Yalta

August 19, 2011

Our ship sailed to Yalta.  I am glad I started in Kiev instead of ending it there, I feel like the destinations are getting better.  I had heard of a lot of Yalta’s history as a place for the Tsars to spend summers and as a place to treat Tuberculosis patients which Russia was a continual problem throughout Russian history.  After the Aristocracy fell, the Soviets sent model citizens who must have thought this was paradise. 

I pictured everything being Soviet Style but it isn’t.  Clearly there are Soviet Buildings but there are new buildings as well. This is already a tourist destination but will continue to grow, it already has that cheesy feeling that Oahu has and has the natural beauty with good weather and a dramatic backdrop to the Black Sea. Unfortunately, the beach is rocky and not sandy and only a few yards of it here and there and where there is “beach” it is very crowded.

On the way to the White Palace in Livadia, there was the Sparrow’s nest castle.  It didn’t matter how many pictures I took, it was just cool to look at.

On this trip, I have seen a dozen or Lenin Statues.  The guy must have had these mass produced and put in every town square he step foot in.  This statue however, is a little bit different.  Usually Lenin is pointing – pointing towards the future but here he is intently staring at something – it is as if this is where the trail leads – he finally sees the future right before him! Kidding aside, there is something Ironic about a McDonalds right in front of a Lenin statue.

For lunch, I had a Ukrainian Green Borscht and Blini’s.

The Viking Ship

Dinner tonight – Stuffed tomatoes, Tomato and Paprika Mousse, Ukranian Green Borcht with Tartar Bread, a Ragout of Lamb, and a cheese board!

Allan enjoys desserts – so he ordered two of them – again.  He never reads my website and this is payback for making fun of me for liking ketchup.  I think Ketchup is all-American and putting it down is unpatriotic.  Without Ketchup, Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, and French Fries wouldn’t have achieved the level of popularity that they have enjoyed and would have probably into obscurity without the help of the all American condiments.  I proudly put ketchup on my hash browns and am glad we have the freedom to do so just as Allan can eat as many desserts his despite what his Dr. tells him.