So a quick flip through the guide book brought us inland, behind the mountains, to a place called Bachchisaray.
Sorry but I have to bore you with some history here....but its relevant. Unlike the UK, which has effectively been unmolested since 1066, the Crimea has had more molestation than a tarts knickers. The English, French and Turks ripped it apart trying to prevent the Russians from expanding their empire to the Med in 1855 (Charge of the Light Brigade, Florence Nightingale etc...) and it was ravaged again in both world wars. Ethnically, the original people are known as Crimean Tatars, and Muslims to boot.
As the Russians gradually took over the Tatars were squeezed out of their homeland. Catherine the Great ordered the destruction of all mosques in the 1800's, much like Henry the Eighth dissolved the monasteries to piss of the pope so he could shag his latest bird, and then to cap it all, Stalin, who by all accounts made Hitler look like Mother Theresa, forcibly deported the rest in 1944.
Bachcisaray, where we are now, was the original Tatar capital of Crimea, and it's mosque, and Palace, was spared by both Katie and Stal....because it is pretty, and made for a nice holiday home.
Now it's 2010, the USSR is gone, and the Ukrainian government has been gradually allowing the displaced descendants back home.
So what we have is a Muslim enclave in the middle of vodka swilling Ukrainian Crimea. No alcohol in the bars, and everything closed by 9pm!! Minarets and wailing call to prayer four times a day, I woke this morning thinking I was back in Morocco!
The reason Bachchisaray was the capital is that it is situated in a brilliantly easy place to defend. A deep limestone valley with huge networks of caves carved into the cliffs.
And it is breathtakingly beautiful. So much so that it has become a bit of a tourist trap, but not so bad.
We have enjoyed a wonderful walk up the valley, and a very welcome change to the cuisine.
But what struck me most was that I had lots of Deja Vu. It took me a while, but finally I put my finger on it. Yorkshire!
The best limestone scenery in the UK to my knowledge is in Yorkshire.....Malham Tarn, Settle, and Ilkley Moor, also parts of Derbyshire. Uncannily similar, and I suppose reminiscent of Limestone geology all over the world.
As is becoming usual, we were parked in somebody's back yard. Although they don't smile a lot, Ukrainians are extremely willing to help and accommodate. A little bit of money changes hands, but this is part of the culture. 20 Grivnas is less than 2 pounds, which isn't very much....but over here it buys half a litre of vodka, which basically means 12 hours of oblivion!! But it also buys oodles of local information....where to go, where not to go, where to eat, where not to eat.....
As a result of such advice we have just had a lovely meal of grilled salmon, skewered lamb, salad and fresh cut chips, washed down with a bottle of our favourite Bastardo, which we have discovered comes both in sweet and dry, and to finish, local brandy....which was so good that we asked for a bottle to take away, they were happy to oblige, and although I was merry enough to have paid Tesco prices.....it cost a fiver!
Next on the agenda is an invitation back to Yalta, previously mentioned, where the only English man I have met in Ukraine has invited us back. He is an ex merchant navy man, married to a local lass. Being a naval type, he is pally with the local port pilot, and in 2 days Yalta is being visited by Cunard's Queen Victoria (the mega cruise ship that replaced the QE2). So we have been invited to go out to meet the QV on the pilot boat. Should be interesting, considering that without exception, I have not yet met a sober Ukrainian, in any walk of life!
Hopefully the pilot boat captain will have nautical contacts that will facilitate our impending voyage across to Turkey.
We have also discovered the best bottled mineral water I have ever tasted, which I will write about in the future.
Nasdrovjie!
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