ALBANIA: Communist era bunkers being converted to restaurants for Albania's fledgling tourist trade

Record ID: 564967

  • Title: ALBANIA: Communist era bunkers being converted to restaurants for Albania's fledgling tourist trade
  • Date: 24th June 2006
  • Summary: (CEEF) KARPENI BEACH, KAVAJA, ALBANIA BUNKERS ON BEACH PEOPLE SITTING ON BEACH NEAR BUNKER DECK CHAIRS WITH PAINTED BUNKER IN BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF INSIDE PAINTED BUNKER VIEW OF BEACH FROM BUNKER WINDOW BUNKER PAINTED IN SUMMER COLOURS TOURISTS IN FRONT OF SUMMER PAINTED BUNKER SUMMER PAINTED BUNKER/BEACH
  • Embargoed: 9th July 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Albania
  • Country: Albania
  • Topics: Lifestyle,Travel / Tourism
  • Reuters ID: LVA3Y231L1TE8H2Z5WMBM29NJHXK
  • Story Text: Albanians have come to learn to live with the more than 700,000 cement bunkers that dot their countryside and line their beaches.
    A legacy of the dictator that ruled the country for 40 years, the bunkers are a symbol of the fear and paranoia that was part of the Enver Hoxha era.
    Hoxha feared invasion from all fronts, but especially from the West. Rather than spending the country's funds on the needs of his people, enormous amounts were instead used to construct the bunkers designed as look-out posts.
    Now, it is common place for people to have bunkers in their gardens. Nestled amongst the vegetables and serving as playground equipment for children, for many people, they are nothing but a problem.
    "I have four bunkers in my garden. I don't know what to do with them. It's best that the government takes care of them," said one man, Mahmut Uku.
    Recognising that tourists are fascinated by the structures, some bar and restaurant owners have decided to make use of their historical appeal.
    "We left the original bunker untouched, not only because of the nostalgia we feel for the old times, but also because of the foreign customers that have the pleasure of having a peaceful coffee inside a warlike bunker - a challenge to war and strife," said Shkelqim Subashi, the owner of one beachside restaurant.
    In the early 90's the first of the bunker restaurants appeared, but recently they have been emerging along several beaches on the Albanian coast.
    Locals are realising the potential of structures that once were being destroyed so villagers could sell the iron that was part of their construction. Many are now signing contracts with the Ministry of Defence to preserve them.
    Mihal Beshiri is the cook at one bunker, that has been re-invented. Not far from his bar, there lies the remains of a massive bunker that had been blown up by villagers and stripped of the majority of its iron.
    "Like the destroyed bunker you saw, many others have been blown up to be sold as iron pieces by the villagers. But thanks to the fishermen, this one has been left in peace and survived, and the people coming here can taste fresh fish," Beshiri said.
    On the Durrsi beach there are now ten bunkers which have become fully working restaurants, and more are being created every day. Some owners are going as far as seeking the help of architects to allow them to use the structures without damaging their unique characteristics.
    And on the beaches - the tourists seem quite at home amongst the bunkers which have been painted in bright summer colours to set the scene.
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