Day 12: Basking by the Black Sea

Not really too much to report about today, since I woke up at around 5.30 after hitting the sack early last night, blogged yesterday and mucked about online and then was out I think around 8, getting to the beach about an hour later, where I stayed until 5.30 or so. Still, a very pleasant day!


Nice and quiet at 9 am


Lots busier at 5.30! I was actually on the next beach over though, which was less crowded even though only a few hundred metres away

One of my early tasks was locating a loo *with* doors, for reference purposes. The next one I came across not only had no doors either, it was squat style AND you could see in from outside the toilet block! I don't know why it had these graphics spraypainted on it, because there was no peeking required in this joint!




Thankfully, I tracked down a loo that cost 2 1/2 times as much, but I've learnt now to regard doors as a luxury worth paying for!

The only other thing of note was a stall owner who was really sweet and patient with me. It's a small thing, but when you've literally been screamed at for incorrectly responding to the question of what sausage would I like on my hot dog, you appreciate the small things. And she earned the reward of me coming back to her for all my purchases that day - the last time she said to her colleague "here's our girl!" and I wanted to give her a hug. Instead I told her to keep the change, which was the equivalent of about 10 centimes (although a bit more in real value) so hopefully came off as sincere appreciation and not patronising.

It's funny, while I lived in Moscow (and admittedly, at least at the end of my two months, my level of Russian was quite a bit better), I was always coming across people who seemed genuinely impressed that a New Zealander with no family connection to Russia could speak any Russian at all. Here people seem more put out that I dare come here without being fluent. This despite the fact that, with the exception of the time at the bank and at the hostels, I've never tried to speak English with anyone, I've always done my best in Ukranian or Russian, and for simple things I can usually get it, especially with gestures or so on to help. It's true though, that while I'm getting that phenomenon of surprising myself by remembering random words I had long forgotten, my level of Russian is crap.

Anyway, walked back to the hostel via a beach that looks over the port, taking a few photos along the way:


Me in front of another war memorial. Recycling clothes again - didn't think there was much point dirtying another dress just to have it on for a couple of hours in the day at the beach


This made me laugh. I'm sure it's supposed to have some profound meaning, but it looks like he's heading for a spot of cottaging to me!

Pictures of the port: