Crimea- the hidden gem

by Ankit Dua (India)

Making a local connection Russia

“Shrimp, sunflower seeds, baklava!” That odd beach vendor chant is the sound of summer in the Crimea, a small Ukrainian peninsula that juts into the Black Sea. The vendors make their way past sunburnt bodies occupying every inch of the coast, offering Turkish honey pastries or Russian salty shrimp as an appetizer to a sumptuous holiday of contrasts. The green, mountainous Crimea is a wild and fairly undiscovered beach destination in Eastern Europe. Frequented by Russian holidaymakers, the peninsula has had little influence from the West and is better known for its war history than for the long strips of pebble beach propping the rocky Crimean Mountains. In the late 19th Century, Russians fought the British, French and the Ottoman Turks from these Crimean shores, as a part of an extended conflict over the spoils of the Ottoman Empire. The winner of the three-year Crimean War depends on which country’s history books you consult, but what has prevailed is an odd blend of Russian and Turkish cultures. From Turkey, the Crimea inherited a mild Mediterranean climate; from Russia, millions of loyal tourists who take off en masse every summer for an annual break. In August there are so many sun worshipers, the beach looks like New York City’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve. With more disposable income to burn than Ukrainians, Russians drive up local accommodation and food prices, forcing Ukrainian tourists to travel in the shoulder seasons. A typical Crimean beach scene is a crowded and lascivious affair, where food, people and water blend together. Young women, with figures that would make Venice Beach babes jealous, roll up the sides of their swimming bottoms for a better suntan, blurring the line between public and nudist beach. Most men prefer swimming briefs, no matter how unathletic their bellies look.