Day 70: Drunk

I got to Odessa very early in the morning but my host Ramses still welcomes me with open arms. I am grateful for that. Spent the whole day exploring the city and I realised that they have got really nice buildings here. Especially the pillars that support the balconies. They are really beautiful.

















The Opera House, almost all cities in Ukraine have their own opera house.



Need to take a leak? Why not try these toilets? Insert a coin and the toilet is all yours. However, do not stay in the toilet for too long as the doors will automatically unlock by itself after a certian time limit. This is to prevent people from taking drugs or having illegal activities within. So, if you are having a stomache, I suggest that you better take note of the timing unless ofcourse you dont mind to be seen. If so, by all means. :)



One thing I like about europe is that they have got very accessible parks within the city. So if I want to get a break and enjoy the nature, I dont have to travel far. Everything is within walking distance.











From this park, you have a view of the Harbour.





This is also the place where the famous Potemkin Steps, the site of one of cinema's most famous scenes, lies. Sergei Eisenstein's "Battleship Potemkin" (1925). The scene depcits a massacre of innocent civilians on these steps and a baby in a pram accidentally pushed off the top and bounces in agonising slow motion down these steps.





There are a total of 192 steps and if you lazy to climb up, just take one of these funny looking thing. They will transport you up and down. You just need to pay.



Strolling down the same street,



more of the habour came into sight. OMG!! This reminds me of PSA Tanjong Pagar!!!!! Am I back in Singapore?



Moving on, I came to the "Tyoshchyn Most" aka "Mother-in-law Bridge". Erected in the 1950s for a communist offical who wants to facilitate visit's from his wife's mother. However the more famous story is that by building this bridge, it leaves her no excuse to stay overnight.



As I walked across the bridge, I cant help it but notice all the locks that clings on the bridge. So many of them. Different shapes, sizes, types and colour. Just what are they for? Why are they here?











When I took a closer look, I kind of know the answer. I think it is like a love lock. I assumed that you lock your love for your parther here and keep/throw away the keys so the the lock can never be open again. Which signifies that your love for her will never be broken and will last forever. Quite romantic isn't it?



Hmm.... well.. you just need to make sure that the bridge stays there. :P

Since Odessa emerged from WWII largely unscathed, most of the architectures are worth taking a second look.









By now you should also realised that most of the pillars are acutally man carrying/supporting the building on their backs. It looks kind of sad to me. Seems like it is a from of punishment for these men and they will have to suffer for the rest of their lives or as long as the building exists. I wonder if it signifies anything?







Out of all these buildings, here is a famous one. The house of Nikolai Gogol.

















Here are some random photos.



How do you spell honda?



Another guy who is going to suffer again.





Odessa is a premier party town in summer. Parties goes on and on both day and night. They never seems to stop. However it is winter now and so I do not have the chance to see all these. But winter does not stop them from drinking. After dinner, my host first brought me to a pub for some "light" drinks (shots of vodka). Then we met up with his friends, an American and 2 Ukrainians and went to one of these guys place for more drinks. Just like the russians, the Ukrainians love Vodka and drinks them like water. I guess they got this from the Russians during the soviet times.

Anyway, this is the vodka. 2.5l if I never remember wrongly. Where are the mixers? What mixers? Forget about the mixers. They just down shots after shots. And if you want, you can take some tomato juices to clear the taste.



And so we played games and drank shots and shots of vodka.



And after sometime, we all felt manly and decided to put our strength to test. We challanged each other to arm wrestling.



Then more shots of vodka... Vodka... Vod.......Ka...... .............................
............................
......................
................
.............
..........
.......
.....
...
..
..
.
.
.






Drink, Drank, Drunk....... The Vodka took control over me. I lost my memory. I could not remember what happen nexts.... I was dead DRUNK......

p/s: We did finished the whole bottle.

*Click HERE to return to the Main Page of The Cold Journey.*