Places where time stands still

When we come upon places where time stands still, the immediate question is why. During their history, they undoubtedly had meaning and purpose. An abandoned site can be a fantastic location. They allow us to focus on a period and look back and view life through a unique perspective. But, unfortunately, some places seem to have vanished forever.

The Buzludzha Monument, Bulgaria

Although it looks like a giant concrete saucer perched on top of a mountain, this monument symbolizes Bulgaria’s communist ideology. The story behind the structure goes back to 1891. This location is where Bulgaria’s socialist party founders met to assess Bulgaria’s future. 

Eventually, the monument’s construction began many years later, and in 194 was completed. They were creating a testament to  Bulgarian and Soviet ideologies. However, the most impressive feature of the Buzludzha Monument is the massive sickle and Hammer located in the domed ceiling and a central focusing point.

The building eventually fell to squalor after the Bulgarian communist party dissolved following the revolution in 1989. The government then took over the structure’s ownership, securing it by simply sealing the main entrance. As a result, the monument has been vandalized many times, with any value removed long ago.

The Cinema At The End Of The World

Sometimes, you will encounter something you would never expect to see or find. Such was the case of The Cinema in the Sinai Desert. Creating a place that time stands still.  A projectionist paradise that has yet to show a single film, leaving many questions and few answers.

Built and designed by Diynn  Eadel, a French film buff during the 1990s. It is not definite, but somehow Eadel managed to secure the appropriate funds and permits to build this colossus of a theatre in the middle of the desert. Many of those who invested were Parisians who shared his passion for cinema and antiquities. As it turns out, many of the 700 seats were actually from the older theatres that were once in Cairo, Egypt. 

Sadly the theatre never opened, and no one is sure why—finally, a movie plot with more twists than answers. As a result of a television report, vandals stripped the location like vultures to prey. Consequently, there was no popcorn anywhere.

Coco Palms, The Hawaiian Islands

The Coco Palms Resort & Spa is an island off Hawaii’s coast. It was the setting for the film Blue Hawaii. With the official opening taking place in 1953. The MGM film “Miss Sadie Thompson” is responsible for the resort’s early success. Upon Elvis Presley’s arrival, and with the success of the film “Blue Hawaii,” the resort became a worldwide tourist destination for those wanting to partake in Elvis’s south pacific paradise.

Decades passed, and many still sought Coco Palms as an iconic Hawaiian destination. However, In 1992, Coco Palms was hit by hurricane Inki. The storm caused extensive damage, the repair costs were enormous, forcing many insurance companies and local businesses into bankruptcy. Soon the island and resort were deep into a recession, and it would never recover.

Abandoned thieves and vandals soon overtook the still dismal resort. The thieves primarily targeted cottage 56, the suite where Elvis stayed. However, many proposals have been to reconstruct the property and restore it to its once glorious state. Unfortunately, none of these dreams have come to fruition. Or will it become a place where time stands still.

Doel, Belgium

Although the tiny town of Doel has been in existence for over 700 years, that still did not stop Belgian bureaucrats from scheduling it for demolition to expand the harbour. Slated for demolition, Doel slowly became a ghost town as many residents abandoned their town. However, a few citizens refused to leave and took a unique stand for civil disobedience. They invited artists from nearby to use the town as their canvas. As a result, Doel became an art gallery. These graffiti artists transformed the town’s empty buildings into works of art.

The results were far beyond what anyone could have imagined—juxtaposing an old canvas with new ideas of expression and techniques. Unfortunately, the intervening art “pop-up” was insufficient, and the media soon latched on to another story. Twenty-five residence of Doel remains, with the location slated for demolition. Until then, enjoy it if you have the opportunity.

Hashima Island, Japan

Hashima Island. Or as the locals refer to it as Battleship Island. It might look like a massive concrete battleship when approached from the water. However, behind its walls are giant boulders, and sea caves have a much deeper and darker history than the surrounding waters.

Hashima was a coal mining town that existed from 1887 to 1974 and was instrumental in the industrialization of Japan. The labour was intensive, and because of this, the town’s demand for workers was high. As a result, it became home to over 5,000 miners in 1959. Consequently, the living conditions declined and resembled a prison. Making this 16-acre parcel of land the most densely populated island in the world during its existence.

In the 1960s, petroleum began to replace coal in Japan. Many mines, including Hashima, were then shut down in 1974. An evacuation of the island took place. Within a few weeks, the island was left to decay and has become no more than a ghost town. A testiment of industrialism and a place where time stands still.

Kitsault, Canada

The little-known town of Kitsault, located in Northern British Columbia, Canada, was a prosperous mining colony. It boasted various facilities and housing, including a hospital, a shopping mall, and a bank—a northern paradise albeit remote.

The town came into existence in 1979, with the discovery of molybdenum, a steel production facility started.  Unfortunately, the prosperity of this community was short-lived.  However, by 1983, the molybdenum price crash caused the mine to close, leading to the town’s collapse. Kitsault rendered a ghost town overnight. Becoming another place that time stands still.

In 2004, a businessman purchased the town from its previous owner for close to 5 million USD with the hope of resurrecting the area transforming it into a flourishing community. However, as far as we know, this area in the great northwest still sits dormant. 

The Parisian Time Capsule Apartment

Time capsules are fascinating, as they provide a clear view into the past. While most of them are intentionally built into the cornerstone of a building, discovering one is always exciting. What heightens the anticipation is when you stumble upon one by chance. 

During the 1940s, at the beginning of world war two, Mrs. De Florian took most of her belonging and fled to the south of France to avoid the Nazi impact that Paris was about to endure. Locking the door behind, she never again returned to her Parisian apartment. Her residence was left locked and unoccupied for over 70 years. Upon her death, her heirs took inventory of the apartment’s contents. 

Time had forgotten this location, 70 years of dust covered the room’s contents. Glass perfume bottles, silver hair combs, and small books, but inside the vanity’s drawers lay the true treasure. An enchanting place where time stands still. The room had everything intact, including an exquisite painting of a woman dressed in pink.

Aside from the painting, the family also came across a couple of old love letters neatly wrapped in ribbon. Initially, no one paid much attention to the letters until someone took a look at the signature. They were signed by Giovanni Baldini, one of Italy’s most influential artists during the Belle Epoque. The painting was of De Florian’s grandmother, an actress, courtesan, and a significant woman in French society. The artwork that depicts De Florian sold for almost 3 million USD.

Tkvarcheli, Georgia. A Soviet reminder

A few other countries recognize a ghost town located in Georgia’s Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia. However, most other parts of the world view this as a remnant of a Georgian city that fueled the Soviet industry.

The city of Tkarcheli was constructed during the 1940s. During the Soviet reign in eastern Europe, and built to endure the years of service it received. However, when Georgia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, it fell into the hands of the Georgians. 

Unfortunately, the Tkvarcheli occupation by the Georgians was very short-lived. A year it was reclaimed by Agkhaz and Soviet forces.

Therefore, the town didn’t have time to prosper as the Soviet era was quickly ending. The city was already struggling during the Soviet period. With a dramatic drop in population – less than 2,000 inhabitants, the town became an abandoned community with no other opportunities.

It has become a recurring theme and a reminder of Soviet power.

Two Guns, Arizona

Driving along Route 66 became so popular that it affected many people’s lives, including Earle and Louise Cundiff and Harry Miller. Canyon Lodge was a popular stop to refill for supplies owned by the Cundiff’s. Harry “Two Guns” Miller recognized the tourist potential and leased the land from the Cundiffs for ten years. Subsequently, he transformed the once meagre trading post into an entire tourist attraction and renamed it “Two Guns.” 

One of these “attractions” was a canyon that was the site of a furious battle between Apache and the Navajos (native American tribes). Here we also find another location of historical significance, the Apache “Death Cave.” Here it is thought to entomb the bodies of 40 or more Apaches that died during this horrible battle. Harry Miller renamed it the “Mystery Cave” to become a tourist attraction. As if that was not disrespectful in itself, here he built fake ruins. He sold the human remains found within the caves as souvenirs as a final indignity.  

The town suffered a major robbery, which led to a heated argument between the Cundiffs and Miller. Leaving Earl Cundiff shot dead. The Judge acquitted Mr. Miller, although there were many witnesses. Soon after that (karma), Miller was attacked twice by mountain lions. And he was a snack for a Gila monster. In 1929, as if this streak of bad luck could not continue, the entire town burned down. Still pursuing his claim to the land, Harry Miller lost his court battle against Louise Cundiff. Harry “two Guns” left Canyon Lodge, never to heard from again. 

Route 66 rerouted to another canyon, and “Two Guns” and its short legacy disappeared into the Western Sunset and, with it, obscurity.

The Abandoned Salton Riviera, California

The Salton Riviera is a spectacular place to visit. It indeed looks like a location that time abandons. Still, it was not always this way, as it was once known as the Salton Riviera. It was created at the turn of the century when the Colorado River overflowed and created Salton lake in a land depression in the middle of the desert—making it the largest lake in California.

Many people thought that the lake would eventually dry out, but it didn’t happen for a long time. Years came and went, and the water levels were consistent. Developers then realized that the area could become a tourist destination. Before long, many Californians were coming in droves to experience the “Miracle in the desert.” Thus “The Salton Sea” was born. Never to stand in the way of “progress,” the area soon became known as “The French Riviera of California.” The territory became alive with many tourist industries and attractions, with some people taking permanent residence there.

The place would eventually become too salty for humans to swim. Over the years, scientists have found millions of dead fish floating in the lake and the once-pristine beaches littered with their decaying remains. The smell of rotting fish made the place unbearable for visitors. Soon paradise was lost, and the once-prosperous Riviera was left uninhabited virtually overnight.

Today you can visit The Salton Sea, and some locals have decided to stay- primarily of the virtually free real estate costs. Closer to squatting. But be prepared. The stench of rotting fish can be gut-wrenching.

Lets visit

We find a great deal of knowledge in many of these derelict locations. Many give us insight, and some merely beg us to ask many more questions. Have you ever been to a place where time stands still?  Or perhaps an abandoned area where you can see its history unfold before your eyes? If so, we would love to hear about it and maybe even write a short article about your experiences. So please comment below, and we will be sure to respond.

As always, it is our privilege to share our findings with you.

So, until next time, it is Your Vacation, Your Escape.

VTE