If you seek a pleasant peninsula

The Crimea (a country replete with sorrowful remembrances, and stirring associations) appears destined to become the theatre of exciting and important events: a circumstance that may give additional interest to my description of that peninsula, which possess so many attractions for the archeologist, the historian, and the admirer of the sublime, the picturesque, and the beautiful in scenery.

Charles Henry Scott, "The Baltic, The Black Sea, and The Crimea: Comprising travels in Russia, a voyage down the volga to astrachan, and a tour through Crim Tatary."


Today I'm saying goodbye to Crimea on the evening train to Kyiv. In a few days I'll be returning to my own peninsula - Michigan. Farewell, and hope to see you again soon.

Whose side are you on?

I recently saw this in Simferopol.  Whose side are you on? 

On the devil's side:  cigarettes, domestic partnerships, gambling.  Jesus has got:  happiness, peace, and future.

Top posts about Ukraine

In case I've picked up any readers over the past year, I thought I'd give a handy list of what I consider my more interesting posts on my year here in Ukraine. 

In October I tagged along on a Fulbright trip to Chernobyl and surrounding villages.

In November I visited an old Soviet missile base and got to "push the button."

Running out of good English language books by December, I posted this self-indulgent ode to libraries and personal collections.

In January and February, I participated as an international observer in the Ukrainian presidential elections.

Later in the month, I met a great family in the predominately Crimean Tatar village of Sari-Bash and took a look at their family heirlooms.

March brought me news of Super Alica - my new favorite Russian/Tatar pop singer.  Super good.

By April I was craving shashlik.

In May, I hung out at the Victory Day parade in Simferopol, Crimea.

As the weather heated up in June, I went on a quest for Gagarin in Kharkiv, a major city in eastern Ukraine.

Since July, I've been a bit lax with my posting schedule...but you can expect some good posts in the weeks to come!  I haven't written much here about my project, but if you are curious how that is getting along, you can always e-mail me.

Faces in the rocks at Karadag Nature Reserve

Can you see the Marx and Engels in the first photo, or the elephant in the second?