Mid Spring road trip with Yuri as guide and translator and Gjergj as driver and bodyguard, and yes we were carrying a rifle in the car. Not to be used, God forbid, but just because everybody else was carrying guns, either hanging from their belts or strapped on their shoulder. Besides that, Albania offered unexpected architectural beauties and almost unknown archeological sites, pristine outdoors but widespread poverty as the country had recently put an end to an almost four-decade-long strict dictatorship.

Canon A1, Canon T90. Ektachrome 100 and 400. I also carried around the whole country a Manfrotto tripod I wasn’t allowed to use either in mosques or in churches. When during transfers I cleaned the lenses with a sheet of Kodak lens cleaning paper, Gjergj always silently followed the entire operation then suddenly burst in an amused laugh.

All photos ©Michele Molinari