'The block' is a relatively small patchwork of streets in southwest central Tirana, saturated with some of the best bars, restaurants and shops in the city. After the war, the area was full of factories that were cleared to make way for an enclosed and guarded complex of luxury residential buildings for the exclusive use of the country’s ruling elite. Opened to the public during the political changes of the early 1990s, the Blloku is the place to come for fine dining, people-watching from one of the countless outdoor terraces, endlessly driving around in circles in expensive cars, and generally showing off.