We saw President and Mrs. Bush today!

Today, with great jubilation, Tirana welcomed President Bush and the First Lady to Albania for the first time. In fact, this was the first time ever that an American President has visited Albania (at least that we know of). So it was a really big deal. Albanians love America and anything American. We joined the crowds this afternoon to watch as his motorcade passed along the main boulevard. It was wonderfully eery today in the city as there were no cars allowed in the "Blok" area or on the main boulevard (see pix below). It made walking much more pleasant without all that diesel dust.

The Etham Bay Mosque and the Clock Tower in the city's center square:


The main boulevard (with no traffic!!):


America & Albania: Partners:


These hats were EVERYWHERE. We even saw a guy wearing one and it was sticking out his sun roof.


Here's the Blok area (no cars!):


Albanian boy with flags:


We've been seeing these choppers flying over the city all week. Today they were all over doing air surveillance.


We had to hold our church meeting on the other side of town because the Blok was closed to many pedestrians and all traffic. Here's a picture of the service this morning:


After walking around the city, we sat by the boulevard for about an hour waiting for the presidential motorcade:


Still waiting, cameras ready:


Then finally they came, from a distance...



We caught a glimpse and a picture of the first lady through the car window:


That's a big gun.


We saw President Bush as he passed by in the motorcade, but couldn't manage to snap a picture of him. We have it all on video though. It was reeeeally cool. We saw the President in Albania :)

Click the link below where it says "click here" to read an interesting New York Times article on Bush's visit to Albania (Thank you, Carol Mitchell, for the link!).