Odessa: The Secret is Out

So, I finally arrived in Odessa.  This was supposed to be the easy, stress free part of the journey.  It just proves that you should never assume anything.  I arranged (and paid in advance) to stay in my apartment building from 10 years ago.  Upon arriving, I found that 80% of my building had been torn down and in its place was a brand new, swanky, snooty hotel called The Hotel Milano.  I couldn’t even find where to go to get my apartment key (my old landlord has left Ukraine just days before I arrived).  I finally was told that the reception desk at the Milano could help me, so I went in.  Although they had my arrival written down, they didn’t think I paid for the apartment…and there was mass confusion.  After getting all of that sorted out, I finally got my keys.  There are only a few apartments left in the building in working order, the rest are either demolished or being used as storage facilities for the hotel.  This unit has a Jacuzzi tub, but not only do the jets not work, but the tub won’t actually plug up either.  When I turn on the shower there is just a drizzle of water…no water pressure at all.  So…I head back to the hotel reception to inquire.  Their response:  “That building is very old.”  Great.  So they charged me twice, but don’t actually maintain the apartments.  I highly doubt these last few apartments will even be here very long.  The heartbreaking end of an era.  All things must pass.

And that little story is like a microcosm of the entire city of Odessa.  Since Ukrainians can no longer vacation in Crimea, it appears that everyone is coming to Odessa.  In just one year, small little cafes have been replaced by giant luxury resorts, and there are so many people here that it feels like walking around in New York or Disneyland.  The tiny, peaceful, romantic Odessa is very much a thing of the past.  I kept thinking of The Eagles song “The Last Resort,” and the line:  If you call someplace Paradise, kiss it goodbye.

There are some good things to have come out of it.  First of all, the Potemkin Stairs has received a massive facelift.  Up until this year, it was still surrounded by rubble on each side from bombings during WWII.  Now it’s all been fixed up with marble tiles and all the rubble is gone.  There is even a trolley car system that will take tourists up and down the stairs if they so choose.  The other major change is a brand new park built on a hillside…none of which was there before.  I cannot even explain to you the enormity of this park.  There are gas lamps and cobblestone paths up, down, and all around this massive hill (I think I counted 5 different park levels).  There are playgrounds, fountains, gazebos, benches everywhere…NONE of which was there just one year ago.  I tried to take pictures, but it’s just so massive they don’t do this accomplishment justice.  For someone who was just here a year ago and is used to this hill…it is absolutely breathtaking.

My two favorite restaurants are still here:  Mick’s Irish Pub and the Melon Café, and I’ve already eaten at both.   I had a fun conversation with the guys in the music shop, and got a bunch of CD’s I can’t get in the US (and could never find on ebay), and best of all….a Russian copy of Wonder Woman!  Yes…the irony of that is not lost on me.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the “dirt mall.”  Every town has one.  It’s that mall that used to be a big deal but now just has old shops that nobody cares about?  Well, this mall is in one of the most beautiful buildings…with sculptures and a glass ceiling and neat columns…the building is a major attraction.  You’d think they’d put some kind of shops in it worth shopping at.

Other than all of that, I’m just relaxing here and enjoying my time.  No major events or plans…just parks, the beach, and enjoying Odessa….

Jeff:  Aug 27^th, 2017