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-   -   Chișinău To Odessa (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-reports/1910355-chiinu-odessa.html)

DanielW May 20, 2018 10:11 pm


Day 3.

After a good sleep I got up at 6am for a walk to make the most of my final day of the trip.

A person walking across Rishelievska Street in the early morning of day 3.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/136-XL.jpg

And at 1 Tchaikovsky Street, the beautiful Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/137-XL.jpg

A short walk away was the Monument to the founders of Odessa: Catherine the Great and her companions José de Ribas, François Sainte de Wollant, Platon Zubov and Grigory Potemkin. Originally built in 1900 it was then dismantled in 1920, three years after the October Revolution. The monument as well as the surrounding buildings were then restored in 2007.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/138-XL.jpg

Looking down at the Port of Odessa from the top of the Potemkin Stairs.
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The Passenger Terminal and the Hotel Odessa on the left. The hotel formerly belonged to the Kempinski hotel chain but is now closed.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/140-XL.jpg

The Sailor's Wife Monument near the end of the passenger terminal with the morning sun slowly rising to the east over the Black Sea. It was a great morning to be out and about with the city still awaking in the early Sunday hours. The weather not being too cool and the air being completely still.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/141-XL.jpg

Vorontsov Lighthouse just offshore at the end of a long stone causeway.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/142-XL.jpg

It is named after Prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov, one of the Governors-general of the Odessa region in the 19th century.
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The lighthouse is 27 metres tall and emits the Morse Code signal of three dashes, the letter O for Odessa.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/144-XL.jpg

The long concrete breakwaters protect the port from the southern high seas.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/145-XL.jpg

The red and white cast iron tower is a famous Odessa landmark and is the third lighthouse to be built at the location. The first lighthouse was built in 1863 but was then later relocated to Crimea. The second lighthouse was lit in 1888 but was then blown up by the Soviets on 15 September 1941 so that it would not serve as a guide for German aviation and artillery during WWII. The third and current Vorontsov lighthouse was constructed in 1955.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/146-XL.jpg

Looking down at the Viking Sineus docked at the Passenger Terminal with the Potemkin Stairs visible in the background.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/147-XL.jpg

Ship unloading cranes sitting idle in the early morning.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/148-XL.jpg

The neighbouring railyards, ready to transport cargo to and from the ships in port.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/149-XL.jpg

Containers, steel and fuel on the trains this morning.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/150-XL.jpg

In front of the 192 steps of the Potemkin Stairs. Built in 1841, the stairs are considered a formal entrance into the city and are the best known symbol of Odessa.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/151-XL.jpg

The top step is 12.5 meters wide while the the lowest step is 21.7 meters wide to give the optical illusion of greater length.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/152-XL.jpg

At the top of the stairs with the tree lined Primorsky Boulevard and Monument to the founders of Odessa at top-centre.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/153-XL.jpg

After the early morning exploration I headed back to the hotel and enjoyed a tasty breakfast.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/154-XL.jpg

After checking out of my hotel and storing my bag, I went out for some more sightseeing.

A bright pink two door outside a local patisserie.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/155-XL.jpg

парувати.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/156-XL.jpg

вулиця.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/157-XL.jpg

Onions.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/158-XL.jpg

Warhol.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/159-XL.jpg

Outside the entrance to Odessa's ornate Pasazh (Passage) Shopping Arcade.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/160-XL.jpg

Odessa Passage was built at the end of the 19th century with one entrance on Deribasivska Street and the other on Preobrazhenska Street.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/161-XL.jpg

The Passage is awash with intricate Baroque sculptures and it seemed like I was walking through an ornate church or palace rather than a shopping arcade!
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/162-XL.jpg

At a French café in the arcade where I stopped for a mid-morning caffeine and sugar fix with some orange blossom coffee and four tasty macarons with the flavours currant, pistachio, mocha and the very interesting blue cheese-hazelnut.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/163-XL.jpg

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral. The first and foremost church in the city, it was completed in 1808.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/164-XL.jpg

And the breathtaking interior. The original church was demolished by the Soviets in 1936. It was then rebuilt starting in 1999 with the new cathedral consecrated in 2003.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/165-XL.jpg

автобусна зупинка.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/166-XL.jpg

A political rally on Primorsky Boulevard for the Movement of New Forces party.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/167-XL.jpg

The party was founded in February 2017 by Mikheil Saakashvili, the former President of Georgia and then Governor of Odessa Oblast before he quit in protest at extensive corruption in the country. A few days previously he had also been departed from Ukraine to Poland.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/168-XL.jpg

Walking down Primorsky Boulevard.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/169-XL.jpg

Outside Odessa City Hall with a cannon from the British frigate HMS Tiger that was sunk in 1854 near Odessa during the Crimean War.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/170-XL.jpg

1406 kilometres to тріполі (Tripoli).
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/171-XL.jpg

Folk songs in Palais-Royal Garden.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/172-XL.jpg

Одесса.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/173-XL.jpg

A fridge magnet to take home for 30 hryvnia ($1.10).
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/174-XL.jpg

Last time I was in Ukraine it was the cheapest place in the world to buy a Big Mac according to the Economist Big Mac Index at only 21 hryvnia ($1.66 at the time). 3.5 years later the price had more than doubled to 49 hryvnia but still only equivalent to $1.85.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/175-XL.jpg

At about 1pm I headed back to the hotel to retrieve my bag and then caught a taxi to Odessa International Airport for 150 hryvnia ($5.66).

They had recently built a brand new terminal at the airport but it was currently only being used for arrivals with the old terminal being used for departures.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/176-XL.jpg

A random dog wandering about at check-in.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/177-XL.jpg

There was a sign saying that there would be a fee to print out a boarding pass. I had my e-boarding pass on my phone but after lining up for security they said they needed the paper version. A quick visit back to check-in and they printed one off for me without any payment though.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/178-XL.jpg

Boarding the 737-800 on time for the 1 hour flight to Kiev.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/179-XL.jpg

Some Sukhoi jetfighters parked on the ground shortly after take-off.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/180-XL.jpg

Banking left over Odessa.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/181-XL.jpg

Above the clouds and the sun back in view.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/182-XL.jpg

Enjoying a cheese platter I had pre-ordered for $6.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/183-XL.jpg

Snow covered fields below as we make our descent into Boryspil International Airport.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/184-XL.jpg

Heading up the escalators to international departures and immigration.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/185-XL.jpg

Our 737 for the flight to Dubai.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/186-XL.jpg

Enjoying the dinner I had pre-ordered for $8.50. I was quite impressed and definitely the first time I have had real crockery and cutlery in economy.
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/187-XL.jpg

And back in Dubai after a great trip from Chișinău to Odessa!
http://www.dsw-photo.com/Photos/CTO/.../XL/188-XL.jpg

nequine May 21, 2018 1:03 am

Thanks for another great TR from you.

Very impressive photographs as always, especially the ones taken on your drone. :)

offerendum May 21, 2018 3:00 am

The passage is indeed like a church. Guess I would have checked-in at the dog-counter;)

fotographer May 21, 2018 4:03 am

Your trip report was amazing, plus the photos what a great job, glad you had a wonderful time

DanielW May 21, 2018 4:21 am


Originally Posted by nequine (Post 29776306)
Thanks for another great TR from you.
Very impressive photographs as always, especially the ones taken on your drone. :)

Thank you, nequine:). Yes, the drone really helps get a new and interesting perspective on things.

Originally Posted by offerendum (Post 29776494)
The passage is indeed like a church. Guess I would have checked-in at the dog-counter;)

Was quite weird seeing the random dog at check-in. He wasn't bothering anyone though:).

Originally Posted by fotographer (Post 29776607)
Your trip report was amazing, plus the photos what a great job, glad you had a wonderful time

Many thanks, fotographer:). Yes, a great long weekend away to somewhere interesting. Great to see some snow after a quite a while too:).

snabbu May 21, 2018 4:25 am

Brilliant as always thank you sir.

enviroian May 21, 2018 7:35 am

Thank you for an as usual amazing report ^

Question--is Dubai airport open during the day or only night? I've never seen a trip report from you that didn't have a departure in the middle of the night! lol

I love the hound in the pic...it's like he's looking for where to check in :D

tennislover9 May 21, 2018 9:53 am

Gray, dark and cold places. Great TR as always.

Tocsin May 21, 2018 11:05 am

Another great TR - thanks! I also like your list of previous ones - useful when I'm planning a holiday to some of the less out of the way locations...

lb8001 May 21, 2018 12:16 pm

Another very fun and educational TR ( I now know stuff about Transnistria��) with your typical great photos. The ones of the lighthouse were particularly awesome!

I would have joined Offerendum and checked in with the dog.

farbster May 21, 2018 1:23 pm

Funny, I was wondering the same thing as Enviroian. All of your trips leave in the middle of the night!

My family was last in Chisinau back when it was Kishinev. There was a pogrom in 1906 and my father's grandfather hauled ... out of there to come to Baltimore!

I have a college friend that now lives in Kiev. He said all of the jokes that we used to tell about people from Mississippi, Alabama, or West Virginia are told by Europeans about Moldova.

Great report as always. Did you have difficulty using the drone? Were the police looking for you?

ss278 May 21, 2018 4:30 pm

After reading your fabulous reports for years I have decided that in my next life I am coming back as you.

757 May 21, 2018 8:28 pm

As always, another great report and photos of your most recent trip! I'm amazed how high your drone can get - love the photos over the water and the harbor in Odessa. Thank you for sharing!

frankmu May 21, 2018 8:53 pm

Thank you for the wonderful report! Your food pictures are always amazing!

redct May 21, 2018 11:14 pm


Originally Posted by enviroian (Post 29777184)
Thank you for an as usual amazing report ^

Question--is Dubai airport open during the day or only night? I've never seen a trip report from you that didn't have a departure in the middle of the night! lol

I love the hound in the pic...it's like he's looking for where to check in :D


Originally Posted by farbster (Post 29778578)
Funny, I was wondering the same thing as Enviroian. All of your trips leave in the middle of the night!

There are flights that leave from DXB at all hours, but there are lots of night/early morning flights for two reasons. First, for locations in GMT-ish timezones, middle of the night departures equal early morning arrivals. For example EK7 from DXB-LHR leaves at 0230 and arrives at 0705 which is good for daytime connections or those arriving. Second, it's really hot in the middle of the day which causes means thinner air. The Emirates stable of A380s shouldn't have a problem if it gets upward of 40ºC, but some of the smaller planes (like the E190 in this post) may.


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