Berlin is a city where many fortunes, leaders, immigrants, chances and money move. The city wakes up when you think you're going to sleep. They are not loved and you hardly understand what they think. But when it comes to sunny countries, the Germans are immediately understood.
Irena Dai, a diplomat at our embassy in Berlin, who also happens to be my reunion after 20 years with a high school friend, calmly answers my curious questions.
Where do you go for the weekend? What do Germans do at the weekend...etc etc
"There is not much concept of the weekend here", - Irena tells me. It is the weather that does not favor traveling within the country. Mostly Germans, when they leave home, go and take vacations in sunny places.
So, as you can see, we came to the topic.
I was at the Berlin fair, ITB which is an acronym from the German for the presentation of tourist offers from all over the world - "Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin".
Albania signed the agreement for the place of honor in this fair. In 2025, the name Albania will be written in every corner of ITB Berlin.
The fair is frighteningly gigantic. The biggest in the world.
At this year's stand, Albania was in two colors, green and blue, but with the logo of many senses, "Albania all senses".
"What do the Germans want from us?" - is the question. Except the sun that is...
Germans love hiking, the sea, the green, and the prices that everyone loves, no matter how rich they are.
In summer, flights are a bit expensive, even on low cost lines. Hmmm...
The mayor of Vlora, Ermal Dredha, says that he does not expect that they will come to Vlora only for vacations, but also for investments.
While Olti Caci, from Saranda, says that they will make Ksamil a puppet. Let's hope!
The fame of Albania, as an unknown country to be discovered, is not lacking already, even though a dance is being thrown in the background now that I am writing these lines, with Minister Kumbaro who is the head, our ambassador in Berlin, operators and mayors , reminds you of our systematic effort to be seen, to be heard, to say that we exist.
If you were all in person at this fair, you would see for yourself how wise and safe the giants of tourism are. Greece, Italy, Spain, Arab countries with unprecedented splendor, Bavaria with unprecedented wealth or Turkey, which welcomes and escorts everyone who stops by the stand with good baklava with sticks and Turkish delight. They follow you from behind, literally, they give you Turkish delight and roasted chickpeas, even skewered chickpeas if you want.
They are different, different from Germanic ice. But even the latter is charming, because they are obviously rich, secure, powerful.
In essence, everyone remembers the power of history, experience, and we must see and learn from the best. From the neighbors.
"Venturis Ferries" tells me that Durrës-Bari-Igoumenica tickets are all sold out for the summer.
Arben Cipa, who has a tourist agency, says that Albania is a hot spot.
The joy from the "Happy Tour" tells me with his voice that from all the meetings at ITB Berlin, he remembered a "real estate" lady who mediated for American women who want to live in Europe and see Albania as an opportunity for buy a property.
The house of the Albanian is God's and friend's, it seems to me now even to the tourist!
But Albania is especially our home. I think we can all do about it, even though that sentence seems so far-fetched. No country is made without the love and attention of all its people.
*The reprinting of the "25 lines of Mira" column is prohibited without the permission of the editor
