Sillamäe, Estonia. July 2021

Sillamäe, did not exist on Soviet maps during the cold war, even though it was home to over 12,000, workers at its uranium processing plant.
A secret town
A secret factory
Nuclear Weapons

Photo Credit: Geoff Moore

I had to visit to see what I could see.

So having negotiated some major road works and congested traffic I arrived, somewhere.

Now this old Art Deco building looked inviting, I parked up close by hoping, praying pleading to The Lord Ganesh, for there to be an "open(ish)" window.

Peeping through the windows, slobbering drool all down my chin at the prospect of seeing all the treasure within.

Making my way over fences through the foliage, I guessed this could have been something to do with the processing plant, an administrative building, maybe or a hotel.

Seems like someone else had similar thoughts, solid.

Bollocks

Now, this is where it gets surreal

There was no way in; so scrambling under some fence at the back I ended up amongst some garages, spotted by a middle aged lady, leaning against one enjoying a smoke.
Blonde
Casually dressed
Middle aged
Not security

Sheepishly I smiled, said hello waved, all friendly like, as I had to walk past her. After asking "do you speak english" and with a grunt in Russian I guessed she didn't.

In sign language, and simple english me trying to communicate " I am a photographer, want to get inside, inside the building, take photos"

Lady in similar fashion, in Russian, broken english and gestures "door" pointing to I think the front door round the corner, where I had already been.

She definitely didn't understand " No I trespass I climb through windows" and off I walked, disheartened.

A few minutes later an old banger of a BMW pulled up alongside me, window down I heard a voice, looking in the driver was the blonde lady.

It went something like this.

" come, come inside I drive, we go to my flat, come"
Feeble half hearted protests about leaving my car, "you will bring me back after"

" yes yes, come"

Well c'mon what's a man gonna do in a situation like this?

I was in the passenger seat quicker than you can say "sheeeeeiiiit"

In was about a 15 minute drive, god knows where we were going, her rabbiting on in Russian, me staring at her tits.

We got to the rear of some half decent flats, well come on my little soldier its time to raise the flag and go into battle.

Getting out of the car she pointed to her place, said "come first I show you beach, it nice blah blah blah"

She said well i think she said her name was Iriene or Irina, I wan't tuned in, I mean I have seen beaches before my mind was elsewhere.

Well we got to the promenade, " nice yes very nice" said she. " I must go, child in apartment, must go"

Excuse me? " what me, what about me" hands thrown up in the air

"You walk there along sea yes, you go there, it is easy" and off she went

Fucking hell!!!!! I've never been lucky.
Didn't fancy her anyway.

The walk back

So back on the tourist trail

In the distance, the "fake church". In reality it was a military look out post

Built in the time of Stalin, this wide boulevard is a far cry from the usual concrete blocks of the era.

Ahh!! The Stalinist block where I should have been making the jiggy jiggy.

I realised I really hadn't got a clue where I was, so I followed her simplistic instructions, and went along the promenade.

I knew the car was somewhere by those big chimneys!!!

Nicely reclaimed

Photo Credit: Geoff Moore

Let's promenade

Puhleeeease! That is not Irena, give me a break, but what stories she could tell. That is a face that has seen a hard life.

I got as far as I could so turned in land over the bridge.

Looks like a splendid old mansion. Nope couldn't get in.

Eventually finding myself back in a more respectable area.

A long closed but very secure former theatre/cinema, what a stunning piece of architecture.

In fact most of the town was far removed from your typical Soviet style.

Well almost all the town.
So what an adventure hmm.
I wonder where my beloved Irene is now

Join me next time as I visit the dead centre for more stiffs