Phase 2: Bakhchisaray

Leaving Yalta behind we struggled to find a direct route to this small town with lots to see and do. We finally managed to get there and stepped inside the extremely interesting past of the Crimean Tatars. In this town sits the Khan's Palace. It is fairly well preserved (according to Lonely Planet it was left alone because Catherine the Great found it "romantic") and has some English captions to help navigate one's way around.

Being in the palace easily made me forget that I was in Ukraine. The last time I was here (in March with students for a conference in Simferopol) we did not have time to tour the palace. I had never been in anything like it before and it was neat to get to appreciate something so culturally different in rather homogeneous Ukraine.

From my prior visit, I had learned that a prejudice existed against Crimean Tatars who during Stalin's years were forced to leave their homes and relocated to Uzbekistan. Only relatively recently have they been allowed to come back to their home, but many live in small hut-like brick homes where were pointed out to me. PCV's living in Crimea are no doubt much more educated about the Tatars, their customs, and culture.

But for us, it was neat to get a taste before moving on.