 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ukraine |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
This is a photo of Kiev at night. You might be able to see the glass structures on the plaza - these are the sky lights for the shopping plaza under ground. In the background is MacDonalds and Scott tried to take a photo that had several 'icons' in a certain juxaposition to show western influence and eastern influence, but this photo and the day time one, are too small to appreciate it. |
|
|
Kiev, Ukraine - city center. This city, at least in the summer time, closes their main street Saturday evenings and all day Sunday, for people to stroll and for free concerts, street performers and vendors to set their wares up. It was delightful!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mountains along the Crimea Peninsula - This was the only clear/partially clear day we had in Yalta. The picture is from a small boat-like taxi off the coast on the Black Sea. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Palace in Crimea � actually photo of Russian Orthodox Monastery in Kiev Here are the catacombs with the bodies of monks over several centuries. We were allowed to enter, free of charge, although they encourage you to buy a candle since it�s under ground and totally dark (except there were hundreds of other people down there and we really didn�t need the candles. I had my small pen flashlight (a gift from Sergei and Irina Afanasyev) and blew out my candle because it was actually hot down there. And very crowded since the tunnels are barely wide enough for one person and people were coming from both directions. Just remembering it makes me get a little claustrophobic!! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yalta is a favorite summer place for Russians so we�d heard about it quite a bit over the three years we lived in Russia. It�s on the Crimean Peninsula which is on the Black Sea and officially part of Ukraine although there are a large percentage of citizens who want to be part of Russia. The area is quite beautiful and yet lacks water so their supply of water is managed by Kiev. In Ukraine, the majority of people are of Ukrainian birth, but a lot of people in Crimea are Russian. The entire time we were there the mountains were engulfed in a low cloud cover except for the last day. We were fortunate enough to be in a ski gondola riding to the top of the mountains as it was clearing so had a wonderful view of the surrounding area for about an hour before the cloud cover came in again. The gondola is actually two parts and we went from about 70 degree weather to about 50 degree weather at the top. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here is one of the Czar's summer palaces on the coast of the Black Sea. This, I think, is where Roosevelt stayed during the WWII meeting to sign an agreement with Stalin and Churchill (the Yalta Agreement). |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Ferry
This is the ferry we took across the Black Sea from Odessa to Istanbul. The route only has boats twice a week in the winter (and I guess the winter begins mid September). It took us about 36 hours to cross the Black Sea from Odessa to Istanbul. Pretty skies at night, but otherwise, only water all around you once you leave the Odessa port until you get to the Bosphorus which was fascinating all the way up to the Istanbul landing. We had a compartment with four beds (two sets of bunks) and shared it with only one other person. He was very nice and his name was Sergei. He was on a business trip to Istanbul and travels there often. He evidently was also a missionary and although he didn�t speak English he was very patient with our low language skills and told us he has friends (missionaries from LA) that speak low level Russian so could comprehend ideas. At one point he and Scott were talking about Stalin and repression and differences between teaching during the communist era and now. We met a lot of older people who regret the change of their society but the younger people are glad it�s changed. Sergei seemed to think the changes are good. We boarded at 6:15 p.m. and found we had a comfortable room � larger than a train coupe with desk and chair plus two small closets for storing hanging clothing. At first was unclear where we�d store our backpacks but eventually squeezed them in. Found all the lights worked and we even have an electrical outlet for the computer. Included in the price for the trip were dinner on the first evening, three meals the second day, and breakfast the final day. Dinner the first night had some strange meat, pureed potatoes, cooked carrots, cooked egg plant, salad and some sort of sweet bread for dessert and tea. For breakfast the first morning we had kefir, bilini (thin pancake) with fried sweet onions inside and sour cream topping, tvorg (sweetened � sort of like cottage cheese) with slices of oranges, three slices of cucumbers and tea. Nothing too exciting, but o.k.
|
|