Around Town In Odessa

July/August 2001

The Potemkin Steps

The Potemkin Steps - the most famous landmark in Odessa.  It was on these steps that the Tsar's soldiers massacred a whole lot of sailors from the Battleship Potemkin.  A movie was later made about it.  Something like that.  The most famous scene in it was a motherless pram bouncing slowly down the steps - a scene later repeated in Kevin Costner's "The Untouchables".

The steps close up.  They widen and change height as you go down.

The Opera & Ballet Theatre

One of the most beautiful buildings in all of Odessa - the Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Staircase

Amazing interior.  Reminded me of the theatres in Amedeus.

Mass weddings near the Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Beautiful Streets and Buildings Around The Esplanade

Bust of Pushkin - Russia's favourite poet.  He died young - apparently in a fight over a woman.

The town hall.

The Archaeology Museum. A beautiful building. Had lots of stuff from the local area. 

More beautiful buildings.

The Esplanade, Dan and beautiful  buildings.

Can't remember who this geezer is.  I think he maybe the guy that got Odessa Champagne happening.

Some unbelievable local totty.  We followed her all the way up the Potemkin Steps to get this photo.

Robbie Williams coming to Odessa.  Nearby was a cafe playing a Russian version of "Alice. Alice. Who the fuck is Alice?"  Extremely funny hearing the song in Russian.

Local camera woman with legs that go up to her neck.

Statue honouring the sailors of the battleship Potemkin.

Same again.

Streets around the Potemkin Statue.  The buildings were all amazing.  All built in the late 18th century / early 19th century.  The tsars and their nobles were very fond of Italian and French Architecture.  For a while, French was the language spoken in court.

Ditto.

Ditto again.

Love this building with the vines seemingly growing out of the windows ... and then there's a satellite dish ... and the add on balcony extension as well.

"Evolution" playing at the local cinemas.  Great film.

The Backstreets

I love wandering around the back streets of a city.  You never know what you might find and you get a bit of a feel for the place.  I love streets and seeing people go about their normal life away from the tourist areas.  Here's a few snapshots.

Some guy ... no idea who he is but ran across him while wandering around the back streets.

The Market - Looking For A Tank To Buy

Dan and I went to the market to buy a tank.  Being eastern Europe and an ex-soviet republic, we'd reckon they'd be selling guns, rockets and tanks on every street corner.  Have to say, we were a little disappointed.

Lots of Sainsbury's bags for sale.  Perfect for taking home a tank in.  What they were doing there in the first place?  I have no idea.

Lots of junk but no tank.  Disappointed.

Lots of widgets and manuals in Russian but still no tank.

Still no tank.  Sigh!

A shop selling plastic shopping bags.  The foreign ones (Sainsburys, Marks & Sparks, etc) were more expensive.

The meat chopping girls of Collective No. 5.  I can't wait till they bring out a calendar.

SOLD!!!! To the man in the Che Guevara t-shirt - a 1943 T34 tank.  I wonder whether the 40 tons it weighs will blow my baggage limit.

Around Town

Train station.

Local tram.

The cathedral

Local bus on cobblestone street.

Many of the old houses are built around a large inner courtyard.  Here's one.  love those add on balcony extensions.

A local orthodox church.

Soviet Nostalgia

Old Soviet Anti-Aircraft gun.

Some sort of Soviet super heroes.

Me (wearing my Che t-shirt) and a T34 tank in the local military museum.  Had to climb over the fence to get my picture taken with it as the place was closed.  Didn't notice till after that a whole lot of armed guards outside police headquarters were look at me.

Links To The Other Pages

Party Time In Odessa, Hanging Out Wid Da Locals, On The Beach In Odessa, Cool Shots