One thing I always enjoy about visiting a country that has had a socialist past, is the architecture. I can understand why some don’t enjoy this style, but the clean lines make sense to me. Tirana emerged from its severe dictatorship almost 30 years ago now, but many reminders remain. The brutalist architecture and Skanderbeg …
When Your Mayor is an Artist, Tirana’s Colour
One thing I was not expecting from Tirana, are its brightly painted buildings with lavish brush strokes of colour. But this is exactly what I found when I began exploring the city in earnest. When your mayor is an artist, Tirana’s colour explodes. Brief History After the ending of a severe and lengthy communist era, …
My First Impressions of Tirana Albania
I’m very excited to begin exploring a new destination. Having never been here, I decided to do little research beyond the basics. I wanted to experience this city as naively as possible, hoping that I would not be influenced by preconceived notions. Here are my first impressions of Tirana Albania. Traffic So heavy. I should …
The Fraternal Barrow Memorial Complex
One day, I was walking around, exploring the area far beyond the tourist zone. In the distance I could see this massive white structure that I decided to investigate on another day. Well, today was that day. What I found was the Fraternal Barrow Memorial Complex or sometimes nicknamed the ‘Brotherly Mound’. Brief History Only …