Travel to Odessa.

So, let’s see what this domestic flight is like. With a name like “Antonov 140”, I expected a scary run-down plane and a drunk pilot. Well, at least the plane was brand new. There even were headphone sockets in the armrests.
The Odessa runway is made of unaligned concrete blocks. Now I know why there is an icon in the aircraft. I don’t dare to imagine landing in winter.

A guy I met in the Kyiv airport proposes a lift to the city center. I’m happy to avoid bargaining in Russian with a taxi driver. Under way, I realise how large Odessa is (one million inhabitants). The area is rather flat and I’m trying to imagine quarries down under.

I pop in “Hotel Passage” and yes, they have a room available. There is no hot water, but the air is so hot (well above 30° C) that hot water is unnecessary. The hotel is very picturesque, old-style and used, but truly beautiful. My favorite in Ukraine.

The "Passage" mall that gave its name to the hotel

I go for a walk around. It’s late afternoon, but still very hot. I feel cooked. Girls are nearly naked on the street, and I wish I was too.
I walk down De Ribas boulevard; it looks a lot like the Ramblas in Barcelona. The Potemkine stairs are disappointing. They are much smaller than expected, and end with an awful highway. I reach the port; it’s ugly and there is no way to walk along the seaside.
It took some time before I started to like Odessa... :-)

I am on the picture. Can you find me?

Дом на Соборке, a beautiful ruined house

After a few SMS, I meet Escape, my guide to the local quarries. We join a group of alternative youth in a park. There are two perky goths who speak English; Alice goes wild when she sees my bracelets from the Leipzig WGT festival. They were really funny and the only visible goths I met in Ukraine.