All in "Green Cape"
South Coast lived, is alive and will live. Poisonous slobbering splashes against the dirty sea, terrible service and that not every second, but every one is poisoned with pies at the stations, subsides just as quickly when it becomes possible to warm the bones on a small pebble in Alupka, Simeiz, Gurzuf, Gaspra or Alushta. Everything is forgotten, everyone loves each other and advanced geeks in swimming trunks and inflatable armlets with the same cries of Meaduz! Meduza! all the same cheerfully jumping on the airy foam of the snow-white surf. And all this despite the fact that their fathers have the annual revenue of a small bread shop in their wallet. Of course, Tunisia is more exotic, in Egypt the water is cleaner, but in Turkey even tomatoes are juicier, but next year we will all meet on the southern coast. And don't ask why. I don't know, it's just the way it is. Green - go, red - stop. Winter in the Carpathians, summer in the Crimea.
Since I have a Sevastopol residence permit, I have not had a ticklish itch along the southern coast since birth. Although right now a spark flared up and a mixture of hidden desires and great opportunities ignited in the cylinder of emotions.
Having spent the last few years on integration into the European diaspora, which cost the last euro-dollars, we decided to look for summer entertainment somewhere closer and somewhere cheaper.
Of course, as one of the greats said, it is better to be homeless in Paris than to exist outside of it. But you also need to fly to that Paris, and you can’t throw a lot of sandwiches across the border. And then everything edible with you, and go by car for an hour and a half. Why not an option?
In search of promotional offers "two in one" or "cheaper together" we came across an attractive option for recreation in the Green Cape eco-lodge complex. Alupka is 60 km away, the Vorontsov Palace with a park nearby, and the price is right. If you don't like it, then you can go home. No pity. Two days for a standard family in April 400 hryvnia, in May 700 hryvnia. Sea view, built-in kitchen, private beach, kebab-mashlyk! Just in case, they took it for the weekend and for April and May. And suddenly like it.
And really, I really liked it. But, in order.
You always go on vacation in a good mood. Our baby, the creation of long-forgotten engineers of the Soviet period, briskly started on the road. Driving is always fun. Although even these unfortunate 60 km. The South Coast Highway has improved considerably. I don’t know for whom it was climbed out like that or who had to drive through it, but solid black asphalt and wide sweeping white stripes, coupled with seascapes, can easily take you away from Crimean reality into Italian fantasy.
The four-wheeled trotter easily clung to the asphalt, climbing the hill, and playfully rolled down the breathtaking serpentine slopes. The only thing is that at such engine speeds, the music in the cabin had to be turned off, since the sound of working mechanisms easily penetrated into the cabin through defenseless metal bulkheads. Soundproofing materials were then expensive, and not in fashion at all.
The car seemed to have a life of its own. She dived into corners, growled on the rises and winked at the oncoming fireballs with her low beam. But the steering wheel still had to be held tight. Therefore, I had to admire the beauties of the southern slopes falling into the sea surface from the corner of my eye. With a quality of coverage that has evolved significantly here since my last forays into the tropical part of the peninsula, it's time to jump into the convertible, wrap a thin silk scarf around it and let it evolve from limitless speed on the mountain track.
We greedily swallowed pointers. The sea map for 2002 promised Alupka almost instantly. In reality, a bunch of villages with uncomplicated names rained down on us. How surprised we were when, along with the standard sign "Alupka", we also saw the "Green Cape". "We are waiting" - I thought. “Finally, ” thought the wife.
We rolled down from the highway to Alupka, we were already on a less smooth and even highway. Jumping in my teams and chattering my teeth, I gave the command to the car to slow down. The last twist to the complex was also not real, just like Arkady Ukupnik's soundtrack for the film Gone in 60 Seconds. It's hard to call it a turn. More like a 350 degree turn. I think not a single cyclist folded his bike in half on this particular turn. By the way, there is no pointer here. The reference point is the tennis court. Where he is, there is a happy shelter nearby.
The parking lot was quite hospitable and well maintained. Here our iron swallow will spend the night, and we, with bags, water bottles and a whistle, ran to dismantle the beds under the roof of the new house.
Life-being on the Alupka slopes
To assess the space allotted for recreation, let's forget everything that smart web pages teach us, laying out in order how many stars a hotel should have on board in order to put slippers in your room. Moreover, we will not be guided by that Turkish standard of 5 stars, which is replete with the entire Turkish coast, including the buildings of the distant 70s.
Let's think rationally. The room had matches, 2 chairs and a curtain in the bathroom. What else is needed. Ah, yes, the dreams of women. Then I’ll light up another frying pan, a saucepan, four forks, a salad bowl, a rug in the bathroom, a large mirror and the absence of a freezer in the refrigerator. In general, take with you only dish detergent, strawberries and swimwear.
The houses are connected by wonderful paths with gravel as a filler. The houses are very well located. Almost complete intimacy even with dense population. So scantily clad women running from the beach will not disturb you on the beach.
The houses themselves are quite attractive with air conditioning, wonderful landscapes on the facades and romantic porches. On which you can howl at the moon, read poetry or drink beer corny. Who came for what.
The houses, depending on the type, are sorted into four categories: with a sea view - worthy, with a side view of the sea - also good, with a view of the park - it will do, and with a view of the parking lot or a fence - for an amateur.
The territory is well-groomed, landscaped and skillfully lit. In particularly intimate nooks and crannies, you will need a flashlight, but on the roads of the village there is enough illumination. Pleased with the distinct sound of the sea and the singing of the local flora. Those who have already measured their right and left hemispheres and revealed the meaning of life will rest without hind legs, resting their eyes on literally everything. Well, those who are still in constant search and the dissatisfaction that accompanies it will write to the administration their list of unsatisfactory moments.
Well, if you are not lazy in the morning, you will also enjoy breathtaking sunrises.
But the beach is almost perfect. Gentle sea, soft pebbles, green landscape and all this under the expressive gaze of the formidable Aipetren ridges.
Beach filler small pebbles and coarse sand. It is this tandem that provides a pleasant foot massage, hours of attention to the pebbles of children and the absence of sand where you least want to see it. The first few meters are children's depth, smoothly turning into dredging heights.
The sun illuminates with its free kilojoules from 6 am to 5 pm. Then, during non-working hours, it hides behind a ridge of a mountain belt.
In April, the territory of the beach was actively improved by the workers of the "Green Cape" and in mid-May there was a solemn separation of the urban area from private property. Residents of the "Cape" can safely move to the city beach area, as reverse marches are strictly prohibited. On the territory of the complex there is everything for a wonderful beach holiday - places, sunbeds, ottomans, umbrellas and manure sand, except for a wide-format entry into the sea. A strip of 4 meters has been allocated for these needs, and the sotal part has not yet been recaptured from a pile of stones. Therefore, at times we, like most of those who are tired of wrinkling their sides on deck chairs, moved to the commoners to enjoy walks along the edge of the sea.
As I mentioned, the cabins have their own kitchen and cooking utensils, so you can cook on the spot. I hear the cries of the female audience that, they say, as much as possible, I bring it to you at home, and it’s still squirming here. The text is familiar from the closest friend, who voiced it to her husband upon arrival here. As a result, they even forgot to take firewood.
For those who have given up home cooking this weekend, you can visit the restaurant located in the complex, fry everything that is fried in the barbecue area or run into the culinary establishments of Alupka.
We never made it to the restaurant either time. Feeding my wife with savory epitites and mouth-watering champs, I persuaded her not to leave the church and the kitchen, respectively. We supplemented everything that I managed to courageously char on the grill with salads and boiled products. Braziers, by the way, still need to stake out. Upon arrival, immediately formalize your relationship with them at the administration.
That's why we didn't go to the restaurant. But my friends did. The administration somehow leaked a 30% discount to them, and someone also paid for their breakfasts.
Content is poor, like the Dominican Republic outside the tourist season. Half an egg and a glass of tea without sugar. My friends confirmed the low-calorie breakfast.
Otherwise, the cafe was clearly still preparing for the start of the season, since the waiter only shyly dismissed my friend’s finger on the menu, and at the end suggested that they boil potatoes and fry what the chef had left in the freezer. It's okay, you won't leave hungry.
Prices are reasonable, but not cheap either. At such rates, I prefer to sit in Sevastopol on the Grafskaya pier, eat rapana and enjoy the sunset.
Alupka has establishments of different hands, but we went to the sensational Karamba, which is even talked about in Sevastopol, and on their website the reviews simply sing hymns as a close-knit team.
The pirate-style interior was the only thing that turned out to be attractive in it. My barometer of interest is my daughter, after 10 minutes of being inside and tasting chicken legs, she went outside to feed the hungry cats. And when the waiter came up with a glass of wine and asked: “Who needs wine”, then we hopelessly lowered the forks.
As a result, the verdict is average prices, very fatty food, small portions, average dish equipment. We visit dozens of such establishments in Sevastopol in order to find truly unique ones.
