Odessa is still waiting
And not only Odessa. Mysterious Bessarabia, a region stretching between two great rivers - the Dniester and the Danube, is ready to reveal its secrets.
Any journey starts with a road. The fastest way to get from Kyiv to Odessa is by plane. Ukraine International Airlines (https://www. flyuia. com) depart from Boryspil Airport (https://kbp. aero ). Aircraft Motor Sich Airlines (https://flymotorsich. com) depart from Kyiv airport (https://iev. aero). Get to it much faster. However, the flight time is almost twice that of its competitor.
The main thing in air travel is the price. Not everyone can afford it. Therefore, the train is the most popular mode of transport. Several night trains run from Kyiv to Odessa. There is also a day express. but, in view of the popularity of the destination, it is very problematic to buy tickets. Even on the official website Ukrzaliznytsia (https:// www. uz. gov. ua). Especially during the holiday season.
Buses save the day. But how to find the right flight? Go to the ticket office of the bus station? Long, uncomfortable and a big waste of time. Moreover, flights depart from several points. Saves His Majesty the Internet. You can go to the website of a particular bus station or bus station and see the schedule. And then buy a ticket. But, in Kyiv there are about a dozen bus stations and bus stations. And sorting through them is a rather tedious task. In this situation, ticket aggregators will help.
Despite such a tricky name, everything is quite simple. One site contains offers from several stations and bus stations at once. The amount depends on the level of this same collector. Moreover, most do not have direct access to the sale of tickets. That is, they are intermediaries of intermediaries. Accordingly, lower reliability and higher price. There are very few who sell directly. Firstly, the old site http://bus. com. ua/ and the new one https://inbus. ua/.
The site https://inbus. ua/ has clear advantages. Features an advanced filter. That is, unreliable bus services remain behind the scenes. But, the main thing is reliability. After all, the company owner of the CoDrive website is a software developer for Ukrainian bus stations. And only CoDrive is provided with exclusive conditions from partner bus stations. As a result, bus tickets are sold with a guarantee of seat availability and boarding the bus. You can also buy tickets at the terminals. Everything for the convenience of passengers.
Odessa direction is distinguished by a mass of offers. Flights are operated by many companies. Accordingly, there is freedom of choice. Everyone decides what is more important to him. Some people care about the price. For others, comfort and reliability are a priority.
Company Autolux (https://autolux. ua) old-timer in the market of the country. And after merging with the international carrier Ecoline (https://ecolines. net) is generally the largest bus company in Ukraine. Excellent buses are updated with even newer, more comfortable and reliable ones. Neoplan, MAN, Setra - the names of these manufacturers speak for themselves. For our residents, an important advantage is the expanded seats and the increased distance between the rows.
The late departure time does not interrupt the day of departure. Moreover, it is very easy to get to the Vydubychi bus station. Metro, trolleybus, buses and minibuses. And there is a bus station at the intersection of major highways.
Here is the office of the company Autolux (https://autolux. ua). As well as a small waiting room and a buffet. Very comfortably. In the evening, after ten o'clock, the revival begins. Daytime and international flights arrive and night flights depart. After all, do not forget that Ecoline (https://ecolines. net) is the largest bus carrier in Europe.
At last the landing is announced. Bus category AVTOLUX VIP. The most expensive and most comfortable. There is free WI-FI in the cabin, sockets under each seat (220v), climate control, chemical toilets.
Particularly pleased with the increased distance between the rows of seats, the presence of a footrest with the possibility of individual adjustment, the arrangement of a row of seats 2 + 1, ergonomic seats, adjustable backrest, chairs retract into the aisle, increased distance in relation to the seat in front. And as a highlight, free coffee or tea made in coffee machines.
And also an infotainment center. That is, an interactive screen is installed in front of the passenger. You can play games, watch a movie or go online. It also has the ability to monitor the movement of the bus along the route.
A couple of minutes to the exit to the Capital Highway and you can relax. Although the section of the Odessa highway to the city of Bela Tserkov is felt even with the most comfortable suspension. And then the road is far from being in perfect condition.
But, the same comfortable set makes it possible to sleep well. Early in the morning, the bus arrives in Odessa at the Starosennaya bus station. The new building stands next to a well-maintained square across the street from the railway station. In the neighborhood there are two more bus stations - "Privoz" and "Privokzalnaya". And an abundance of urban transport. From here you can go anywhere.
But, guests are already waiting for personal transport. Minibus Mercedes of the latest model. Driver and owner Yuri Pavlyuk (tel. : +380970607979) claims that only eggs can be cooler than this car. Eighteen seats, climate control, DVD, comfortable chairs. What more could you want.
A few minutes for seating and loading things and you can hit the road. The trip begins with a ceremonial passage along the Railway Station Square past the main Odessa railway station. In fact, its original name is Prison, which comes from the corresponding institution located here. But, after all, it is not kosher to meet dear guests with such a rude hint. Therefore, the square with the new railway station was renamed.
In 1883, it was built by the Odessa architect Alexander Osipovich Bernardazzi according to the design of Viktor Alexandrovich Schroeter. Passengers of I and II classes entered through the main entrance from Pushkinskaya Street. Here, three arches framed by Doric columns adorned the main faç ade. And in order not to embarrass the noble gentlemen for the III class, a side entrance was made from Sennaya Square.
A clock is mounted in the center above the arch. Odessans are very proud of their watches. And during the fierce battles of the Civil War, when the mechanism was destroyed, they quickly changed it to a new one. Then the clock was destroyed again and changed again. No one remembers how many times this happened.
In 1944, during the retreat of the Nazis, the station was completely destroyed. But it was quickly rebuilt in 1952 according to the project of A. M. Chuprin. The building outwardly resembled the old architecture, only it was moved to the south to expand the Station Square.
Literally opposite the station on Panteleymonovskaya Street stands a chic cathedral. And oddly enough with the same name. Once a former church, then a former planetarium, then again a cathedral. In general, there is definitely some relation to heaven here.
By the way, on one of the houses on Panteleymonovskaya Street there is a sign with three street names. The royal eagle - Novorybnaya, the Soviet sickle and hammer - Chizhikov, the Ukrainian trident - Panteleimonovskaya. As they say, for every taste.
Meanwhile, the minibus breaks out into operational space. A little more and the suburbs of the glorious city of Ilyichevsk are shown. Oh, sorry, now it is called the Black Sea. If memory serves, it was to him that the heroes of the novel by Ilf and Petrov “The Twelve Chairs” went. Today it is mainly a seaport.
Some local roads lead to the famous village of Karolino-Bugaz. This is from Odessa. Because the settlement stands just on the spit that separates the Black Sea from the Dniester Estuary. The latter has a length of 41 kilometers with a width of up to 12 kilometers. The average depth does not exceed 3 meters. Therefore, the waters warm up well in summer. And they are a great place for swimming.
Having crossed the drawbridge, you already find yourself in the village of Zatoka. Names that are constantly heard. Rightfully one of the most famous seaside vacation spots in the Odessa region. But, the number of people during the holiday season is off scale.
Soon there will be a turn from the main road. Ahead is the legendary village of winemakers Shabo. And not only, it is worth saying. Because the bus stops near “European cheese factory” (https: / /eurosir. com. ua). That's right, with a capital letter. And it is symbolic that the company is located on Swiss street, 20.
The company is young. Opened very recently. But already he sells cheese in four stores in Odessa, four in Izmail and in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. And, of course, in the main office in Shabo. This is the first thing a guest sees as soon as they open the door. Although at first he is met by such a cheerful cow with a huge piece of cheese.
A tour of this mini-factory begins from the store. It is conducted jointly by the owner of the company Rostislav Zinovsky and director Natalya Kornyushenko. The back door opens and a huge wall of twisted bagels of fragrant hay appears before my eyes. It is both a backdrop for photography and livestock feed. Giant umbrellas stuck into hay bales. Such a resting place for sightseers exhausted by the road.
Around the corner, again, a cow meets. This time a production layout. Especially for those who do not know what to pull from her and where the milk comes from. Everything works and you can practice without driving a living animal into a frenzy.
Further in the corrals are the true producers. Really very young. Sheep, cows, goats. You can chat with everyone. And take a photo together for memory. The main thing is not to forget to indicate - the local horned in the picture on the left. And look, do not confuse.
By the way, the mothers of all these children live nearby, six kilometers from the village. Shabska farm (http://shabska-ferma. com. ua) uses the technology of keeping cows "open lot", which means "open area". Simply put, animals are constantly outdoors. And only from the sun they have canopies. And if it's very hot, you can take a shower. It turns out that they like it better.
Feed them a balanced diet. The very krucheliki hay with additives. And they sing with the purest artesian water. Not surprisingly, as a result, up to 30 liters of milk per day from each cow is milked, containing about 4% fat and 3.2% protein. At the same time, milking equipment from the Swedish company De Laval with a sparing Duovac milking regime is used. All livestock are black-spotted and red-spotted Ukrainian dairy cows, obtained by crossing local cattle with Holstein-Friesian bulls of American or Canadian selection.
Now that we know where milk comes from, we can see how cheese is made. The production is very small. Occupies essentially one room. But to explain the whole process is very difficult. It's the little things that matter here. For example, in which direction and which side of the apparatus to interfere. And at what temperature then withstand. A couple of degrees to the side and everything can be ruined.
Cheese is produced according to Dutch technologies and using Dutch ingredients. As a result, cheeses of six varieties are obtained. Both pure and with a variety of additives. For example, the original delicate cheese with Provence herbs. Or fenugreek cheese, which has a pleasant nutty smell and taste.
All these subtleties will be told at the tasting. And also explain in detail how to make a cheese plate. Simply put, a slice of several types of cheese. The main condition is that there should be at least three or four types of cheese on a cheese plate, and the best option for a small company is 5 - 6 types. Want to know more? Come to “European cheese factory” in Shabo.
After such a snack, an overwhelming craving for life-giving moisture appears. Fortunately, you don’t have to go far to the holy spring. Just a couple of hundred meters away is the famous Shabo winery. Or rather, a Ukrainian wine-making complex with a full production cycle “Shabo” (http://shabo . ua). Which is solemnly called the center of wine culture. This is evidenced by the plate on the facade.
Officially, Shabo Industrial and Trade Company LLC is a vertically integrated winemaking holding with a full production cycle. The company produces high-quality still wines, cognacs and sparkling wines under the TM "SHABO". Own raw material base is about 1000 hectares of vineyards. The structure of the company has its own workshops for primary and secondary winemaking, ancient cellars and storage facilities with a total area of about 10 thousand square meters. M. . All this wealth is owned by the Ukrainian family of Georgian origin Iukuridze. And it is managed by the general director Vazha Georgievich Iukuridze.
But this is not only a production site, but also a full-fledged tourist attraction. With its own museum, a specially prepared route and a staff of guides.
At first, guests are greeted by a long, long alley. On one side of it is a brick wall of the production building, on the other, a green wall of bushes trimmed in the form of giant balls. Between them is a patterned paving stone. There is more than enough space for groups to gather and listen to exactly how the production of wine began. A long time ago and now.
And then watch the birth of wine in action. A high openwork metal cylinder, woven from ancient symbols, hides a fountain inside. People go inside and charming music starts to sound. And in time with it, water jets come to life. Shimmer in different colors performing their mysterious dance. Very symbolic. After all, the process of making wine is really an art.
And now to the museum. Although it looks more like a giant time machine that allows you to quickly move between eras. Initially, in the 6th-2nd centuries BC, when the ancient Greeks founded the settlement of Tyra on the Black Sea coast and were the first to plant vineyards on the banks of the estuary. And it was - neither more nor less - more than 2.5 thousand years ago...
In the 16th century, the Turks came to these parts. The Turkish settlement was called "Asha-Abag", which translates as "lower vineyards". That is, the vineyards were located below the city of Ackermann. It was at this time that a unique grape variety called “Telti Kuruk” appeared, which means “fox tail” in Turkish. He has survived to this day.
In 1822, having overcome a long journey of 2.5 thousand kilometers, Swiss settlers from the distant canton of Vaud arrived on the banks of the Dniester estuary in the village of Asha-Abag. It is with them that the emergence of cultural winemaking is associated. And since the unusual Turkish name was difficult to pronounce, it was changed. And the settlement began to be called first as Shabag, and then Shabo.
The founder of the colony, Louis Tardent, wrote: "If you want to see heaven on earth, you will not find a better place. " It is not surprising that wines from Shabo become famous throughout Europe. In 1847 they received their first gold medal.
In Soviet times, the enterprise was one of the largest centers of primary winemaking. And experts continued to experiment with new varieties.
And in 2003, the Shabo company appeared - a Ukrainian wine-making complex with a full production cycle. Which produces today 24 groups of alcoholic products, including wines, cognacs and vodka. From the light, harmonious Shabo Young, the embodiment of a hot summer - its tastes and intoxicating aromas. To the elite cognac of Ukraine "Shabo" with a unique blend - bright and refined, with a harmonious complex bouquet, rich golden-amber color and delicate, full taste with floral notes and light tones of exposure
And most importantly, this whole complex process can be seen with your own eyes. Walk along the entire technological chain. Particularly impressive are the tall copper cylinders intended for the production of cognac spirits. In fact, a huge moonshine, only designed to produce the highest quality product. And you can look at what you see and taste it. And especially liked to buy in the store.
And in a cheered state, continue your acquaintance with this amazing land. Get on the bus! After all, the glorious city of Ackermann is already waiting for its guests very close.
Ending follows
