Leaving On A Jet Plane

[smilingjake]

I just booked a flight to the Ukraine and will be spending my American Christmas there. I am leaving next Sunday from Newark and flying into Dneptroptvosk. A few days later we will be traveling to Odessa for sightseeing and enjoy the Christmas time festivities. I have previously been to Kiev but this will be my first venture to Odessa.

[jone]

Well, going from Lehigh to Odessa, I'm sure you will wind up with similar weather.  Have a happy holiday.  New Year would be the time to spend there, in my mind.  (Oh, that's right, I'll be in Russia over the new year.)

[BillyB]

Have a good trip Jake and do us a favor. When you get back, let us know how things are going in Odessa. Is it peaceful or are there still some political protests going on there.

[BdHvA]

I will be flying at the same time, aproximately and spend the New Year in the Carpathian region.

[cc3]

Hi Jake! Have a great trip! Although much less senior than you on this forum, 2012 vs. 2007, I probably make up for my lack of longevity with experience visiting different regions throughout UA, with my girlfriend, who became my fiancee, and, after war-caused delay, is now my wife. I stopped counting my trips after 25. As a spouse of a Ukrainian citizen, I should shortly be receiving my temporary residence permit, good for unlimited stay for the next year.

As you undoubtedly know, the season's festivities, in UA, really get going a few days before New Year's Eve, and the gift giving and feasting more revolve around New Year's Day (a soviet legacy) than Orthodox Christmas, on 7 January. December 25 means nothing to 98% of Ukrainians.

Rather than bringing a fiancee or wife to the US, have you considered moving to UA, as I have, when you will be retired? My wife and I are quite happy living in west Ukraine as her daughter progresses through university. She's only a freshman, so we have a few years, and, after a few US visits, will decide whether to move to the US. Frankly, I'm disgusted with the absurd level of political correctness in the US, and revel in its absence here in UA. 

Please forgive a couple of minor observations: Ukrainians prefer their nation to be referred to as 'Ukraine' not 'the Ukraine'. My wife has told me that, if an English speaker is ignorant of this preference, it's no big deal, but if he knows that Ukrainians prefer no 'the' in front of 'Ukraine', but he insists in that usage, then a Ukrainian will take offense; secondly, the city of your arrival is 'Dnepropetrovsk', not Dneptroptvosk.

Odesa (Ukrainian spelling) is an interesting and fun town. You should really look forward to visiting there!

[ML]

secondly, the city of your arrival is 'Dnepropetrovsk', not Dneptroptvosk.

Odesa (Ukrainian spelling) is an interesting and fun town.

CC3, since you know the correct spelling of Odesa; then you should also know the correct spelling of Dnipropetrovsk !!

[ML]

I just booked a flight to the Ukraine . . .

Are you going to fly over the France, the Germany and the Poland on your way there?

Or maybe the Italy and the Austria?

[Slumba]

CC3, since you know the correct spelling of Odesa; then you should also know the correct spelling of Dnipropetrovsk !!

It can be spelled either way; also, "Dniepropetrovsk".  Even locals however call it "Dnepro" because they are tired of the city's long name.

[ML]

It can be spelled either way . . .

Not if you are being respectful to the Ukrainian nation and its citizens.

[smilingjake]

Itinerary for this this trip is as follows ---


Newark to Miami
Miami to Vienna
Vienna to Dnepro.


        Return -


Vienna to Munich
Munich to Newark


The only bad leg is on the return to Newark, nearly a twelve hour wait for the morning flight back to Newark.


That kind of reminds me of previous flights into Barispol and waiting for the morning flight out. I do have to admit it was entertaining at times people watching in Barispol.

[GatoMoon]

It can be spelled either way; also, "Dniepropetrovsk".  Even locals however call it "Dnepro" because they are tired of the city's long name.

I called it 'Dnippy'  lol

[JayH]

CC3, since you know the correct spelling of Odesa; then you should also know the correct spelling of Dnipropetrovsk !!

It can be spelled either way; also, "Dniepropetrovsk".  Even locals however call it "Dnepro" because they are tired of the city's long name.

Not if you are being respectful to the Ukrainian nation and its citizens.

I called it 'Dnippy'  lol

On the spelling-


Dnipropetrovsk
City in Ukraine
Dnipropetrovsk or Dnepropetrovsk, originally Ekaterinoslav is Ukraine's third largest city, with about one million inhabitants. It is 391 kilometres southeast of the capital Kiev on the Dnieper River, in the south-central part of Ukraine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dnipropetrovsk

Dnipropetrovsk (Ukrainian: Дніпропетро́вськ [ˌdnʲiprɔpɛˈtrɔwsʲk]) or Dnepropetrovsk (Russian: Днепропетро́вск [dʲnʲɪprəpʲɪˈtrofsk])

Both are commonly used-- many signs spelt either and both ways.
The area is traditionally mostly Russian speaking( although NOT Russian sympathetic on current crisis)

To try saying it--

Try this way

Neeper prp pt rovsk

or Neeper for short-that will get you there!

Locals will say Dnieper  for short-- and using that everyone will know what you are saying if you use that.

I see no great point in being too pedantic  in changing to Ukrainian of place names and many streets -it creates confusion as official name changes--but popular use  does not!
As an example-- my GPS's ( I carry multiples!) are now in a constant state of confusion- as we try every possible literation of the spelling of place and street names. It was not the case a few years ago!
It is a politically charged topic in itself-- but-- I see no point in alienating any part of Ukrainian population over such an issue.

[LAman]

I just booked a flight to the Ukraine and will be spending my American Christmas there. I am leaving next Sunday from Newark and flying into Dneptroptvosk. A few days later we will be traveling to Odessa for sightseeing and enjoy the Christmas time festivities. I have previously been to Kiev but this will be my first venture to Odessa.

Hey Jake, any particular reason you are going to Odesa from Dnipropetrovsk? And what about New Years festivities? Kiev is quite festive!!!
Odesa is quite charming with a walkable centre but its kinda cold to be sightseeing and that cold wind blowing off the sea in the winter. Much better when it is warmer weather. Plus, its a 11-16 hour travel time between these two cities.

Curious which city in the Ukraine ( ) will you leave to return home?

[smilingjake]

LA Man ---


The reason I am going to Odesa is because that is where Tatiana wanted to go. She was only there once many years ago when her parents took her.
She lives in Deneptropvosk and we previously did Kiev when I did a summer trip five years ago with her. I also am guy who likes trains so I won't mind the train trip. I gave her the option of where she wanted to go. I am sure I will enjoy Odesa as I've never been there.
A friend of hers has an extra flat in Deneptropvosk she offered her  extra flat as a place we could stay together. Tatiana has a very nice larger flat and her daughter, grand daughter and son in law live there.
I've never met the grand daughter who is two. I picked her up a teddy bear at the Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey game tonight as a gift.

[JayH]

Hey Jake, any particular reason you are going to Odesa from Dnipropetrovsk? And what about New Years festivities? Kiev is quite festive!!!
Odesa is quite charming with a walkable centre but its kinda cold to be sightseeing and that cold wind blowing off the sea in the winter. Much better when it is warmer weather. Plus, its a 11-16 hour travel time between these two cities.

Curious which city in the Ukraine ( ) will you leave to return home?

The train from Dnepropetrovsk  to  Odessa   runs overnight and arrives very early morning in Odessa . Leaving from near enough centre city and arriving near enough centre city,making it very convenient cheap way to travel- and sleep most of the way.

At that time of the year it makes even more sense  and I would be surprised if this is not what his lady has in mind.

DNEPROPETROVSK to ODESSA
Select: Outbound journey
Dnepropetrovsk Glavnij to Odessa Gl.
7.25 pm   6.18 am 
10h 53m
Direct

The shortest bus ( bus'es I think) route  thru Krivoy Rog-Nikolaev-Odessa  would be a very difficult ride  and I would not go that way.
The longer route Zaporzhye,Melitipol-Kherson is far better road conditions and safer and I would go that way -if not taking the train.( the slightly shorter route thru Nikopol  is far more scenic in good weather! -but the road conditions not as good)

I did omit to say on place names earlier-that some spelling is English --where is MrsB when I need her to explain all this properly )??Some example from the posts above.

Kiev  or Kyiv (Ukrainian: Київ ; Russian: Киев
Krivoy Rog ,Kryvyi Rih or Krivoi Rog (Ukrainian: Кривий Ріг [krɪˈvɪj riɦ];[2] Russian: Кривой Рог
Mykolaiv (Ukrainian: Миколаїв Ukrainian pronunciation: [mɪkoˈɫɑjiw]), also known as Nikolaev (from Russian Николаев) see Mykolaiv (disambiguation).For other uses, see Nikolayev.
Zaporizhia (Ukrainian: Запорі́жжя [zɑpoˈriʒʒjɑ]), or Zaporozhye (Russian: Запоро́жье [zəpɐˈroʐjɪ], transcript. Zaporozh'ye,
Melitopol (Ukrainian: Мелітополь, translit. Melitopol’, Russian: Мелитополь
Kherson (Ukrainian: Херсо́н; Russian: Херсо́н
Nikopol (Ukrainian: Ні́кополь; Russian: Ни́кополь; Greek: Νικόπολις
Odessa or Odesa (Ukrainian: Оде́са, [oˈdɛsɐ]; Russian: Оде́сса;

[ML]

I see no great point in being too pedantic  in changing to Ukrainian of place names and many streets . . .

OK try this.

Go to mainland China or extensively interact with Chinese . . . and constantly refer to or spell their capital as Peking or Peiping.  When they object, tell them that's the way you learned it and they are being too pendantic in wanting you to use Beijing.

Same with India, for example.  Keep calling it Bombay and dismiss them as pendantic when they ask you to use Mumbai.

= = = = = =

This brings up an extended digression.  I wish all countries of the world would start to insist that everyone refer to their country and cities by the local names and spellings.

Rome is Roma
Germany is Deutchland
Norway is Norge
Sweden is Sverige

etc., etc, etc.

[JayH]

OK try this.

Go to mainland China or extensively interact with Chinese . . . and constantly refer to or spell their capital as Peking or Peiping.  When they object, tell them that's the way you learned it and they are being too pendantic in wanting you to use Beijing.

Same with India, for example.  Keep calling it Bombay and dismiss them as pendantic when they ask you to use Mumbai.

= = = = = =

This brings up an extended digression.  I wish all countries of the world would start to insist that everyone refer to their country and cities by the local names and spellings.

Rome is Roma
Germany is Deutchland
Norway is Norge
Sweden is Sverige

etc., etc, etc.

ML--there is already in use in many places   signs in various combinations of Ukrainian,Russia,English --with variations of the spelling being used.

If it was my decision-- I would show all  new signs being made   show all 3 on them.
As an aside----  a major part of finding your way anywhere in Ukraine-- whether inner city or inter city  is to ask directions from anyone conveniently placed ! Signs and signposts (eg route numbers) ,house numbers etc can be in very short supply.

On the more serious aspect of what I said earlier-- I see little point in alienating the Russian speaking population over token name changes.Ukraine is a country with several languages being spoken and that should be respected by all concerned.Putin tried to use that type of bigotry to divide Ukrainians-- and it did not work(in most places) - so why hand the divisionists any material.

[JayH]

OK try this.

Go to mainland China or extensively interact with Chinese . . . and constantly refer to or spell their capital as Peking or Peiping.  When they object, tell them that's the way you learned it and they are being too pendantic in wanting you to use Beijing.

btw--it was not the locals I was suggesting as being pedantic

[SANDRO43]

This brings up an extended digression.  I wish all countries of the world would start to insist that everyone refer to their country and cities by the local names and spellings.

Rome is Roma - OK
Germany is Deutchland - Germania
Norway is Norge - Norvegia
Sweden is Sverige - Svezia
etc., etc, etc.

Will never happen . Most important toponyms, like country and capital names, are usually adapted to the phonetics of the receiving foreign language - e.g. for us:

- London= Londra
- Paris=Parigi
- Lisboa=Lisbona
- Wien=Vienna
- Berlin=Berlino
- Stockholm=Stoccolma
- Moskva=Mosca
etc., etc, etc.

[cc3]

CC3, since you know the correct spelling of Odesa; then you should also know the correct spelling of Dnipropetrovsk !!

My bad! That should teach me not to rely upon my early exposure to east Ukrainian Russian spellings of Ukrainian place names. I'm trying to root out the Russian names from my mind because I now reside in west Ukraine and am beginning to study Ukrainian. It's difficult since, between my wife and stepdaughter, I am immersed in Russian at home.

[LAman]

The train from Dnepropetrovsk  to  Odessa   runs overnight and arrives very early morning in Odessa . Leaving from near enough centre city and arriving near enough centre city,making it very convenient cheap way to travel- and sleep most of the way.

At that time of the year it makes even more sense  and I would be surprised if this is not what his lady has in mind.

DNEPROPETROVSK to ODESSA
Select: Outbound journey
Dnepropetrovsk Glavnij to Odessa Gl.
7.25 pm   6.18 am 
10h 53m
Direct

The shortest bus ( bus'es I think) route  thru Krivoy Rog-Nikolaev-Odessa  would be a very difficult ride  and I would not go that way.
The longer route Zaporzhye,Melitipol-Kherson is far better road conditions and safer and I would go that way -if not taking the train.( the slightly shorter route thru Nikopol  is far more scenic in good weather! -but the road conditions not as good)

 

 
Jay, I am well aware of the train between Odesa and Dnipropetrovsk, I have taken several overnighters. I don't sleep well on those trains, there is so many stops on those trains that I feel numb in the morning. And that bus route you spoke about( through Krivoy Rog) sucks!!! You spend 4-5 hours dodging potholes @5-10mph.
From Dnipropetrovsk to Kiev is a short express train of 5 hours while seeing the countryside(during day). Along with the festive activities in Kiev. But my question has to do with the OP's return flight, where is that from, maybe that has to do with his plans.

BTW, I try to use cities names spelled using Ukrainian translation(when possible)!!! Except for ones I am used to saying with Russian translation(easier for me to spell).