure and e-governance. Were there any technological innovations or practices in Tirana that impressed you positively or negatively?

Rainer: Albania isn’t that far behind on a day-to-day tech level. I’m not familiar with your advancements in the field of e-governance but mobile banking worked just fine therefore I didn’t complain one bit.

6. Did you face any challenges or difficulties during your stay in Albania? Or any funny stories to share?

Rainer: I think everything went smoothly for us. We even rented a car, and all was ok. The place we stayed at was quite spacious and worth the value of money. An interesting thing that happened was that our next-door neighbor in the building was also from Estonia. She was as surprised as us to find out we were from the same country. The neighbor had been living here for some years now. Such a small world!

7. What restaurants did you like best, and which dishes or drinks would you recommend?

Rainer: I’m not the biggest fan of hard liquor but your Rakia was amazing. Couldn’t get enough of it, unfortunately. Also, your cheese is top-class. We visited Ceren Ismet Shehu, Kapelet, and had a tasty meal at Panorama, Kruja. The latter tops my list of restaurants. The food was exquisite and the views were amazing. I also enjoyed spending brunches at Tony’s.

8. As outsiders, what aspects of Albanian life and culture do you think visitors often misunderstand or overlook? Did your time here challenge any preconceptions you may have had about Albania?

Rainer: As Estonians, we understand very well that the impression people have about some country might be false unless they visit it themselves and give that country a chance to knock down any misconceptions and understandings we had about them beforehand. It’s often said that “post-Soviet” and “Eastern Europe” countries are left behind or have less to offer but I know that this is a huge load of crap. Albania, like Estonia, is a wonderful country, full of lovely people who live amongst diverse nature. We both have that and no misconception will change that.

9. Looking back on your trip, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about Albania as a travel destination?

Rainer: I loved it and I deeply regret not taking the full week off for this trip. It’s all about giving other countries a chance. People tend to give chances to more known travel destinations and that’s their loss. Albania is an amazing country that has so much to offer. I will definitely be back to visit other towns and more rural areas.

I hope though, that the tourist masses won’t ruin your beautiful scenes as we see massive Russian tourist influxes to Georgia, Croatia, Egypt, etc. Don’t become one, please!