cafebabel.com

Try finding an Arab revolution in Albania

('ZoeBBee',) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:00:00 -0000

Late afternoon, outside the headquarters of Tirana’s central electoral commission. A rather burly group of Albanian socialist party militants await the announcement of the results of the local elections of 8 May. A sizeable police cordon ranged in front of them protects the building where, for the umpteenth time, ballot papers are being counted and recounted. Things seem to have reached an impasse

Can contemporary art change 'new capitalist' Tirana?

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:00:00 -0000

Far from having a ‘pan-Balkan’ culture and being under the influence of a consumerist society, the Albanian capital is exploring new ways of expressing itself. Whilst politicians are tripping on the urns and ignoring blank canvases (literally), local artists are boosting a non-existent contemporary scene

Albanophobia: land for Harry Potter villains?

('shadow',) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:34:14 -0000

Pop culture won’t cease to derive from stereotypes and prejudice. One Serbian journalist, who tentatively packed her bags for Tirana, finds out whether this is a revealing sign of ever-present albanophobia or anti-albanianism

Tirana's mobile, open, creative new generation has arrived

('Lucy Knight',) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:44:00 -0000

With its vintage decor, tartan wallpaper and lounge music, Radio could be any trendy bar in Paris, London or Berlin. But this is Tirana, a city of 700, 000 people and the capital of Albania, a country synonymous with poverty in the minds of most westerners. Yet this lack of interest in the land of eagles has not held young Albanians back from opening up to the outside world

There's no place for art in Tirana

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:30:28 -0000

One German visitor paints a bleak picture of the Albanian capital as a city of art and culture. In delapidated surroundings, the small seeds planted by creative folk via the Marubi academy and Tirana international contemporary art biennial struggle to grow

Albania: polit-tourism between coves and concrete beach bunkers

('Andrew Christie',) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0000

At the confluence of the Adriatic and Ionean Seas lies Albania, Europe’s last undiscovered paradise is now looking to tourism to stimulate its economy and is hoping for a better image in the west after having joined Nato and put in an EU bid. 20 years after the fall of the dictatorship, Albania is developing into a hidden gem for independent travellers

Albania: 'Nato yes, PM Berisha no!'

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0000

Whilst Tirana celebrated an invitation to join the Nato alliance alongside Croatia on 2 April, the opposition mobilised itself to denounce the government

Ornela Vorpsi: me, Albania and the 'whoring of the human race'

('Mary Maistrello',) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0000

The Italian-writing, Paris-dwelling, prize-winning Albanian writer, painter and photographer, 39, describes beauty as disturbing, discusses her inspirations and is hopeful for Kosovo

Albania - El Dorado for tour operators

('Kate Martin',) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Insular for a long time, Albania has not always been a prime destination for travel agents. The current tourist craze for the Adriatic could benefit this little country on the Yugoslav peninsula