nightride

It's been a while since I moved from Kosice, now only coming back to visit occasionally. Though I probably will be for the rest of my life. There's family, old friends, places I remember, there's all the sentimental reasons one can imagine that make the visit worthwhile.

And amongst other significant places, there is the observation tower. Hidden in forests behind the city perimeter, one has to drive up the steep hill to get there, stroll up the forest and finally take the stairs to the top. And then hopefully appreciate the city underneath.

The tower stands there just over twenty years, long enough to know me properly, having seen me come and go over the years, on my own, with any of handful of my sweethearts, during day or night, in any weather, any season, and, above all, any mood.

Last time I went there was roughly about a year ago; lazy summer afternoon, being left on my own in the city I once knew, I had nothing better to do just to get up there, submerge in reminiscences and indulge in what if's.

Yet, it wasn't the very same tower I knew anymore. Having been recently renovated, there's welded metal grid so one cannot jump out of the top floor, there's security cameras and — to make it a total disaster for generations to come — there's a ticket booth at the bottom of the tower — one has to purchase a ticket in order to see the town!

Consequently, one can only get there when the booth is operating, i.e. during the day, meaning no more moonlit nostalgia, no more Hollywood-style vistas at city lights, no more lustful summer nights, no more romantic trips under the veil of darkness for the youth of 21st century.

And that sucks enormously 'cos it used to be fun.