Renovations
I remember driving into Zagreb the first time. It was a cold January morning. The city looked pale. I followed a set of twin spires, Zagreb’s main cathedral, the taxi driver said, all the way from the centre of the city to the apartment we’d rented. The spires were hidden beneath layers of scaffolding; ugly braces on a pretty face.
It’s three years later. The renovations continue. One spire is shiny and perfect. The other is still a work in progress. Along the left edge of the cathedral, uprooted angels stand against a chicken-wire fence, waiting to fly free once again.
It can be a tad disappointing to see the renovations continue for months on end. I used to feel the same with some buildings in Bombay. Somehow it so happened that when I was around town they seemed to be under renovation just then!
Like the work at Fort? It’s been on for years (am not sure if they’ve wrapped up yet or not).
“ugly braces on a pretty face”
Lovely. I am such a sucker for metaphors.
And here I though you were a man for puns, and puns alone
love the line “ugly braces on a pretty face”. I never got to see Zagreb when I was in Croatia. It always does seem though that most cathedrals in Europe are in a constant state of renovation!
To be honest, Zagreb really doesn’t compare to the rest of the country. But it is a pleasant stop-over.
The renovation reminds me of when I went to Athens and saw the Parthenon – there’s scaffolding everywhere.
That really sucks!
Lovely, concise portrait.
Thanks Julie!