Blogs from Odessa, Ukraine, Europe - page 4

Today will probably be the most dull blog so far to read and yet it was such a fantastic day. Due to our late night yesterday, we didn't even get up till after midday. When we did get up, we chatted to the English guy for quite a while and didn't finish breakfast till around 2pm. We were half planning to go and see Odessa's beach, but the weather was miserable so we used it as an excuse to spend the day around the hostel. There are only three of us in the hostel now, us and a really nice Brummy. The staff are really friendly and quite chatty so it is quite easy to spend a day lazing around. I found a magazine so we laid on the bed and listened to music whilst reading. ... read more

So, arrivied in Odesa and the nice hostel I wanted to go to was full! I was transferred to this other hostel on the other side of town and it was FAR!!!!! Planned only one afternoon here so went to the Catacomb caves...and walked around the city... its ok, ODesa is old...lots of streets and buildings still under construction.....they have a beach...but I'm not that interested in... checked out the ferry schedule at the port...went to the wrong port and was LOST.. these guys offered help and brought me to the passenger terminal!! So nice! Anyways, got there and the ticket office was closed!! they had a schedule up and DUMB ME..! I didnt read it thoroughly.. then off to the hostel. Day 1 done. Next day took me an hour to hail a taxi!! actually..I ... read more

Monicas første møte med ukrainsk toalettkultur kom på jernbanestasjonen i Odessa, like etter at hun hadde kommet fra flyplassen. Ettersom de to pedalofile advarte henne om at togdoene muligens kunne være av tvilsom kvalitet, bestemte hun seg for å kvitte seg med en dose kroppslig avfall på jernbanestasjonen. Første overraskelse kom allerede på vei inn til dobygget. Der satt det ei dame med en rull dopapir og tok i mot penger. Monica skjønte etterhvert opplegget, ga damen penger og tok med seg dorullen inn på do i den tro at hun hadde kjøpt den. Omtrent 10 sekunder etterpå kom Monica løpende ut av toalettbygget med et intenst uttrykk av angst og skrekk i øynene. Det viste seg at doen var av det uvaskete og spartanske slaget, bestående av et halvstort hull i gulvet og uten ... read more

I used to know this friend, Henry since college back home. He lives in Ukraine. Did not think much of setting up a meeting before I left home because of sporatic contact. Yet, I managed to call a friend in Hawaii who confirm her sister's phone number. Her sister lives in Dalat where my friend's extended family live in. I got a hold of my Henry's sisters who I met when I was in Vietnam visiting them 16 years ago then I got my friend's contact number in Ukraine. I could not tell which city He lives in now. The last address I had was that he lived in Odessa. Yet, the phone number I was given isn't Odessa city code. I tried to call, and the call did not go through at first then got ... read more

It becomes very clear that second-class train travel in Ukraine is worlds apart from being hauled around the country in plaztkart (плацкарть), or third class. The wagons’ hallway windows are decked with burgundy drapes and embroidered valences reading the city of origin, L’viv (Лъвïв), however framed with cheap plastic flowers. In spite of a torn radio knob blasting the latest Ukrainian hip-hop, I managed to turn the “music” off and discovered the reading lights work wonderfully on each of the four couchettes in my private compartment. Mrs. Doubtfire’s evil twin runs the car like a drill sergeant, dishing out tea and separating passengers such as myself from the local currency to satisfy some mysterious supplement not paid up at the ticket window before departure. Toilets are certainly an improvement; the escaping foul odor is only half ... read more