What is the first thing that comes to your mind when planning to visit anunknown place?
Let me give you 2 options:
1. You are excited and curious about the adventures that await you and the wonders you will discover from a new culture.
2. You are afraid that you may encounter unpleasant surprises and you will see things that you will not like.
Whichever you choose, you should know that a traveler can experience both sensations. The first gives you the adrenaline and energy you need to start a journey, while the second encourages you to prepare for asafer journey. So both are necessary. Never be afraid to start a new adventure, even though you may have prejudices.That said, Albania can be also called a country of superstitions and weird habits, but it is up to everyone to discover it in their own way. We are revealing 4 of them to you. Tell us in the comments what you think.
Hanging puppets on the roofs
Ok, this is a quite scary habit. If you explore the suburbs of cities or Albanian villages, you will see massive dolls, bears and various toys damaged by rain and wind, on top of the terraces of houses. The late Fatos Baxhaku has dedicated a publication to this phenomenon that clearly shows the superstitious nature of Albanians and that it is very difficult to explain to a foreigner. If you ask an Albanian, they will answer that the reason they put the puppets it’s to keep the bad luck away, but rarely any will know the origins. Until I find the right wise man to tell me more, that is all I can say about that.
‘Kanun of Lek Dukagjini’ and blood feuds
The implementation of the Kanun is a scourge of our society that constitutes a search runway for many foreign reporters looking for the unusual behaviors of small and evolving countries. Personally, I think that the best documentary on the practice of the Kanun has not been made yet in the North of our country and there is still a lot to be said. According to this Kanun, blood is washed with blood, and if someone kills, relatives and victims must kill the murderer, and so this series of murders continues and is inherited for generations. It is as horrible as it is strange for such things to happen nowdays. But do not be afraid, the Kanun does not apply to tourists.
Greet the oldest man first
If you are at a family party, you will need to show respect, greeting the owners of the house in order from the oldest to the youngest. It used to be very simple because people sat in chairs or sofas according to their importance or age and it was enough to take them in turns from left to right, but today how do you do it?
Keeping Rakiain plastic water bottles
I suggest that on each bottle of brandy be placed some red labels with large letters to warn caution, not only for those who might think for a moment that it is water, but also those who consciously drink brandy as water. I, personally, declare myself a victim of drinking Raki in a bottle of water. I wouldn`t say I regret it, but it was just the start of a drinking habit that has no turning back. Just kidding, one must be a war warrior to handle the Albanian Raki.
Featured photo credit: xhillineshqiperi.wordpress.com