As I alighted from my nine-hour overnight southbound train ride from Kiev to Ukraine’s strategic port city of Odessa, I was greeted by the delightful, sea breezes of the Black Sea. It was mid March and spring was on the horizon in this southern port city. 
Odessa is the third most populous city of Ukraine and a major tourism center, seaport and transportation hub located on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. It is the only major port of Ukraine. Two other Ukrainian ports are off limits because of the current political situation with Russia concerning the Crimean Peninsula.
I shared a compartment on the train with three young men from Kiev who were on holiday for the weekend. They had booked an apartment on the sea in Odessa through Airbnb. One of the men named Sergio spoke fluent English. 
He worked in technology for a company out of Norway that has an office in Kiev. The common language among the workers in his company was English. We all talked into the night.
On arrival in Odessa’s main train station we all walked a half hour to the heart of Old Town and found a hearty breakfast in an Irish pub on vul Derybasivska, Odessa’s main commercial street. 
It was near a McDonald’s which had a delightful outdoor seating area outside a historic building. It was the most inviting McDonald’s 
I have seen overseas. An international money exchange place was located next door with exchange rates posted to exchange Euros, US dollars, and Russian Rubles, with Ukrainian currency (hryvnia).
After saying goodbye to my new friends I headed for my hostel which was located just off vul Derybasivska near Cathedral Square.
Every time I strolled along pedestrian vul Derybasivska, whether day or night, it was always bustling. A huge sign on one street stall read “Israeli Street Food” in English. Ponies, dressed to attract children, were usually standing or parading in the vicinity of the Israeli food stall, their owners looking for families with small children to entice for a ride. The street was lined with restaurants and coffee houses with outdoor seating offering front row seats for people watching. Buskers and fire performers provided entertainment for the price of a coin. 
Cathedral Square is considered the spiritual center of Odessa because Transfiguration Cathedral, the main cathedral of the city, is situated here. 
The historic orthodox cathedral that used to grace this square starting in 1808 during Czarist Russia times, was destroyed by the Soviets in 1936. It was subsequently rebuilt starting in 1999.
A large market of hand-made souvenirs and artwork lined the sidewalks and plaza. There was a definite Jewish presence in some of the paintings, with several men wearing a *kippah. 
I found this particularly interesting considering the history of the Jews in Odessa.
Once an ancient Greek settlement, the Odessa region was eventually ruled by the Ottoman Empire. Empress of Russia Catherine the Great founded the port city in 1794, promising religious freedom and economic opportunity.
It was to provide new markets for the Russian Empire.
Odessa Jews came from the *shetyls of Eastern Europe looking for a better life during this time. The port city soon became home to one of Europe’s largest Jewish populations and a center of Ukrainian Jewish life
.
On the eve of World War II, approximately one third of Odessa’s population was Jewish (200,000). The city’s Jewish population was nearly eliminated during WWII by Nazi-allied Romania. Now it is about 3% (45,000)
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* kippah – a brimless cap worn by male Jews
**Shetyl – a small town with a large Jewish population which existed in Central and Eastern Europe before the Holocaust.
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Visiting the Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Life 
It was a bit of a hike on dirt paths through a 
Natalia, a native of Lviv, studied English in her early school years, then stopped. 
Her passion is landscape architecture, which she does for a hobby. Twenty minutes later we arrived at the 
One
Lviv is often referred to as the coffee capital of Ukraine. Three centuries of European influence in the city have left a stamp in the Old Town in the form of unique,
atmospheric cafes, with coffee dominating the scene.
Lvivska Kopalnya Kava, for example, is a popular coffee complex in Rynok Square.
It consists of a coffee-themed souvenir shop, a section where you can purchase recently mined and milled beans, plus two cafes. One cafe was a charming, light-filled, covered courtyard located deep inside the complex behind the shop.
On weekend nights live music packed the place. I first discovered the inviting courtyard cafe when I was looking for the Lviv Ethnographic Museum. I finally found the stairway access to he museum in the back of the shop next to the cafe. The displays of traditional dress and way of life in the Lviv area was interesting and well done. I found the diversity of this complex intriguing, considering coffee was at its core. 
The young staff at the 
Another time when I came in, a staff person was patiently teaching children from the community, at a table full of colorful frosting, how to decorate cookies, while their Mothers looked on. I loved dropping in frequently, 
One evening was girl’s night out for myself and my four roommates from my hostel. 
Our 
“
On weekend evenings Dennis, a Ukrainian guitar player, could be found perched on a stool in front of a widow of the cafe while singing romantic ballads in English, French, and Ukrainian. He never used any sheet music. His music, the charming staff, and traditional desserts offered by the cafe, 
always combined to make a delightful evening for me. Once I expressed my appreciation to Dennis for his multilingual talents. He commented that he will not sing any songs in Russian as it is not popular to do so at this time, due to the current political situation between Ukraine and Russia. 
When
Visiting some of the numerous street markets in Lviv was a joy and a challenge at the same time. They were colorful, fun, insightful into the local culture, and continually challenged my language skills. 
located between my hostel and the Opera House, which I frequently enjoyed. Since Ukrainian independence in 1991, t
Linens and garments for sale were hanging from long ropes. I resisted buying a nice piece of brass ware due to its weight. I would have had to carry it in my backpack, which is already too heavy, until I return home in a few weeks. 
One day Taras, the local young man whom I introduced in a recent Lviv posting, 
invited me to go with him to the Krakivsky Market in the old Jewish Quarter. The famous market occupies the site of the old Jewish cemetery which had been there for centuries, 
and was subsequently destroyed by the Nazis during the Holocaust. The market is located next to the dome-topped, former Jewish Hospital which was built in the 17th century and is now a maternity hospital.
At one of the market entrances I paused in contemplation, aware of the tragedy that befell the once hallowed ground of the Jews 
which I was about to walk upon. 
Some foodstuff and clothing were being sold on open tables and benches. Others were being sold in more up-scale enclosed glass stalls and buildings. 
At one point we came across a most welcome open area in the middle of the marketplace, where we were able to simply stop and take a breather. 
Exploring the labyrinth of the marketplace was an adventure, but I was grateful to have a friend with me who knew his way around.
One morning shortly after my arrival in Lviv, I joined a *Free Walking Tour of Old Town” at the Neptune statue in Rynok. It was a cold, blistery day. Our tour guide Nicole suggested we stop mid-way through our tour for a coffee to warm up. 
The cozy coffee house she introduced us to had been a Jewish shop before the war. At the entrance the post-war plaster had been removed, revealing pre-war inscriptions in Yiddish, Polish and German. 
That afternoon I visited the 
The Golden Rose Synagogue is a UNESCO World Heritage 
Ba
The Baczewski factory was the first factory to launch the mass production of vodka in the world. The family escaped to Austria in 1939. The huge distillery in Lviv was destroyed during WWII. Production resumed in Lviv a few years ago.
I 
Lviv’s historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I stayed right in the 
Fountains with Greek mythological figures dot the square. 
Lviv is a little slice of Europe, more so than the former Soviet capital of Kiev. This is due, in part, to its far western location within Ukraine in Galicia, a historical and geographic region between Central and Eastern Europe.
Rynok Square is always alive with music. One afternoon as I was passing through the square, a young guitar player was performing pop songs in front of 
one of the palace museums 
extended his trumpet out of the window, played a brief tune, waived to the crowd below, then quickly disappeared behind a wooden shutter. If I heard it, I quickly proceeded to the window where he was playing to see if I could get a glimpse of the elusive player. I saw him only twice. This game of cat and mouse is apparently played regularly by many tourists.
I expected to find beautiful organ music in a church 
Due to 
A
I heard another lovey organ recital on a restored 17th century organ at the Museum of Religious History. It had been acquired from the neighboring Dominican Cathedral. 
Before closing the chapter of my blog on Kiev, I want to say a few remarks about The Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Holodomor (Great Famine) 1932-1933.
The Holodomor (Great Famine) which took place in 1932-1933, was a genocide against the Ukrainian people. 
I am off on a seven hour train ride to 
Fortunately it was easy to buy my ticket online. Finding my way
I am grateful for the assistance given to me getting