Black Out

I woke up to such peace and calm. I didn't think much. The usual cascade of voices flowing from the playground is usually a bit subdued or delayed on Saturday.
At 8, my neighbors friend Ilir came to replace my lock (see post: Locked In). I tried to show him how it sticks but it was difficult without electricity. I wasn't sure why I had no electricity but wasn't so concerned. I'm up to date on my bills and can deal with a little black out.

Ilir returned after work at 11 to continue. The lights were still out. Now I was getting slightly concerned. Ilir- I don't have electricity I said. I know he said. I don't know why I said. He responded with the shocking "no one has, no one." Well I certainly know that my neighborhood runs out but no one? And what does "no one" really mean. I asked "No one in the city? Or the neighborhood". "No on in Vlore, Fier, Tirana, Durres". Shocked I looked at him "No one in the whole country??". "Since 5am." He replied.

Unfortunately, I missed the blackouts in my two favorite cities, having been in London when the blackout happened in NY and visa versa. Finally, I hit the right cit and the right time.

If you're going to be in any country when there is a massive blackout affecting millions you want to be stuck in the country in which people walk into the bank with pockets full of cash and are handed, by the bank, lined plastic bags with handles to hold their cash. You want to be in a country where stores have massive generators that take up the sidewalks. For blackouts, Albania is the place to be.

London went was vastly amused when the blackout happened in New York. I remember reading the headlines loudly screeching "Why it could never happen here" only to find it, in fact, happening there a little later. My disappointment at missing the most exciting day of the year was slightly tempered by the holds no bar British press.

New Yorkers didn't know what to do- the had no cash. Swipe, tap and go temporarily disabled people had to resort to using their laundry quarters. Everyone popped up as a taxi driver and to stop from melting away Popsicles were given out like, well, the candy their are. People drank whatever money the could unable to go anywhere.

In Albania, however, life went on as normal. I went to the post office to claim my package confident in the reliability of the god old ledger system. On arrival, I was correct. The ledger, paper slip, and stamping system did not disappoint. The post office was running smoothly, so smoothly in fact, I would have never even known there was a country wide 6 hour long black out.

Outside, things were a bit more quiet as internet shops were closes and music couldn't blare, however things were pretty much normal. No panic, no stress, freaking out or throwing of laundry quarters to random man in vans you've jumped into take you uptown (you know exactly who I'm talking about). Life went on.

On a side note- my water situation is improving. I now have regained water in the bathroom sink