Its harsh, grey gothic architecture reminded him of a prison

Opole town hall tower, 2002

Town Hall
Opole, Poland
March 1994

He entered the square and looked up at the town hall rising above him. Its harsh, grey gothic architecture reminded him of a prison.

It hadn't changed since he had first seen it in the summer of 1991.

But soon scaffolding would be erected and workmen would go about painting it a cheerful shade of yellow for several weeks, if not months.

It would never be the same again.