Under the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha many freedoms were denied to Albanians. Among them the freedom to travel abroad, the freedom to express dissent, and the freedom to worship. Hoxha declared that ‘the only religion of Albania is Albanianism’.
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As well as being a successful novelist and poet, Vita Sackville-West is known for the beautiful gardens she created at Sissinghurst in Kent. She will have welcomed April as all gardeners do … but maybe not the April we have had this year.
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One thing that struck me almost immediately about Tirana was its relaxed vibe. Probably because it was a holiday weekend (Orthodox Easter), the cafés and bars were all busy. People were out strolling the streets, meeting friends, enjoying the spring sunshine. As were we!
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Enver Hoxha's regime may be a thing of the past but traces of it remain in odd corners of Tirana, such as this book spotted in the city's flea market.
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In Tirana's now trendy Blloku district one house stands empty and isolated, ignored it seems by the bright young things who come here to eat and drink in the many bars and restaurants.
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On 20th August 1991 the Estonian government declared the country’s independence from the Soviet Union. In retaliation the following day Soviet troops wanting to seize control of the country’s communication channels stormed the TV Tower on the outskirts of Tallinn. Four employees working there locked themselves in rooms on the 22nd floor and kept the troops at bay by inserting a matchbox between the door of the lift and its frame to stop it working.
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While many people head to Holland to see the tulips, we have London’s Holland Park. There the Dutch Gardens are planted with formal beds edged with low hedges and overflowing with tulips every spring.
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With a slow start to the spring this year it’s felt at times as if March was coming in more like a polar bear than a lion! We had sharp winds, frosts and even some snow as far south as London, although nothing like what they had further north. And even when the weather started to warm up, sunshine was in short supply.
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Thankfully this January didn’t bring snow to London, but it was certainly more than cold enough to make any feet and fingers glow! Personally I can’t wait for the warmer days of spring, although we’re not hanging around here for that but are headed elsewhere in a hunt for heat!
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The oft-quoted line, ‘when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life’ comes from a discussion between Johnson and James Boswell about whether or not Boswell's affection for London would wear thin should he be living there as Johnson did, rather than enjoying the city on occasional visits.
