Odessa, Sebastopol

As we sit on patio of fish restaurant that isn't open for lunch, we finally have very slow Internet.

Sebastopol is totally rebuilt since WWII, so light and airy...the day is warm and sunny.

Ever since boarding the plane in Chicago, I'm struck that Ukrainians have survived so much in the last century that we cover in a few pages of history books. Ukraine has changed a great deal in their 20 years of independence from the USSR, much of it now realistic financial and economic struggle. The centuries of being between numerous huge empires has meant much turmoil interspersed with times of grandeur and protection under the major powers, only to be invaded as the next great conqueror wants to expand.

In recent times, the Crimean War, 1850, was a major international battle for sea control, with the city of Sebastopol levered, then rebuilt. take over byRussians happened again after 1917Bolshevik Revolution with the city of Sebastopol again leveled in 1942 with theNazi takeover. Its 150,000 pop. Was reduced to 2000 by 1944.

Our guides speak plainly of governmental corruption, but are proud of their citizens.

On a personal note, we did get to the Odessa Art Museum yesterday, so saw a few 17th century icons. The Saturday visit to an Odessa monastery was a high point.

Departure Day

We get on a plane in 14 hours to begin a huge adventure.  I'm not ready but it's my mind more than my suitcase I'm thinking about.  There's so much to "do" here at home, people grieving at funerals, people in pain wondering if it's cancer, people preparing to be an organ donor for a loved one, people cleaning out a childhood home as the beloved parent slowly exits this life, people preparing for a new baby, Samson asking for another tummy rub, people celebrating new marriage at the age of 70..or 80...yet because we got excited several months ago when we were offered new places to see, exciting things to do, we are leaving these people we care about.   Our last two weeks are a pilgrimage: a trip one makes expecting to return home again having been changed/transformed for the better.

Well, I'm not sure how that is measured, but the plane is booked, confirmed, so we will leave at the appointed hour, hoping for this transformation to "the better".