Tuesday 6 November 2007
DOUG R.
(England)
Curiosity killed
the
cat?
Part 3
Curiosity killed the cat?
It nearly killed me. Visit Odessa.
Do you think it a simple matter to visit someone in
Odessa? In this modern world you just get on an aeroplane and fly there?
Think again.
One problem then was visa requirement costing 30 pounds, which no longer
applies. In those days she also had to “invite me” as part of my visa
application in London.
Remember all this happened seven years ago, but the next problem still
applies.
Odessa is not a popular destination for airlines, and certainly none go
direct from UK. I enjoy hunting for bargains and particularly amongst the
airline tickets. But the only choice I had was of whether to route via
Vienna or Istanbul. Like most Austrian products the Vienna route was the
more expensive.
I seriously contemplated my normal alternative of driving my car overland
through Poland, which horrified her. So I flew.
I could have had “express
clearance” for a price- another feature of Ukraine life. They seem to regard
foreigners as eccentric millionaires. I may be eccentric but millionaire I
am not.
They lived in a two bed-roomed flat in a nice part of west Odessa, in park
surroundings and not far from the sea. I learned how to travel around Odessa
using their “little bus” system of public transport. This is based on 8 or 9
seat minibus routes converging on one central square, radiating in defined
numbered routes. The bus will stop to pick you up wherever you put up your
hand- no need for bus stops. Just make sure you know the correct route
number! The alternative trams break down frequently and are not popular although
cheap. It was often quicker to walk. I soon appreciated why her advice not
to bring my own car was so right. The general standard of driving coupled
with the local police attitude towards foreign vehicles would have ruined
any pleasure. They regard a foreign car as some sort of mobile cash machine.
I was greatly saddened by the run down state of this lovely old town with
its population of over a million.
They also have an imposing marina full of expensive looking yachts, and
areas of expensive flats and houses behind protective gates. There are signs
of wealth if you know where to look.
We visited what must be
the biggest boot fair in the World, where hundreds of stalls displayed
second hand nuts and bolts and many articles I would normally just throw
away. I found the experience very saddening. One stall was full of clothes
pegs. The woman explained she worked in a peg factory and they gave their
workers the pegs to sell instead of wages. This seems the old Russian
system, no cash changes hands.
Workers get paid in
product. Nobody has any cash, which explains why the police are so keen on
foreign cars to fine on the spot.
We also needed to consider
her son and his age. He would have problems entering the British education
system if we delayed too much.
Of course I held the
initiative and would have to bear the future problems of supporting them
both including turning a boy into a man.
I need to admire my
partner. Now I had seen her in her own surroundings and had met some of her
friends, it was time for her to visit me in my own background. If we were to
face the rest of life together it would be foolish to have dreams without
reality. This was the moment to turn dreams and fantasies into real life. No
serious personality differences must spoil our future. Our future must be
built on rocks of reality not shifting sands of moods and swings.
End of part 3
DOUG R.
(England)
My chosen flight was via Istanbul, requiring a 5 hour interchange delay.
After this substantial wait I arrived very tired in Odessa late at night. My
first impression as my aircraft approached the airfield was how dark the
streetlights and unlit the country. The bright lights of Istanbul were far
away indeed.
But there she was waiting behind the barrier in the dim lights of Odessa
airport. After the long delay of Ukraine officialdom which would become so
familiar to me, I was freed into Odessa.
So my gorgeous miss took me away into the darkness of Odessa.
I met her 12 year old son. He would be part of what I was taking on. I
needed to establish a relationship with him too. I had my own son of a
similar age. How would they react? How did I react?
So together we explored her town with its many parks and open spaces. The
spacious tree-lined boulevards made walking a pleasure. There are few high
rise buildings and the whole atmosphere is early turn of the century
elegance. Foundations were laid out in the days of Catherine the Great, but
now their beautiful Odessa Opera House was now almost a ruin.
It had been one of the largest ports in the communist Russia Empire.
Things to see included the steps made famous in Potemkin’s film about the
1917 Revolution.
In one of their many street markets were well-educated people trying
to feed themselves and family by becoming entrepreneurs. I found a music
professor selling the jewellery his wife made at home from colourful stones.
For me, decision time had arrived. Do we go forward or stop? We could
not go back. To get this far had taken several months and cost much
emotional energy and my financial resources. It was not right to delay too
long.
