Travel
-
A Visit To The Odessa Ferris Wheel And A View Of The Black Sea
If you find yourself in Odessa, with kids in tow, or maybe those who prefer amusement parks to museums, why not pop on over to the little amusement park and take a rid on the ferris wheel? I of course did check it out before allowing my loved ones to consider climbing aboard, and it is relatively new, and so hopefully safe and sound. And for those of you, who like me, really don’t like amusement park rides, this one is bareable, so join your family and squeal just a bit. Ah yes, and with any ferris wheel ride there is a view, so make sure to enjoy the view…
-
Stunning 19th Century Architecture In Odessa, And Tourist Information!
If you love architecture, and especially historic architecture, a visit to Odessa, Ukraine should certainly be on your bucket list if you are ever in that part of the world! On our Passover trip to the Ukraine we took a day trip to Odessa, and I can’t wait to go back, next time with a guide book and some idea of where to go! This time I did not prepare at all, and did not have internet to do research, so we just sort of improvised and fortunately did see some of the important sites, phew. I have more photos to share of this interesting city on the Black Sea,…
-
Swans On An Early Spring Day In The Ukraine
On our trip to the Ukraine this past Passover we visited the The Mezhyhirya Residence, an estate near Kyiv, in the Ukraine, where Viktor Yanukovych lived (and spent tons of money on himself) when he was Prime Minister and then President of Ukraine. The Estate is now a park open to the public, and while our visit occurred during the very early Spring, when the gardens were still sleeping, we had a wonderful time just watching the beautiful swans, and photographing them as well. For those of you who are swan lovers, or never really gave swans much thought, enjoy my photos and don’t forget to spend some time just…
-
Vernacular Ukrainian Architecture In The Western Ukraine Countryside
I love vernacular architecture and so I especially enjoyed viewing all the charming cottages in the Western Ukrainian countryside on our recent trip to the Ukraine. Most of the houses I saw were viewed either from the car or on days when I did not have a camera with me, though on our visit to Mezhybiz I did have a camera, so I took photos of all the houses on the one dirt road near the Jewish quarter of town that took up to the Historic Baal Shem Tov shul. Please understand it was still very much winter, and zero degrees with flurries, which is why the photos are so…
-
The Gravesite Of The Baal Shem Tov, Medzhybizh, Ukraine
The father of the Jewish Hassidic movement was a very special and holy man by the name of Rebbi Yisrael Ben Eliezer, The Baal Shem Tov. For those who view Kabbalah as Jewish mysticism that is trendy, well I have news for you! Hassidic Judiasm is actually a way of Jewish Torah observance that includes Kabbalistic ideas. So while Hassidic Jews may look like the most old fashioned folks on earth, they are actually the ones truly living the Kabbalah……how’s that for a fresh outlook? The Baal Shem Tov is buried in Medzhybizh, Western Ukraine, and his burial site together with several hotels and historic and modern day shuls has…
-
The Historic Baal Shem Tov Shul In Medzhybizh, Ukraine
On our recent trip to the Ukraine for the Passover holiday, we made sure to save a day to travel to Medzhybizh to visit the grave site of the very holy Baal Shem Tov, who lived in Medzhybizh from 1742 until his passing in 1760, and was buried there in the old Jewish cemetary. Because the Baal Shem Tov is the father of Hasidism, he has many many many “children” who come to pay their regards from all over the world. That said, the trek to Medzhybizh, in the Khmelnytskyi Oblast province in Western Ukraine, is not simple, because of its location quite a distance from airports, and because the country roads…
