Odessa

[edu]

Hello guys,

I am planning my first trip to Odessa.  What's there to do?  I was wondering if any of you guys have been there and give me some advise on where to go and places to avoid.  My apartment is about 3 blocks from Deribaskoya St.

Any towns near Odessa I might visit?

I appreciate your inputs

[camachinist]

I enjoyed taking a tour of the catacombs at the Museum of Partisan Glory in Něrubajskoje, just outside of Odessa. The labyrinths extends under Odessa but only portions are officially open for tours. I recall my driver taking me by a small airport nearby and showing me some vintage airplanes as well.

IMO, if you have a good driver, you won't have to worry about places to avoid. They take good care of you.

I recall going to the circus (wonderful old building, perhaps not in use anymore), a comedy opera, and a number of museums, as well as touring the public areas of the port. As I was there in early January, it was quite cold and excursions were somewhat limited. I didn't visit any other cities, but rather took the train back to Lviv when my two weeks in Odessa were up.

Good luck with your trip and I hope you get other suggestions.

[edu]

Thanks.  I appreciate it.

[Donhollio]

  The Pearl of the Sea    Odessa is a great city to visit or live short term, been there many weeks. Live from Ukraine a member here also lived there and he may help you out as well. When are you planning on visiting? Odessa is a summer resort city, once Sept. 5 rolls in the place empties out quickly. The catacombs are interesting, be sure to take a guide to explain things to you, as all the museums I have visited lacked any English service. A trip to Zakota would be a nice getaway for a couple of days depending on when you'll be there. The dolphin show if its still going ( haven't been to Odessa since 2006) is a very entertaining night out, just be sure to get tickets to the full show.
 You can take hikes along the seacoast , visit Arkadia's night life ( depending on the year) or as I think you will be there in the next little while the indoor club scene was always alive. 
 Since we don't know what your plan is ladywise, a more quiet time may be what you're seeking. During this time in Odessa they call it the 'velvet season' its when the air and water are the same temperature, daytime spent on a sidestreet cafe under the sunshine with your girl.
 I'm not too sure about any other nearby cities, Nikoliav (sp xxx) may fill a day, but I saw too little of the city to pass comment on.

 Go and enjoy your trip !

[Eduard]

Hi EDU,
are you going just to hang out and see the sights or are you going to meet a woman/women that you have been corresponding with?

[edu]

  The Pearl of the Sea    Odessa is a great city to visit or live short term, been there many weeks. Live from Ukraine a member here also lived there and he may help you out as well. When are you planning on visiting? Odessa is a summer resort city, once Sept. 5 rolls in the place empties out quickly. The catacombs are interesting, be sure to take a guide to explain things to you, as all the museums I have visited lacked any English service. A trip to Zakota would be a nice getaway for a couple of days depending on when you'll be there. The dolphin show if its still going ( haven't been to Odessa since 2006) is a very entertaining night out, just be sure to get tickets to the full show.
 You can take hikes along the seacoast , visit Arkadia's night life ( depending on the year) or as I think you will be there in the next little while the indoor club scene was always alive. 
 Since we don't know what your plan is ladywise, a more quiet time may be what you're seeking. During this time in Odessa they call it the 'velvet season' its when the air and water are the same temperature, daytime spent on a sidestreet cafe under the sunshine with your girl.
 I'm not too sure about any other nearby cities, Nikoliav (sp xxx) may fill a day, but I saw too little of the city to pass comment on.

 Go and enjoy your trip !

Thanks for your help Don,

Unfortunately, this is the only time I can visit.  I was tied up in a project this past Summer and I want to spend Christmas with my family.  Mid November is fine for me.  I am not afraid of cold weather.  I have lived in the Northern USA where it's cold and also South Korea has some harsh winters.  So I can handle it.  I just want to be prepared.  I have been working about 100 hours a week, so I am just want to relax and have fun.  I know a lady in Kremenchug, but even taking the bus/train/airplane to her city seems like a hassle I do not want at this time.  I plan to stay here for 10 days and I want to take something out of it.  I can see by photos that this place is beautiful and with history, so I plan to make the best of it.

My apartment is between Deribaskovskaya Ulitsa and the passenger marina.  Seems like a nice location and I understand the nightlife is not the same as in the Summer.  I can always come back next year.  My Russian is very limited right now and I wish to have information about English friendly places where I can go, such as restaurants/bar or even stores where I can have fun.  I am also interested in any cultural differences I might be.  I have lived in many countries, so I know there can be some differences in dealing with people.

Once again, thanks for all the info you can give me!!!

[edu]

Hi EDU,
are you going just to hang out and see the sights or are you going to meet a woman/women that you have been corresponding with?

Hello Eduard,

I was originally going to meet a lady, but I am not planning to do so at this moment.  Right now I want to go hang out and meet new women.  Or at least visit places where there will be plenty of them.

~

[Eduard]

Hello Eduard,

I was originally going to meet a lady, but I am not planning to do so at this moment.  Right now I want to go hang out and meet new women.  Or at least visit places where there will be plenty of them.

~

If you have the age and looks on your side you could prolly pick up girls in clubs and have some fun, but finding some one for a serious relationship is going to be tough for you in Odessa. Usually you see on these RW forums people posting that Odessa is "overfished" and that women there are "jaded", too many scam agencies, etc. While all that is true, there is another factor that only FSU residents would know about. Одесситы (people who were born and raised in Odessa) are a breed of their own. Extreeme sense of humor and sarcasm are ingrained into them. I'd say that most famous FSU comedians and comedy actors came from Odessa, because comedy is a way of life there. IMO the lack of fluent communication and a very different sense of humor can be one of the main barriers that prevent many WM connecting with women in Odessa. But Odessa is a beautiful, historic city and there is a lot to see there (including plenty of pretty women). If it were me, I'd go in the summer time there, I don't think you will enjoy the winter weather there.

[joe24]

Search the apt agency sites very good, sometimes you see 3-4 sites have listed the same flat but their prices are much different, try to find a flat very close to derbosovskaya street, 1-2 minutes by foot, some agencies have tours too to interesting places
You probably can visit all the interesting places in Odessa in 2 days if you have the right tour guide
Nikolaev is 2 hours by car from Odessa, there is a zoo there
Belgorod-Denistrovsky is one of the oldest cities in Europe, its about 2 hours by car from Odessa, there is a old fortess there and some old churche, some sites take you one 1-2 day tour there if you serach the internet you will find them
If you want to find a girl for a relationship its better to search agency sites and find some girls you really want to meet, communicate with them for a while to get to know them before going to Odessa otherwise it could be boring and maybe waste of time if you dont know anyone and dont speak russian
Its important to find a good apartment agency and always rent from the same agency, communicate with the person who runs it and be friendly, this way if you are not there and need someone you can trust to do something for you like send money to buy a laptop and deliver it to an address they will do it

[alex330]

The nightlife on the beach is closed this time of year. I would try Fanconi and Capt Morgans if you want to try to bump into someone.
Do go eat at a restaurant called Dacha. Nice place with good food.

[Donhollio]

My Russian is very limited right now and I wish to have information about English friendly places where I can go, such as restaurants/bar or even stores where I can have fun.  I am also interested in any cultural differences I might be.  I have lived in many countries, so I know there can be some differences in dealing with people.

Once again, thanks for all the info you can give me!!!

    OK so it's Odessa in November, well I know that dolphin show was still going back in 06 in November. Yo club is a top spot for nightlife, Captain Morgans, Palladium, and one I forget, but when I was there the bartender would light up the entire bar top! I had my back to the guy the first time I felt the 18 inch flames along the 30 foot long top .. kinda crazy! But kinda Odessa. 
 A good little restuarant called 'The Beer House'  is right near the Black Sea Hotel on Rishelyevskaya.  If having a shopping experience is to be found you must go to 7km market.  6000 'shops' on the edge of the city. The place is wild! you can taxi it there or walk to the train station, and take a mini bus they will have '7KM' in the window of the buses. The place closes down around 2-30pm daily.
 Cheap egg based food served up in a super fast food style is a place called , Saro Paroo ??? up near the end of Bunina.

[edu]

Thanks guys.  This is great info.  I have been looking online.  I have heard Cpt Morgan is a great place.  How are the strip joints?  Anyone been there?

[Vinnvinny]

Right now I want to go hang out and meet new women.  Or at least visit places where there will be plenty of them.

How are the strip joints? 

Well you'll certainly meet new women in them though how many I dont know.

My Russian is very limited right now and I wish to have information about English friendly places where I can go, such as restaurants/bar or even stores where I can have fun. 

I've never found that stores are top of my most fun places to go. Each to their own though. 

[Donhollio]

Thanks guys.  This is great info.  I have been looking online.  I have heard Cpt Morgan is a great place.  How are the strip joints?  Anyone been there?

 Yes a staggering good time can be had at the Capt. Morgans.

 Strip joints in Ukraine are somewhat different than what you most likely are used to. Take lots of money (small notes) and be ready to hand them out every minute.  In a word they are brutal for so many reasons. If its still going the 007 strip club is at the southern end of Deribaskova.

[Eduard]

I've never found that stores are top of my most fun places to go. Each to their own though. 

you've been missing out, Vinn! Stores can be a lot of fun. For example going shopping to a lingere store with your girlfriend, doesn't that sound fun to you?

[Vinnvinny]

you've been missing out, Vinn! Stores can be a lot of fun. For example going shopping to a lingere store with your girlfriend, doesn't that sound fun to you?

I'm a ManLooking type of guy in that respect and I make sure I pre buy such products back home. That way she gets to wear  what I like and I dont have to spend hours just looking. 

[Vinnvinny]

Yes a staggering good time can be had at the Capt. Morgans.

Is Capt. Morgans the place that's down some stairs and has a big bar in the centre? If it is then I remember it well.