Myself and my daughter spent a few days in CRIMEA this summer. We had a wonderful time sunbathing on sandy beaches having juicy homegrown peaches and melons. We travelled around the peninsula with friends enjoying the most beautiful sceneries we have ever seen in our lives. We have driven through the mountain canyon and along the coastline. We took a cable car up to the top of Ai Petri mountain. We have visited the summer residence of the last Russian Zar Nikolay II. It is called Livadia Palace. In 1943 in Livadia Palace Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt met to discuss the future of Europe and the World. People of 134 nationalities are living in Crimea and they all make a big and friendly family. I was surprised to see so open and hospitable people. They were nicer and softer than people from Krasnodar region where my family home is. I was talking to local people along the way asking about their lives and their attitude towards the fact that Crimea went back to Russia. In February 1954 Crimea was transferred from Russia to the Ukrainian Republic by Nikita Khruschev. It was a generous gift....... Everybody I was talking to were delighted that the referendum took place and people could make their choice. Even elderly people who could barely walk made their way to the polling stations. 97% of the population voted for joining Russia. People were unhappy about the fact that for the last 23 years 80% of the budget went to Kiev and there was no enough money for the basic needs of schools and hospitals. I even met a local TD who was also a principle of a school. She was complaining that every September when the school starts had to go to local businesses and literally had to beg for money for the needs of her school. However everybody who goes to Crimea can see luxurious holiday homes of the Ukrainian politics. They have their private cable cars and helicopter platforms. When I arrived in Crimea I had a feeling that a miraculous time machine brought back to the Soviet era..... The roads in Crimea are in terrible conditions, shabby houses and apartment blocks, old fashioned shops. Spa hotels which were well maintained during the Soviet era looked run down. Another important issue in Crimea at the moment is the water supply. When Crimea went back to Russia the water pipe was cut off by the Ukrainian side. People were left with no water at all..... However they started drilling their own water wells. In some parts of the peninsula they still experience shortage of water. People say that pensions and salaries were increased by nearly 20% . Petrol is 20-30% cheaper than earlier this year. I have noticed that supermarket prices are lower than in Krasnodar region (where Sochi is). There is one more thing that happened this year - all beaches are FREE now! You dont have to pay to go for swimming as for the last good number of years. In 2003 when I visited Crimea last time we had to pay 10 euro each to get into the beach (every day). People are delighted about the good change in their lives and they have high expectations for the future. I am wishing all Ukrainian and Russian people as well as everybody here on Earth PEACE, respect and love towards each other.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 00:55:17 +0000
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