Around the World in Analogue: Durrës, Albania

In this edition of Around the World in Analogue, community member and Hungarian film photographer Anna Rostova shares her recent visit to Albania, specifically the well-known Durrës Beach in the city of Durrës.

Name: Anna Rostova
LomoHome: @arostova
Social Media: anna_rostova_photography (Instagram)
Camera: Nikon F801
Film: CineStill 800T
Location: Durrës, Albania

Durrës, the second largest city in Albania, is known for its historical architecture, seaside promenade and active urban life. As someone who grew up in the Soviet Union, these are among many things that photographer Anna Rostova pleasantly discovered for herself during her visits to the Southeast European country.

I grew up in the Soviet Union, and in my early years, Albania was a mysterious, impossible-to-get-to country inhabited by strange people speaking an even stranger language. Well, the language still sounds unusual, but I just love Albanian people!

The Durrës Beach, where they stayed during her most recent visit to Albania, is famous with locals and tourists for its beach-side activities which include table games and water sports events, especially during the summer. It is Albania's biggest beach, spanning more than 10 kilometers.

Beautiful land, warm sea (I haven't been to the southern part of the country, where the sea is colder, but clearer), delicious (and cheap!) meals. I've been there three times (living in Hungary made travelling easier), made tons of pictures, but there's still a lot to explore! The pictures I sent are from this year only, and unfortunately, we didn't travel around much this year.

Asked which aspects of Albania made the most impression on her, Anna said the country's military bunkers pique her curiosity. Built in varying sizes all around the country from the 1960s to the 1980s during the Cold War period, some of the bunkers have gained new lives as restaurants, cafes and museums, while many others have been forgotten.

Wikipedia says "Concrete military bunkers are a ubiquitous sight in Albania, with an average of 5.7 bunkers for every square kilometre."

So, you are definitely going to see them. Some of them are just abandoned, full of trash, some are covered in graffiti. Most of them are concrete, but I found one made of bricks and falling apart, so I brought home a piece of bunker.

I don't really like giving advice, but if you're going to Albania, bring a lot of film, both for day and night time.

Many thanks to Anna for sharing her photos and travel stories with us! To keep in touch, visit her LomoHome (@arostova) or follow her on Instagram.

Want to take us Around the World in Analogue? Drop a line to aj.bajo@lomography.com with the subject Around the World in Analogue and share your unforgettable travels with the rest of the community! Read the guidelines here.

written by sylvann on 2023-01-27 #culture #people #places #around-the-world #albania #durres #around-the-world-in-analogue #anna-rostova