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I don't know what he's doing
How are you?
So, Albania!
Albania is an interesting country because there's the sea, beaches, mountains
But it is also a country with a special history
that has been closed to the world during about 40 years because of a dictature
then it has opened up, but not a long time ago, only about 20 years, barely
Me, as usual, I'm going to meet people,
go to their homes if possible
and don't ask me the program because as usual, there is none
Here we go!
There! Tirana, downtown, the capital.
I will start by walking around, the weather is great, it's good, sunny, not too hot
It's the mosque! it was the turkish?
Ottoman Empire , yes
ah, they built this, ok ok
Thank you very much
Arrivederci no, "Aurevoir"
"I love you" french?
"Je t'aime"
ah "je t'aime" very good
that's some color!
they are 4 behind the tree!
what's up?
here comes another one
what a success
how you're doing? good
what is this?
cameras
...
well... Thank you for coming in such large number
it's quite surprising.
That's funny, I feel like it's the first country where the equipement will attract people so much
usually there they are, without wondering.
But here, it interests them a lot
what I like here, is that there's a mix between Orient and Europe.
it looks a little like a souk, but at the same time it's really european
sorry? yes I speak french, do you? you don't... - a little
what are you doing? - I'm going to meet a friend there
to have a drink, you coming?
please sit here
what are you drinking? - I don't know, what are you drinking?
no, after you! - ok, gas water - that's all? beer, whisky!
Ok, a beer then - which one? - a local The beer of Tirana. Light and sweet
Hello. A friend, and another friend. You speak french? even better!
Take another one! - no - why? because it's too much! "Drink responsibly"
wait a minute... in France, people drink at the end of the week
Yes but it's not the end of the week, it's monday!
What do you do? - Me, at the moment, nothing. We work a bit
What about you? - I am president of miss university Europe
It means that there are pretty girls - But there are pretty girls everywhere here, I keep seing some
ah yeah? - it's because it's spring, when it's spring there are pretty girls everywhere in all countries
Miss University just walked by!
Tonight it's in my bar! - So you have a bar then? You said you didn't do anything
The others work for me ! - You're the boss!
Ok, I'm coming to your bar tonight. It's gonna be Tirana by night tonight!
Sirs, see you tonight!
" - mirë? "
- One beer?
Are you english? - french
Where do you work? - Me? Everywhere why?
Everyone here who sees you taking pictures, imagine you're from the FBI
You know, someone from the FBI would be much more discreet You can see me coming from very far
So I don't think I could work for the FBI
How are you?
Where you from? - France
"Parlez-vous français?"
Of course I speak french!
Come have a bite or a drink with us!
Come inside!
Would you like a drink? An albanian raki? - ok but just a shot!
What's your name? - Antoine
Genti, Dushi, Vini, Liri, Xherri, Klajdi
This is my raki? - it's made with grapes
It's totally a hard liquor
It's an albanian specialty, like the italian grappa
I thought it was like Arak, with anis
You are the albanian here, you're drinking raki!
Have a bite! - Yes I'd like to taste
So you do eat with fingers?
In Albania, we say that meat is like women, you take it with your hands
Ok so we start with meat
Gimi asks if he can find a pretty parisian woman to marry
Ok so I'll take a picture; here is a boy from Tirana who wants to marry a french girl
The advertisment is launched, if someone is interested, write to the paper!
I'm going to pick up my daughter at the kindergarten
Can I come with you? - yes if you want!
[Admir lives downtown]
In Tirana they like colourful buildings
Our mayor has been a painter - oh yeah, look at that!
[He promoted colors in the city]
It's traditional albanian music
You can wait here
Looks like a soviet propaganda movie
How are you doing?
Let's go
It's my boutique
This is my mother
Hello Mrs, my name is Antoine
All these models are from the U.S
"I'm here autochtone", from one of the oldest families in Tirana
We are a big family, more than 350 people, same family name
for weddings, we all gather - so it's a huge party!
It would take a month to introduce them all to you
[ french song]
His office is right there. He has a guitar, come listen to him!
I work here with my cousin. He's gonna play for you. - In this store? - yes
Come, here is his guitar
What is this store for? - bettors
For horses and all that? - No, only soccers
The great history of Padre Pio
What is it? - In the south of Italia, he is the most famous catholic
Stigmata. - Aaah, the miracles!
But are you catholic? - yes
He is muslim from his father, but he believes in catholic religion
So we can say he's a muslim rocker!
In France, you'll never find someone who sings in albanian, never!
Sing!
It's too bad, I can't remember the lyrics, I love Joe Dassin
Will Albania join the European Union soon? - Sure
When? - This october maybe
Our history is very old
We are one of the oldest countries in Europe, we descent from Illyrians, before the Greeks
But we're a small country, people don't know much about us
And how was it during the dictatorship?
The country was closed
We had very few information about what was happening in the world
See my cousin, he plays guitar freely, he sings in french
Before, he couldn't have, he would have been in jail for that
My great-uncle used to be a political prisoner during 21 ans
In 1945 he has been declared ennemy of the regime
And has been put in the most sadly famous prison in Albania
All over his legs, his skin was falling to pieces
But now, in Albania, there's no more secret police, it's over
We are free, we have the same system as any other european country
He wants to find some songs by Mireille Mathieu on youtube
Ok I got it, he wants to find Mireille Mathieu's songs but he doesn't know how to write it
Try this
Now he's gonna find it
Now I'm gonna drop by the nightclub
Fishes, if you wanna shoot that - Why are there fishes in the carafe?
Because I had it there but I needed to wash it
It's disgusting, it stinks
So, under the stairs, there's an aquarium
It's not opened to the public yet?
No, everybody here is staff
Is there gonna be a lot of people? - Tonight yes sure
Monday is quiet
Monday is quiet, but here it's hot
[In fact, Lulzim is the boss]
I am the security chief
But there's no problem here, is it?
What is it?
Well, I'm not going to shoot that, but I believe he has something efficient to defend himself
Thank you very much - cheers!
Be careful, you have to look in the eyes
The lights are beautiful, because it goes slowly
Leave it, because people don't like it
I have to stop? - You have to stop
My program now is going to sleep!
[Ibrahim drives me back]
Thank you for everything! - you're welcome
Now I am in Vlora, it's a touristic area in the south, but I am a little confused because
It's Saturday, late may - beginning of june And there's nobody
And even more, the beach is not even made, obviously
So it's quite confusing and I don't really know what's happening
But apparently there's a lot of construction
Why is there nobody? Where are the tourists?
in two hours, crowded
I've already heard about what he was talking about, the "gjiro" :
during the evening, people go out, during two hours they see each other, they meet
But I hardly believe that this deserted place will be crowded in two hours
Till then, I'm gonna walk around
Is he driving me or not? No he's not
Well, I haven't asked
I heard that there was a good atmosphere in the grocery store
I didn't catch of all it
You don't understand a word, do you?
[Almost every albanian knows italien]
Come on, buy something!
you see, I buy a lot of things when I go to Paris
Chanel
Chanel maybe not, but I'll take water
Is that all? - Yes
Not good! Buy something else, spend more money, do me a favor
You're a real business man
I am no business man. I am a piece of crap
Bye! - Oh, ok...
No? Where are you going? Anyway you're not staying here tonight!
Right, I would like to, but oh well...
party time?
What is it? - to film
That's nice, thank you very much
There's a wedding - is that yours?
No, my cousin is getting married
well, at this point, I'm gonna ask
Can I come? - Why not
Good, so I'm going for a walk and I'll come back in an hour
There!
[I have to find a wedding gift]
I'm gonna buy a frame.. it could be funny
Let's not put the cart before the horse, I'll rather buy a wedding frame
Is it for a gift? - yes
Do you have gift paper? - Sure
I'm shining my shoes a bit because I'm going to a wedding
So I'm trying to look as good as possible!
I don't know who maintains the streets here, but it's not great
How can I possibly arrive with clean shoes?
beautiful isn't it?
Is he the groom? - No, he's the brother
Apparently it's not working anymore
I give you the present
7 :30 pm : the "gjiro" begins
Well, it's much more lively now
There's people walking on the beach, and people walking on the pier
Now let's just make some friends
Do you speak french?
Alright then... let's do as everybody, I'm gonna walk
I didn't understand a word
Hi, what are you doing? - Just walking
But why? - Nothing else to do
To see pretty girls
Here, the relationship between boys and girls is not easy
There's a strong separation?
Here, the tradition says that a girl who's not a *** cannot get married
It's the tradition? - It was
It was or it is? - it's still
I'm with the tradition - You like it?
Not me - you don't
Oh my!
And you don't go back in the opposite direction?
So now we are going in the opposite direction
I saw you, you looked at them!
This is my father
Too many buildings uh? That's what he said right?
I got it because I'm very surprised : why do they build nice buildings
and neglect the roads?
Because they earn money with buildings, not with the roads
mafia, politics
politics keep all the money they don't care about the people
The only thing they care about is their big expensive cars
you think I can come to your house, to see your father?
His father works on a ship - he's a sailor?
Yes, he gets up early to go to work, he is a cook
Is he going far? - Yeah, to Europe. Turkey...
This is the ship - This big ship over there?
I think so
Thank you, it was nice to meet you. And say hello to your father!
Now there are only the cars left, there are less and less people on the walk
So I think that it's over for tonight!
Good night!
This is the center of Shkodra
With its beautiful mosque
My aim is to go to the surrounding mountains, to remote areas
So I have to find a transportation
I don't yet what I'm looking for, I haven't decided motorbike, car... I don't know
I'd like to rent a motorbike
No, only taxis
I'm gonna find a motorbike.Thank you
I want to rent a motorbike
You're not gonna find it here
I'm looking for a motorbike for a day
I can't find a motorbike, so I'm going to rent a car
I'd like to rent a car, can I find that in Shkodra? - No
Do you know where I can find a car rental? - No
Not possible
It's too bad, I expected everything but that, now I don't know what I'm gonna do
You speak french? - yes
I'm looking for a motorbike rental
there's no motorbike rental here
there's none? - come on...
And a car rental? - You can only take a cab
You live here? - I've lived during 7 years in Haute Savoie
at Evian les bains (France)
[Rafaël did a design training ]
I'll say goodbye
Are you leaving? You're gonna have a coffee? - Yes
Can I come? - Yeah
So how i'm gonna do? I want to go to the villages in the mountains by myself
It's screwed
Do you know where you're going?
No I haven't look at the map, I don't know, I don't plan, I like not to have plans
If I go that way
Those is remote villages
That's what I want
It's 4 - 5 hours drive - why is that?
In winter, there's no road, because of the snow etc. And you have to be careful
Wolves ...
There's wolves? - Of course, why should there be no wolf in Albania?
But wolves are not a problem, for people
No but... I say that for you, go wherever you want
although I can't understand what you're going to do in remote villages
Well I wanna see how it is...
And with people who cannot speak french, italian nor english
I don't know how you're gonna understand each other
So there is a car rental then!
where? - downtown
Your joker - Well yes, fortunately this one was here!
And what do you usually do in the evening?
Have coffee, have a walk, we do what our mothers ask us
Your mothers? You still live with your mother? - Yes of course
That's how it is in Albania? - Yes yes yes
Can I come? - Stop it!
Why can't I? I'm going tomorrow to the country and tonight I'm gonna meet your family
You ask too much from life - I don't ask too much, I keep asking
If you don't ask, you don't get anything
You speak english?
How you're doing? - I'm ok...
He's eating sausages
I want to rent a car
How much is it?
How long? - 2 days
You hear me? 90 - ok
Thank you very much and see you tomorrow - goodnight
Where is he? - NYC
It's the first time that I find myself using skype for an online simultaneous translation
Actually it's not a bad idea, it works very well
I found a small village called Prekal, on a mountain road which is white on the map
the others are yellow, so it should mean that it's a trail
I want to go to Prekal - straight
And I've planed to go with this car - Not good. Too low. It's not a good car
So I'm going anyway, because sometimes they say you can't when you can, so I'm gonna try
Do you know how to go to Prekal?
You're going to Prekal too? - yeah
Where are you from my friend? You speak english? - a little
You live in Prekal? - No, when I was a child
Ok let's go
Here it is, it's the end of the road, this is the trail
So far it's alright
Prekal, 10 minutes? 1 hour? - 1 hour
I live there. - This road right here?
You coming? We'll have a coffee
We go with the car? - 5 minutes
Is the bridge solid enough for the car? - Yes
We'll see right away if we can go up
big stone
We're almost there, but it's not the right car to do this
I drove very very slowly, so this was not a good calculation. But it's done
[we end up walking]
so "mirë" means hello
[Actually it means "Good"]
It's very hot
Your children? - yes, 1, 2, there 3
There's one sleeping here?!
How long to go to Prekal? How many kilometers? - 12 (7.5 miles)
I think I'm gonna give up on Prekal
Ah well! He's gonna drink too
How do you say thanks? - Faleminderit
I am very happy to be here. You understand?
Look at these mountains!
Albanian meat! - meat?! No, cat
It's not meat, it's a cat!
Arben is Kujtim's cousin
What is it?
Ah ok, to smoke out the bees
Come here!
Here, during winter... Snow?
Till there
I love these lights in the mountains, where it's night on one side and full sun on the other
snake
not dangerous? - no
they play tiny dominos
cucumber "kactravec"
good? - yes
I'm sure that dinners are not always like that, that they did this for me
So here of course, I'm gonna leave something for them
This dinner...
delicious
No problem, I have a sleepingbag
Mr sleeps there, you here
And the mother? - there
And the kids? - there
So I'm going to bed now I guess
Here it is, the end of this trip in Albania
Not quite since I have to return the car
But if I drive as slowly as I did to get here, it should be fine
Nonetheless, I'll see you again I don't where, I don't know when, but see you soon!