Sillamäe is the first big town west of Narva, on the way to Tallinn on the edge of the Baltic Sea. Hundreds of Soviet era apartment blocks rise out of the sand, each one packed with people. You wonder where they all work since there isn't much sign of industry or commerce other than one pair of tall smokestacks. But there are plenty of young families pushing baby carriages and older folks out to buy groceries.

The Sõtke river sweeps through
the town of Sillamäe, Estonia.

For some 50 years during the Soviet era, Sillamäe was not on the map. It was a center for uranium extraction and considered a top secret military installation. Now, the people are working to build it into a thriving town.

As you drive along the road that parallels the beach, you notice that it feels homey and pleasant. The streets are lined with European elms. There's a long promenade that leads up a tall staircase toward a church. A bit further on you'll see the Sõtke river winding along its course. There's also a harbor from which passenger ferries carry visitors back and forth to Kotka, Finland, on the other side of the Baltic Sea.

Tree-lined promenades lead from
the sea toward the center of town.