Ukraine Expat Forum

Russophile
Joined 2013
Posts: 98

8 years ago

Odessa Vignettes

8 years ago

This morning I had a good breakfast meeting with Ken, (KKMAIL), at Salieri Restaurant in Odessa. We had a good conversation and it was nice to be able to connect a face and personality with an Name on this forum.

Ken suggested that I write about some of my experiences and observations while I am a citizen of Odessa. I have some interesting experiences and I have some stories to tell, so maybe I will post one of them from time to time. Here is an example...

I have an interest in photography, and sometimes I assign myself a photo project in Odessa. Saturday, I wanted to get some photographs of the 'Odessa Marriage Mill'. Every Saturday, brides and grooms line up at 15 minute intervals outside the Marriage Bureau office near the Opera House. The wedding parties go into the building for a short ceremony and then emerge for photos. They spend the rest of the day traveling around Odessa for photographs at interesting locations and then dinners, parties, etc. There is always a large crowd of people standing outside where the wedding parties waiting to in mingle and mix with the parties that are emerging.

Whenever there is a congregation of people in Odessa, there is inevitably a gathering of a troupe of Gypsy beggars working the crowd. These are short, dark-skinned women and children with long skirts colorful head scarves and lots of gold teeth. They are as persistent as gnats at a picnic. They will hold out their hand and pester you to death. I have even had Gypsy children search me out inside a restaurant and stand at the side of my table with a mournful stare and their hands stretched out.

The standard procedure is to just ignore them until they go away. But today they were more aggressive and annoying than usual. I had two or three around me that would not go away. So, I thought, “Here is another interesting photo in the making.” I pointed my camera at them and started taking photos. They scattered like cockroaches when the lights come on!! I leaned something valuable! Now, wherever I go in Odessa, I always carry with me at least a pocket camera!

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