Promised Pictures from Shea's Camera

Landi by the walls before cinder blocks are added

First glimpse of walls

Shea stacking bricks

Brian and some new co-workers

Building the walls

One of the construction workers doing a great job

Check out the view behind the jobsite

Brian and Emiland arrived yesterday evening in San Francisco.  The next trip planned will be for the ribbon cutting and celebrationg the opening of the distillery since its operational date in April. 

Gjithe te mirat

"All the best"

MI



Walls

Brian posted this picture on facebook- the first glimpse of the distillery building with walls!

Super exciting and more pictures to come.

Gjithe te mirat
"All the best"

MI

The Traveling Continues

Shea made it to Oklahoma City safely and Brian and Emiland head out from Tirana to San Francisco at noon tomorrow (Albania time).  Pictures of the building and adventures should be posted in the next few days.

Gjithe te mirat
"All the best"

MI

Home Again Home Again

Earlier this evening, or late evening in Albania, Shea began his journey back to Oklahoma from Tirana.  Wishing him safe travels and hope to make a post about his first experience in "The Land of the Eagles."

More to come on the purchase of their distillers as well as meetings throughout the trip.

Gjithe te mirat
"All the best"

MI

Putting Up Walls

More pictures are on the way, but per Emiland walls are going up on the building and the guys helped move cinder blocks at the jobsite.  As soon as pictures are emailed they will be posted here.

Gjithe te mirat
"All the best"

MI

Seeing With Their Own Eyes

Brian, Emiland, and Shea arrived in Tirana, Albania safely and immediately began work.  One of their first stops was construction site for their distillery.  They spoke with the construction company about the process and timeline for completion. 

Brian and Emiland walking the jobsite

Starting to look like a building!

Shea and Brian observing

Emiland taking a look

They met with the mayor of the city where the building is located to have a coffee and will soon go back to have dinner with him.  When the distillery is finished the mayor and many other local and country officials will be present for a ribbon cutting ceremony.  It is wonderful to feel welcomed by the community! 

Also, they are going to meet with a company in a town called Lushnje, which is about an hour or two south of Tirana, to see if they can purchase distiller equipment from a company there.  Originally the plan was to travel to Bulgaria, about two hours east of Sophia, to purchase the equipment but it looks like the possibility of buying the products closer to home is becoming a reality.

The next few days will be spent meeting with the distiller and his family, updating the USAID office on the progress of the company, and meeting with the local farmers of the herbs and plants for the next season's production. 

Jet lag is gradually fading away and the guys are enjoying the beginnings of spring in Albania.  This is Shea's first time to visit, Brian's second, and another visit home for Emiland. 

Beautiful flowers on the construction property

Gjithe te mirat
"All the best"

MI

Leaving On a Jet Plane

Source: http://www.orpheusnyc.com/buchbinder.html
Found through Google Images

Brian, Emiland, and Shea begin their trip to Albania today.  Although technology and airlines make the world seem smaller, it seemed right to explain exactly how long the flight time is to travel from San Francisco, CA to Tirana, Albania.

San Francisco, CA to Toronto, Canada
Travel time: 5 hours
Layover: 1 and a half hours

Toronto, Canada to Vienna, Austria
Travel time: 9 hours
Layover: 4 hours

Vienna, Austria to Tirana, Albania
Travel time: 1 and half hours

Estimated Total Travel Time (including layovers): 21 hours

Not bad at all in comparison to itineraries Emiland has had before.  Let me just say 6 hours in Detroit and 8 hours in Budapest, Hungary going and coming back 22 hours in Amsterdam and another 6 hours in Detroit.  Through that itinerary, an hour or two delay seems like nothing! 

Wishing the guys great airline food and comfortable seats with lots of leg room!

Gjithe te mirat
"All the best"

MI

Construction Progress

Below are recent pictures from the distillery job site.  Thanks, Petrit, for taking the photos!  More pictures to come as Brian, Emiland, and Shea are going to Albania this Wednesday, March 9th through March 20th. 

Rruge te mbare!  "Safe travels!"

Beautiful view of the Albanian countryside.



The supplies ready to mix the concrete and pour.  The rocks on the left will be used to level the ground.



Lots of rocks ready to level the foundation



Gjithe te mirat

"All the best"

MI