I’m currently in Ostrava, an industrial city in Moravia-Silesia near the border with Poland. Ostrava is twinned with Coventry, from where a lot of my family come.

Architecturally, the city is unlovely; there used to be a lot of heavy industry, particularly coal mining, and the marks of Communism in the buildings are everywhere. Although as much as possible has been done to brighten things up – just painting the concrete makes a difference – it’s still bleak on a rainy weekend.

I’ve only once been to a former Communist country before, when I visited St Petersburg. The heart of that city was saved from the delights of Soviet architecture; Ostrava was not so lucky. This would have been a depressing place to be under Communism.

I went to the coal mining museum today. It feels for all the world as if the miners have just downed their tools and will be back tomorrow; the clothes hanging in the changing room look as if they’ve just been taken off. The mine closed in 1994. Inside, photos of chief engineers, many with an impressive array of medals, decorate the walls. I found myself wishing I’d brought my camera; the facility was striking. The main mine building looks very much like a British Victorian edifice – solid and red brick. Some of the machinery on the surface has rusted and plants are growing along the conveyors that used to carry the coal.

My apologies for the slightly odd post; I’m in a slightly odd mood.

xD.

Posted on Sunday, September 21st, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Categories: Travels.
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