Chatyr-Dag caves and travel to Sevastopol.
The Chatyr-Dag caves are not accessible by public transportation. It’s located on the top of a steep moutain, and there are few hitch-hiking opportunities. I saw a dozen of backpackers desperately waiting for a lift. If you have no car and are too lazy to walk up there, you have to choose between a group excursion or a private one. I dislike group travelling, so I arranged a private excursion with the Onyx spelunking club.
The first cave, “Marble cave”, is famous for high rooms and huge concretions. I am the only one to ask for an extensive tour of the cave, so I get a guide for myself. His name is Denis and he makes great efforts to speak some English.
The second cave, Emine-Ba’ir-Khosar, is much deeper and colder. I join a Russian-speaking group for an extensive tour. I try to keep quiet when fellow visitors touch and touch again concretions, although they have been told a hundred times not to. The usual tourist cave experience :-(
I’m back in Simferopol by mid-afternoon, so I have the time to take a train to Sevastopol. It’s a local electric train. It’s the same as in Estonia and Lithuania. It’s very cheap and very slow: 1 hrivna per hour. There is a lot of business on board: babushkas go back and forth to sell cold drinks, ice creams, flowers, fruit...
Arrival in Sevastopol is exciting. Sun is setting with bright colors. The railway winds around mountains and bays. There are watchtowers along the way, especially near bridges, one of them kept by an armed soldier. There are huge warships and giant dry docks in the ports. Mountains are dotted with many holes (quarries ? troglodytes ? bunkers ?).
I quickly find at room Hotel Ukraina (original name, isn’t it ?), and go for a walk downtown. It’s getting dark, but streets are well lit. Temperature is cool, thanks to a nice sea breeze. Many people are on the streets, enjoying waterfront parks and promenades. It’s very lively and the atmosphere is romantic.
The first cave, “Marble cave”, is famous for high rooms and huge concretions. I am the only one to ask for an extensive tour of the cave, so I get a guide for myself. His name is Denis and he makes great efforts to speak some English.
The second cave, Emine-Ba’ir-Khosar, is much deeper and colder. I join a Russian-speaking group for an extensive tour. I try to keep quiet when fellow visitors touch and touch again concretions, although they have been told a hundred times not to. The usual tourist cave experience :-(
I’m back in Simferopol by mid-afternoon, so I have the time to take a train to Sevastopol. It’s a local electric train. It’s the same as in Estonia and Lithuania. It’s very cheap and very slow: 1 hrivna per hour. There is a lot of business on board: babushkas go back and forth to sell cold drinks, ice creams, flowers, fruit...
Arrival in Sevastopol is exciting. Sun is setting with bright colors. The railway winds around mountains and bays. There are watchtowers along the way, especially near bridges, one of them kept by an armed soldier. There are huge warships and giant dry docks in the ports. Mountains are dotted with many holes (quarries ? troglodytes ? bunkers ?).
I quickly find at room Hotel Ukraina (original name, isn’t it ?), and go for a walk downtown. It’s getting dark, but streets are well lit. Temperature is cool, thanks to a nice sea breeze. Many people are on the streets, enjoying waterfront parks and promenades. It’s very lively and the atmosphere is romantic.
posted by Juliette at 00:00
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