Living in oblivion: Albania

Though Albania is situated in the heart of Europe, on the west coast of the Balkan peninsula, the country is not really visible. Half a century of dictatorship, isolation, political and economical collapse in the 90´s made the daily life of Albanian people tough. And wild. Today most them live far away from modernity, some villages up in the mountains beeing even ruled by the KANUN, a medivial age inherited honour codex. Still, Albanians are proud of their culture and their identity. They stand by themselves. While meeting people in the mountains, at bus stations or at the Adriatic Coast, you feel that this country is tough. If someone here looks at you, he fixes you with his eyes as if he could read you. Colonized by Itlay, occupied by Germans and ruled by dictator Enver Hoxha, who isolated the country for 40 years. Afterwards turbo capitalism led to a pyramide game loss of all banksavings and then to gang wars. People were leaving in thousands on crowded ship to Italy or through the mountains to Greece. You feel every scar in the people and the cities.