A Different Lifetime: Stepping Back in Time in the Former Yugoslavia by Martin Radford

Author:Martin Radford [Radford, Martin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781477588697
Amazon: B008A7K1UE
Goodreads: 15891420
Publisher: Createspace
Published: 2012-06-08T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

The Channel

Well, some cool and inclement weather has again prevented me from going out walking much over the past week or so, but this Sunday afternoon the weather appears to be agreeable for me to resume my exploration of the surrounding areas, and I have decided to head towards the southern boundary of the community. This is the one direction which I have still as yet not explored. So I head out towards the river and follow the esplanade and the flood wall in search of the channel: the man-made body of water that marks the border of Novaginja on its south side. I know from previous walks that if I merely followed the flood wall I will eventually get to the point where my path is blocked by a locked gate, with the view of the mouth of the channel still ahead in the distance. The only other route I could take is to follow the wall as far as the tiny football stadium and then follow the narrow road that provides the only vehicular access for the teams and supporters.

As I followed the narrow road it began to wind around the stadium and follow the length of the far side of the pitch. The area beyond the stadium is apparently a somewhat new development; there are many houses which appear to be of fairly recent construction and many partially constructed houses whose empty shells appear to have been abandoned. There are houses that consist of outer wall and nothing within, and there are odd combinations of houses that have some of their inner walls but no exterior. But strangely, some of these said houses appear to be, or to partially be, lived in.

As yet I’ve not seen one single person, and no vehicles have passed me. And this apparent new housing project is also deserted. Perhaps there really is a connection between bad weather and the apparent disappearance of the local population.

Several streets turn off to my left and head towards a road that I can see bears a certain amount of traffic: this I conclude must be the main road entering Novaginja. But I decide to keep walking straight ahead until finally reaching the point where the houses end. Up ahead, I can see a tall grassy bank that appears to run at a right-angle to the course of the river: this I decide must be the flood bank of the channel. I continue ahead, crossing the short area of waste ground and climbing the bank. Reaching the top, I affirm that I am right, I have reached the channel. Immediately to my right are the large metal floodgates that are closed to act as a dam, blocking the waters of the river from entering, and just beyond I can make out the gateway that bars access from the river path.

Turning to the left, I continue in the direction I would have followed from the river. There are many boats anchored here amongst the tall reeds

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