SEE ALBANIA IN 3 DAYS

A traveler's notes by John Fisher

February is a good time to see Albania, because the weather is moderate and there are few tourists. Rain is a possibility, but it's not a cold rain. With this in mind I set out with two friends, Muje and Nuhi to see what we could see in three days in Albania. We focused on history and food, which was absolutely fine for me.

Both Muje and Nuhi are Albanians from near by Macedonia. Albanian was their first language and they both has been raised in the culture. Muje spoke good English and Nuhi knew only a few words. I speak only a few words of Albanian. Nuhi and I passed a lot of time learning each other's languages. Nuhi drove and I sat in the passenger seat.

I had spent over a week in Kosovo on business so Muje and Nuhi picked me up there. We drove Kosovo's four lane highway E851 from Pristina to the border of Albania. Soon after crossing the border into Albania, we stopped to get a view of the majestic Accursed Mountain range that welcomed us. The mountains were snow covered and reminded me very much of some of the mountains I see in my home state of Utah. On one side we saw the White Drin or river and on the other the Bardhoc and Gjegjen mountains.

Majestic mountains welcomed us to Albania. 

An hour later we left the major freeway and made our way to the town of Lezhë where Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, Albania's warrior hero, was buried in St. Nicholas church in 1466 at 61 years old. At first Kastrioti fought for the Ottomans and was given the name Skanderbeg a designation for leader. But, then he turned against them in a rebellion that was to free Albania from Ottoman rule, at least during his lifetime. The names of his battles in locations in Albania and Macedonia are listed on shields along the walls of the memorial. After his death, according to our guide, legend says that the Ottomans took his bones from his grave and scattered them on the ground. His followers secreted them away and returned them to St. Nicholas church.  After the fall of Albania to the Ottomans the Kingdom of Naples gave land and noble title to Skanderbeg's family, the Kastrioti (Castriota).

We paid a guide to open the church doors and give us a tour.

A bust of Kastrioti sits under the Albanian flag. Along the walls
are shields naming the locations of Kastrioti's battles. 

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Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings at Trump Inauguration

Mormon Tabernacle Choir at Inauguration

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang at the swearing-in ceremony of the nation’s 45th president, Donald J. Trump, just before noon on January 20, 2017. According to a Choir press release, the 215-member choir were dressed in crème-colored coats with matching turtleneck sweaters accented with red-plaid scarves. Conducted by music director Mack Wilberg, they sang his inspiring arrangement of “America, the Beautiful.”

The Choir was accompanied by “The President’s Own®” United States Marine Band® led by director Lieutenant Colonel Jason K. Fettig. The United States Marine Band®, founded in 1798 by an act of Congress, is America’s oldest continuously active professional musical organization today. This celebrated band performed with the Choir in the Salt Lake Tabernacle on the September 21, 2014 broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word. (Watch “The Armed Forces Medley” and “Let Freedom Ring.”)

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has performed for U. S. presidents of both parties in many settings, including six previous presidential inaugurals. The previous inaugural performances have included swearing-in ceremonies, appearances in the inaugural parade and at the inaugural opening ceremony as well as at a devotional program. The Choir’s participation in these events is not an implied support of party affiliations or politics, but rather a demonstration of its support for freedom, civility and the peaceful transition of power. The 2017 participation in the swearing-in ceremony of the 45th president is the Choir’s seventh inaugural performance.

“The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has a great tradition of performing at the inaugurals of U.S. presidents," said Ron Jarrett, president of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. "Singing the music of America is one of the things we do best. We were honored to be able to serve our country by providing music for the inauguration of our newest president."

Because of space limitations on the platform at the U.S. Capitol, the normally 360-voice Choir was limited to having just 215 members perform.  Because so many more Choir members volunteered to sing than the number required, Choir leaders used a random selection process to choose those who would travel to Washington DC to perform.

For more coverage about the Choir’s performance at the 58th inaugural and for detailed information about the Choir’s previous inaugural performances, see the following:

• Mormon Newsroom inauguration coverage
• History of Choir Performances at Presidential Inaugurals
• Blog: How the Choir Almost Missed the 1965 Johnson Inauguration
• Listen to the Choir sing "America the Beautiful" at the Inauguration Ceremony

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