Another Holiday in the Ukraine (2003)
This year our family of four people went on vacation to the Ukraine for the fourth time. We, citizens of Russia, think that this kind of recreation is the most accessible and reasonably priced. During the 3 weeks of our stay there we spent some $800. At the end of June we arrived at Odessa on the train Moscow-Odessa. The city lies on the shore of the Black sea.
We were met by our friends whom we had known since our first visits. One of them, Vladimir Otkolyanko, settled us in his apartment and was our guide during our stay there. The naturist beach is situated near the sanitarium named for the pilot Chkalov, and accommodates about 400-500 people on weekends. I guess there are many more people willing to lie nude in Odessa, but many are discouraged by the relatively small size of the beach. The lovers of active recreation can be slightly disappointed as there is no opportunity to play soccer, volleyball or tennis there.
If you wish, you can put on the “normal” bathing suit and walk 10 meters (33 ft.) to the adjoining beach where you will have space to play. That is how we did it. We acquired a tan on the naturist beach and played tennis and volleyball on the other. Odessa is a beautiful and flowering city, and its people are hospitable and friendly. The level of service depends on how tight your wallet is.
After a week in Odessa, we went with Vladimir to the Crimea, which rightly is called the Pearl of the Black sea. We were riding in a bus for 13 hours. The fare was $10 per person. We arrived at Sevastopol where we were met by Vladimir’s friend. Unfortunately the weather was spoilt on the arrival day by rain; the sea water temperature was as low as 6oC (38 degrees F.), and the planned tour around the naturist beaches of the peninsula was canceled. Instead of that we visited many sightseeing places of the Crimean coast.
For the occasion, Vladimir’s friend Serguey took his vacation and drove us around in his minibus for almost a week showing us beautiful places. We visited the Panorama called “Defense of Sevastopol in the Second World War”, the cave monastery of Inkerman, the ruins of a Genoese fortress, the Vorontsov palace in Alushta, the “Swallow’s Nest” – a monument of architecture, a graceful building on the cliff at the Cape of Ai-Todor, and lots of other interesting places. Believe me, there is something to be seen in the Crimea. Our kids were delighted.
The hotels provide most varied programs for their visitors. We asked questions about the naturists. We learned that beside the large naturist beaches, almost every town or village along the coast have their own small naturist beaches. Now they are arranging some sanitariums especially for naturist rest and recreation. Details can be obtained from the leaders of Kiev and Moscow naturists. After staying a week in the Crimea we came back to Odessa where we spent another week of our vacation in the Ukraine.
Alexey Skvortsov
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