INTO TRANSNISTRIA - A COUNTRY THAT ISN'T A COUNTRY. DAY 261 3-9-23

ODESSA TO TIRASPOL, CAPITAL OF TRANSNISTRIA.  180km.

Thought I would get up there quick and easy, but that was not the case. Luckily I left at 7am and an hour later was at the Moldova border, took two hours there, a one stop border shop. 

Then went to a  small border for Transnistria where they wouldn'tlet me in because I didn't have insurance, so went back to the next town and found a place that issues it. Exchanged some money and bought a sim card ($3) for 20GB and 250 and then headed to another border where they didn't even ask for the insurance ! 

Transnistria is a sliver of land between Ukraine and Moldova, but is a defacto stay of Moldova with it'sown currency, flag, police, military,license plate and they only take their cash, no credit cards, won't accepted Moldova currency and have 1500 Russiantroops based there. Luckily I had some dollar that I exchanged otherwise i would have been shit out of luck.

Went to Tiraspol the capital and stayed at the new Park Hotel which is downtown, if you can call it that. The entire country is old and tired ,nothing like Moldova. Russian flags flying everywhere and the people aren't the most friendliest, and no tourists around, I can see why. I walked around town which doesn't really have anything attractive , statues and war memorials, it'slukę going back in time, the people are poor and the buildings and streets are unkempt, a depressing place.

    Entering Moldova.

    Entering Transnistria. 

At the hotelI checked the news and saw that Odessa was attacked last night, I heard the sirens, as you do most nights, and then saw the article below.

TO ODESSA DAY 259+260 1-9-23 420km.

Was an easy day, five hours on the highway down to Odessa on the the Black Sea. Was nice and cool and flat terrain with rolling hills all the way, all farmland of corn and sunflowers.

On the 23rd July 2023, Putin bombed the churchand the harbouur area but a lot of the missiles were intercepted and a large area near the harbour is closed off now so you can't get to the famous stairs that lead down to the harbour area.

Stayed at the Mozart Hotel a nice four star hotel for $43 a night and right next to the Opera House in the centre of town. Was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful town with wide cobbled stoned streets with plenty of restaurant's and a few bars and at night the place is humming. There is no shortage of exotic cars and gorgeous woman who love to dress up stylishly and show some skin.

Did a walking tour and the place has a ton of history and goes back to the Ottoman Empire and has some great architecture. Took a tram ride through the suburbs and back, old but still going.......

    The pride and jot of Odessa, Opera House.

    Mozart Hotel opposite the Opera House.

Po

LVIV to VINNYTSIA DAY 258 31-8-23 354km.

 TRoads are good and was able to get here in good time, people drive well and pull to theside so you can overtake. Staying at Hotel France which is upscale four star hotel for $34 a night, real nice and in city centre.

Place is nothing like Lviv, really has nothing going for it, but I walked around for hours hoping to find something but is just a normal city, very few restaurants and bass but clean amd still interesting.

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     THE WATER TOWER.

    HOTEL FRANCE

    Dinner, soup and  Ceasar Salad........$13

LVIV, UKRAINE DAY 255 30-8-23

Walked around town all day then Jumper on a tram and where it ended was nearby the cemetry, so I walked down to it.

Was pretty powerful as all the graves had coloured photos of the deceased and that has so much more impact than just seeing a name. Worse yet there some wives and mother at the gravel of there loved one's crying and talking to them, was quite emotional. 

I took a tram back into town and went for some coffee at a huge coffee shop , that goes underground and is the place to see.

The architecture and cobbled streets make it quite a unique city and with all the coffee shops and outdoor restaurant's and the woman are very fashionable and good looking which gives the place a pleasant vibe.