Letter from Albania
This week I had a memorable lunch in a unique place: A restaurant housed in a former bunker and military compound outside Tirana built by former dictator Enver Hoxha
Hello,
Happy Thursday.
A mere 24 hours ago I was in the middle of a memorable lunch in a unique place: A former military bunker and compound on the outskirts of mesmerising Tirana.
It was built by late dictator Enver Hoxha during the height of the Cold War - and the height of his own paranoia - that saw more than 150,000 bunkers built across Albania.
As you walk through the former army site, metal helmets worn by Albanian soldiers during the Cold War now lead the way towards the restaurant housed in the former barracks.
The restaurant is called Kazerma e Cerenit - meaning military barracks in Albanian - which is now a welcoming restaurant serving outstanding Albanian food with a modern twist.
The place is owned by top rated Albanian chef Ismet Shehu, who once trained in the UK and served lunch to the late Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, and who lists Heston Bluementhal as one of his influences.
I managed to grab an interview with the charismatic Ismet, who is so incredibly passionate about food, before we had one of the most memorable meals of my life.
I absolutely love being in the presence of interesting people from all walks of life who are simply passionate about what they do - whatever that may be.
And the utterly fascinating food visionary Ismet had me in his thrall the way he spoke so passionately about his calling.
I won’t say too much more about it just now.
Because I think my feature on such an iconic eatery powered by such a magnetic alchemist deserves a far bigger platform than our humble and enjoyably convivial daily chats among our wonderful small but perfectly formed Substack community - so please watch this space for my future article on Albania’s very own alchemist that will hopefully appear on the wider stage it deserves.
While we’re at it, please do keep an eye out for my special Mundial feature which was the main reason for my trip to Albania this week, called Searching For Sylvinho.
And of course, a Morning Star newspaper piece on Alex Zinchenko helping guide Ukraine to the Nations League play-offs.
This bunker we visited was built by late dictator Enver Hoxha during the height of the Cold War and the height of his paranoia that saw more than 150,000 bunkers built across Albania. CREDIT:
Metal helmets worn by Albanian soldiers during the Cold War at the military compound and bunker outside Tirana. They now lead the way to a welcoming restaurant serving top quality Albanian food by a chef that trained in the UK and once served Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. CREDIT:
Water bottles now hang from the ceiling of the bunker that was once home to Albanian soldiers as part of a military compound on the outskirts of Tirana. CREDIT:
Welcome to Kazerma e Cerenit, a former military barracks and compound now turned into one of the Albania’s best restaurants and agrotourism destinations. CREDIT:
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And now for something completely different, as Monty Python used to say
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North London Is Red. CREDIT: Suzy Lycett shot for the Gooner Fanzine at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
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Arsenal Women vs Juventus Women
Tonight, the Emirates plays host to what is set to be a cracking Champions League clash. I don’t know about you, but I’m already excited about it.
After a tortuously inteminable process during September Arsenal Women eventually reached the knockout stages of the Champions League.
This came after dispatching Rangers 6-0 at Meadow Park, prior to a further one-legged clash, this time edging Rosenborg 1-0, prior to ultimately easing past BK Hacken 4-0 at Boreham Wood in a two-legged tie, after losing the match in Gothenborg, 1-0.
However, any hopes that Jonas Eidevall's side would make a mark in their opening match, were humiliatingly dashed with a 5-2 rout at the hands of Bayern Munich in Germany, during a miserbale run of form sandwiched between a dire 0-0 draw with Everton at the Emirates, prior to losing to WSL rivals Chelsea, that sealed the unpopular Swedes's fate, with Eidevall sacked in the wake of the now infamous "Jonas Out" graffiti that was the final straw for the club.
Renee In
Since that dreadful nadir, the club that has always been at the vanguard of the women's game in this country, has begun to rediscover its form.
The talented squad has been rejuvenated by interim coach Renee Slegers, appointed in the aftermath of Eidevall's depature.
The results have been impressive, with the Gunners imperiously beating Spurs 3-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last weekend to once again prove that North London Is Red, following last season's 1-0 loss under Eidevall.
The victory came after an excellent spell, which started with a 4-1 win over Valengra in the Champions League, prior to 2-0 win at West Ham. Sleegers revitaslied side then gained a creditable draw at Manchester United, denied victory by a late leveller, before dispatching Brighton 5-0 at the Emirates under Friday Night Lights, before routing Juventus 4-0 away last week before success in the North London Derby.
With many now clamouring for the popualr Sleegers to take charge on a more permanent basis - or at least until the end of the season, another impressive result against the Italian giants in North London this evening would go a long way to ensuring such hopes become reality.
Champions League table
Renée Slegers’s side sit second in Group C with six points, with their emphatic wins against Valarenga and Juventus already putting them in a good position to qualify if they post another triumph later
With Arsenal six points adrift in the WSL, the Champions League could provide the club with its best chance of silverware - to go with their 2007-08 win in this tournament, the only victory by an English club in the continent's premier competition, in a never-to-be-forgotten season that saw the team win an unprecedented quadruple.
Follow the match with our Gooner Fanzine Live Blog with Freddie Cardy, and extensive match coverage including Suzy Lycett's photography
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The Gooner Fanzine’s AWFC coverage
One of the things I’m most proud about during my tenure as Gooner Fanzine editor is the fact we have always covered and promoted women’s football, and in particular Arsenal Women.
We’ve got to the point now where have such a talented team, that we can proudly boast a 64-page full colour FREE digital issue solely dedicated to AWFC which you can read here, but also a similarly dedicated newsletter, of which our latest effort came out this lunchtime.
There are so many people who have worked so hard for us to get to this point.
Starting with the brilliant Freddie Cardy and the equally brilliant photographer Suzy Lycett.
Freddie and Suzy have been working in tandem across a number of matches this season, both near and far, from Sweden and Italy to the other end of the Seven Sisters Road, and their work is as good as anything you will read and see on the planet relating to AWFC.
We also have the superb Daisy Goodhand, and Claudia Loy, not to mention our raft of writers contributing to our FREE 64-page full colour digital issue solely covering Arsenal Women (did I mention that already? Get used to it because it’s only going to grow - read it here)
We hope you can give your support to The Arsenal Women, and to Freddie and Suzy and Daisy, and Claudia and everyone else on our Gooner Fanzine AWFC team.
I'd also like to say a massive thank you to all our Arsenal Women associates and sponsors without whose backing our women's issue simply wouldn't exist: Raymond James Hitchin, AISA, AST and JB Utilities.
For those of you on social media you can follow their comprehensive coverage of such an important match @Cardyfreddie and @Boodlepim as well as our website and Gooner Fanzine Facebook page here (please do drop a Like/Follow on our Gooner Fanzine page)
And for tonight's post-match coverage, for the first time, Freddie and Daisy will be doing a live instant reaction after Arsenal Women vs Juventus tonight where they'll be looking back on the game and discussing Renee Slegers' time as interim manager
So, why not tune in on the @GoonerFanzine YouTube channel
See you at the Emirates tonight
Come on you Gunners
Cheers,
Layth