Today it has been raining. Before we came to Albania we were told that the weather from November or December through February would be terribly uncomfortable--cold and wet. Well, it has not been that way--it has been warm and sunny (unlike Seattle...). The locals say that there has not been a winter season like this for a century, and for us that has been good. But for the country it has been bad. The reason is that most of the power supply for Albania comes from hydroelectric plants, and the reservoirs are almost empty. This means that there is a crisis--not just of crops but of all aspects of life, including the power.
Every day now the power is shut off to most of the city at around 9 am, and it may or may not come back on at noon for a while or late afternoon or early evening. Businesses compensate by having individual generators, which makes quite a racket along the streets, and individuals compensate as well. Our apartment has great sunny windows, which makes it bright and warm, so the lack of power much of the day has little effect on us. But when we leave our apartment we have to remember to take a flashlight so we can maneuver the enclosed stairwell, which is plunged into pitch darkness. And with the power off the water is off and the appliances don't work--so you better make your toast before the toaster dies and your coffee before the stove goes cold. It also means that you need to plan clothes washing, as the machine may stop mid-cycle.
All in all, though, the inconveniences are very tolerable and life goes on. It is a bit odd to be walking down the street and hear a collective gasp from every building that is occupied as at the same moment the lights go out and the machines stop running. But that is just part of life in Tirana... The light of the world will never go out, but the lights of the city do!
And so we are grateful for rain. And we hope much more comes...but maybe most of it could hold off until after we leave--or is that just too selfish?