Crimea Chronicles

For anyone curious about how Crimea has changed since the Russian take-over in the spring, a blog that includes extensive information on a recent trip to Crimea suggests that much remains the same. This is not the writer's opinion, but it appears from the post that in general life goes on as usual for locals and summer tourists alike.

Check the site http://gohomeandaway.wordpress.com/crimeachronicles/ for an account on an 18-day trip a young woman took to the fabled peninsula this past summer. There are a lot of gorgeous pictures, but there is woefully little information on costs. However, the writer promises to provide details on practical matters to anyone who emails her, and she herself is a budget traveller.

She seems to have spent a lot of time in a small cabin in the woods that lacked private facilities, and  is upfront about the inadequacy of many toilets in this region of the world. However, the beauty of the scenery and the climate and history go a long ways to make up for Crimea's shortcomings. She was particularly impressed with Taigan Safari Park, where you can get up close and personal with young lions and tigers (and pretend you are a certain Russian politician.)

The writer is a Russo-American, so she had no difficulty with language or visas. I wonder how easy it would be for a typical non-Russian speaker to travel through more remote parts of Crimea, especially now.

For my report of travels in Crimea, scroll back to the fall of 2010, when I spent a few days there as part of a Viking River Cruise (www.vrc.com.)