Daily life in Albania

Albania is developing in fits and starts from being the poverty-stricken and most isolated country in Europe, during the communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, to a more democratically run country, with strong ambitions to join the EU. They have been in the waiting room since 2004, because it has not been able to effectively combat corruption and serious crime. These are a legacy of the 1990s when the country was in total anarchy. However, due to Ukraine's accelerated candidate status, accession negotiations started at the end of this year. Thanks to its unspoilt nature, white beaches and ancient towns where you go back in time, Albania now has a great tourist attraction. Especially in the summer, the streets of the cultural hotspots are dominated by all kinds of tourists. Nevertheless, in the back alleys you can still see the authentic population going about their daily chores. During my tour this summer, I specifically focused on portraying local color through urban street scenes and tranquil atmospheric images. The whole has a nostalgic character that evokes memories of the 1970s in the Netherlands, and at the same time shows the typical raw signature of the former Eastern Bloc.