Odessa - the most specific city of Ukraine
What is it that makes Odessa so
specific a city?
Some say the answer lies in the place's celebrated cosmopolitan
mix of nationalities, which has historically seen large Jewish,
Greek, Russian, Moldovan and Ukrainian populations mixing freely
with any number of sailors and visitors from around the world.
Fashions and foreign goods have always been more plentiful in
Odessa than elsewhere in the Slavic world, and this has helped
foster something of an "Odessite" identity among locals.
The very real communal spirit was generated by the fact that
almost ninety percent of the adult population have historically
been employed in some shape or form at the port, which spreads
its tentacles out through Odessa and links Odessites in some
way. They even have created their very own distinctive local
accent and dialect, something that very few cities in the former
Soviet Union could claim!
By the way, Odessites always considered themselves Odessites
first and Russians, Soviets or Ukrainians second.
In the nineteenth century while the rest of the Russian Empire
trundled on under a backward and oppressive administration,
Odessa always played the role of colorful "window to the world",
and the city has maintained an air of freedom about it to this
day.
Even the town's first governor was a Frenchman, and until the
revolution Odessa attracted its fair share of European
aristocrats as well as a healthy mix of playboys and
international scoundrels...
Odessa also went through the same Soviet experience as everyone
else, but it seems to have come out far less "damaged" than the
rest of Ukraine.
Odessites don't have that resigned, apathetic look about them -
they seem to always support that memorable line by Oscar Wilde:
"We are all lying in the gutter, but some of us are looking at
the stars".
No other city in Ukraine can boast of anything like the pulling
power of Odessa, the Black Sea port city that dominates the
country's embryonic international tourist trade. With a
reputation for big city adventure, sunshine, laughter and
sophistication, it's no wonder that when it comes to summer city
breaks you can't beat Odessa.
Luxurious hotels, cozy
private
apartments, first rate restaurants and clubs, and,
certainly, magnificent sunny beaches await you in Odessa!