Discovering Estonia: First night in Sillamae
Published on
“Where?! " "Why do you want to go there?” Once in my hotel and after a not-too-bad chicken with Greek cheese and herbes provençale I tried to ask to the young guy sitting in the lobby if he knew anyone crazy enough to joining me for my nuclear tourism. “Do you know how to get to the old nuclear factory?” “Where?! Why do you want to go there? It is strictly forbidden, it is a border zone.
You cannot go in there. It is dangerous”
I seriously appreciate his try to keep me away from that place as I could not keep my ironic smile hidden when I have seen the expression of his eyes when I named such a place, but this will not keep me far from my try.
I know I will never manage to go where I would – not this time, but a cab will be outside here at 10am for bringing me till the last reachable place before the factory. The last step before hell.
Anyway, the city is somehow better than expected.
At first I have to admit that I started to regret my choice of running here alone: Soviet dark blocks and not too friendly looking people were the only things I could see.
But after a short walk I finally got to the centre of the city where, even tho the looks I got from locals did not change at all, at least the buildings got much prettier and warm.
The hotel – only one in town – is nice, offers free internet connection and includes a quite bizarre breakfast. While paying for my night I also had to fill a paper specifying the time I will be downstairs and also what I would like to eat.
I even had to write down “cold water”.
Everything else is fine except for the absurdly warm room and a shower which reminded me of my childhood, when I had to make the tour of my house before every shower: as at that time I have just discovered that is someone in this floor is up to a warm shower is better to wait.