Yalta
Wow.
That's really all I have to say about my time spent in Crimea.
The conference was great. I learned a few new things, spent more time thinking about other stuff I haven't in awhile, and met lots of fantastic Ukrainian educators who had super impressive knowledge.
I got to spend the week with my clustermate, one of my absolute favorite people here, who despite being sick, was great company. It was just nice to have a good friend to laugh with, joke with, and talk about the serious stuff with.
The weather was mixed--warm enough to swim only in the first days, which we didn't take advantage of because we thought there would be more of it later. It rained a few other days, most notably on Saturday, after the conference was over and we had planned to meet up with other volunteers. We got caught in a torrential downpour, getting soaked to the bone, and possibly killing my digital camera (I am so bummed about this).
But Yalta is beautiful. I've never seen palm trees before, and so it was magnificent for me. Actually I was struck by the variety of vegetation there is, especially in regards to the different types of trees that just dot the landscape. From our view in the sanatorium, you saw so much beautiful green space! And of course a sea view.
The opening ceremony for the conference took place in Livadia Palace, where merely some sixty odd years ago Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill met. we did not have time to tour much of the interior or gardens, which is unfortunate. There are still belongings of the Romanovs' upstairs, which I also would love to see. What little we did get to see though of the palace and gardens though were beautiful!
Our other sightseeings took place on the boardwalk, Lenina, which is certainly where all of the nightlife is at.
So enchanting and relaxing is the place that I am looking forward to returning again hopefully this summer, hopefully to visit the places I did not have an opportunity to see. And this does not only mean Yalta, but all of Crimea, a gorgeous place.
For those hoping to see some photos of the place, I am thinking of buying a flash drive so I can bring them to the internet cafe. Unfortunately, not a lot turned out okay, other than the Lenin statue, which is basically my favorite pic anywhere in case you couldn't tell by the earlier photographs.
That's really all I have to say about my time spent in Crimea.
The conference was great. I learned a few new things, spent more time thinking about other stuff I haven't in awhile, and met lots of fantastic Ukrainian educators who had super impressive knowledge.
I got to spend the week with my clustermate, one of my absolute favorite people here, who despite being sick, was great company. It was just nice to have a good friend to laugh with, joke with, and talk about the serious stuff with.
The weather was mixed--warm enough to swim only in the first days, which we didn't take advantage of because we thought there would be more of it later. It rained a few other days, most notably on Saturday, after the conference was over and we had planned to meet up with other volunteers. We got caught in a torrential downpour, getting soaked to the bone, and possibly killing my digital camera (I am so bummed about this).
But Yalta is beautiful. I've never seen palm trees before, and so it was magnificent for me. Actually I was struck by the variety of vegetation there is, especially in regards to the different types of trees that just dot the landscape. From our view in the sanatorium, you saw so much beautiful green space! And of course a sea view.
The opening ceremony for the conference took place in Livadia Palace, where merely some sixty odd years ago Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill met. we did not have time to tour much of the interior or gardens, which is unfortunate. There are still belongings of the Romanovs' upstairs, which I also would love to see. What little we did get to see though of the palace and gardens though were beautiful!
Our other sightseeings took place on the boardwalk, Lenina, which is certainly where all of the nightlife is at.
So enchanting and relaxing is the place that I am looking forward to returning again hopefully this summer, hopefully to visit the places I did not have an opportunity to see. And this does not only mean Yalta, but all of Crimea, a gorgeous place.
For those hoping to see some photos of the place, I am thinking of buying a flash drive so I can bring them to the internet cafe. Unfortunately, not a lot turned out okay, other than the Lenin statue, which is basically my favorite pic anywhere in case you couldn't tell by the earlier photographs.
posted by Molly | 4:43 AM
3 Comments:
"The opening ceremony for the conference took place in Livadia Palace, where merely some sixty odd years ago Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill met."
You missed a bit- "met, and fucked every small nation in Eastern Europe within the Russian sphere of influence." Oops a daisy, sorry Poland. But Roosevelt was a very sick man, and Churchill was a curmudgeonly drunk whose country and influence was going down the pan, whereas Comrade Number One was at the top of his game and quite willing to point out that His people had just about won the war single handed (as far as fighting and dying went, anyway). Ho hum.
But a historic place, and no mistake. Is it one of those big Tsarist holiday resort/palace type places that the Communists kept so they could hold international meetings there and sexually assault kidnapped Ukrainian girls in peace? Oh, whatever happened to the Dictatorship of the Proletariat? What a shame it couldnt last a thousand years!
Post the photos anyway, crap or no.
-eoin
Eoin, you are right about the Eastern Europe part. I thought about mentioning something about that, but well, decided against it. Perhaps that omission is my own white-washing of history, which is WRONG, but hey, there is a lot of stuff that I let go here for the sake of being apolitical or just being nice. I mean, hey, that's the deal with being a Peace Corps Volunteer.
Anyway, YOU are always free to point such stuff out. :)
I am planning on buying a flash drive soon and will hopefully be able to post pictures. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera when I was at the palace. And it's still really nicely kept up for sure. It was a workers holiday place for a bit, I think, although I doubt that anyone other than the oligarchs got to step foot inside of it.
No preachy "you are whitewashing history" implication was intended- nor is it ever. You know that I just love to bring up nasty historical detail whenever I see an opening.
This is your blog, and you should post about whatever you wish.
Sorry to hear about the camera. If you get a replacement, you should make sure you always have a plastic bag to wrap it in when it rains.
-e
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