Day 8 (July 13, 2019):

Today we focused on:

(1) seeing one of the biggest markets in Ukraine; 

(2) visiting the beaches of Odessa - three of them. Felt like there was more concrete than sand. And the water was filled with algae. It made us long for the beautiful beaches of Nova Scotia. 

(3) some loose ends of sights we wanted to see. 

We are on a 6:45PM to the country of Transnistria, unrecognized by the UN and any other country on earth, except for a couple of other “breakaway republics” which, like Transnistria, have reputations for illegal weapons purchasing and human trafficking. 

We are told no outside phone plans work in Transnistria, so I may not get to finish this post - or post Sunday’s - until we arrive in Moldova. 

At seven acres, and filling several buildings, Privoz Market is one of the largest in Ukraine. 

In the 1940s, a four-year-old elephant, Murza, escaped from the Odessa Zoo. It ran to the fruit section of the Pryvoz Market and ate several apples, pulled out pickled cucumbers from a barrel, tasted some fresh cabbage and dried fruits. Murza was caught and returned to the zoo. 


The most commercialized of all beaches in Odessa is Arcadia Beach. It’s like a a Dianeyland of resorts, beach clubs doubling as nightclubs, kids’ attractions and almost no public beach at all!

Chairs in rows five or six or deep are the norm on the Black Sea. 

One of the few public beach spaces at Arcadia Beach. 




The entrance to the parklands heading down to the Black Sea at Otrada Beach. 

The almost-scary-it’s-so-outdated Soviet era gondola ride to the beach at Otrada. 


The Black Sea beaches at Odessa displayed the most putrid, algae-filled water imaginable!

War memorial at Lanzheron Beach. 

A vendor at Lanzheron Beach, which is the closest beach to the city centre, was selling these sticks. We have no idea what they were!


Our late afternoon Moldovan lunch. 


One of the few Roman Catholic churches we saw. Ukrainian Orthodox churches are most prevalent here. 

Yes, Odessa has its architectural gens. But it’s not all roses and honey.  There are lots of areas that are crumbling. We were struck with the contrast between the perfection and cleanliness of Minsk compared to Odessa. 

Preparing to board our Moldovan Railway train to Tiraspol, Transnistria. 

The first class car on the train to Transnistria. About 25 times more comfortable and modern than we expected. 

Our train stopped here for almost an hour, prior to crossingninto Moldova. 

A team of five Ukrainian border guards - and a sniffer dog - checked every passport on the train, and even removed light fixtures searching for drugs and/or weapons. 

Last Ukrainian village before the border. 

Sunflower field, shortly after we crossed into Moldova.