Fall Break – Kolomyia & Crimean Cultural Tour in Bakhchisaray

The first week in November was fall break in all secondary schools throughout Ukraine . Our schools had no requirements of us during the week, so we helped some of our friends with tourism projects they are organizing in Ukraine . We spent Friday & Saturday night in Kolomiya at a bed & breakfast the first night and at a private cottage the second night. The bed & breakfast had a write up in the Lonely Planet and the host, Vitalik, was exceptional, always making sure we were comfortable and happy with our stay. The cottage is also run by Vitalik and was recently constructed with handmade furniture and all the latest amenities. Located about an hour outside of Kolomiya on several acres of private land, we are able to relax and enjoy nature’s fall colors.

On Sunday morning we traveled to Ternopil where we got a train to Bakhchisaray, Crimea . Our friend Anna has been working on a pilot tourism project and had set up a special tour to get feedback. The project is a Crimean Tatar cultural tour run by a woman named Shevkiye. There were eight of us participating in the tour, all Peace Corps Volunteers. We stayed in Shevkiye’s home, ate Tatar home cooked meals, went on excursions, and learned about the history and culture of the Tatar people.

Tatar culture is fascinating. Crimean Tatars are the indigenous people and a central part of the history of Crimea . They have a diverse background, with ethnic connections to Europe, Turkey , and Mongolia . In 1944 the Tatar people experienced national genocide by Stalin, resulting in mass deportation and almost 50% of the people dying. In 1987 their rights were restored and many returned to their homeland in Crimea .

The tour - Our first day was an evening historical walk around the ancient cobblestone city of Bakchisaray, a trip to a museum where we viewed modern drawings of the city and artifacts from the early 20th century, and a traditional Crimean Tatar coffee ceremony. Day two was at Kahn’s Palace and a walk to the oldest Monastery in Ukraine that is built into the mountain wall overlooking a valley. Day three was visiting local Masters of jewelry, pottery, and embroidery. For dinner that evening we had an amazing shashlik (barbecue) party with a local Tatar family. There was so much food and everything tasted wonderful! Day four was purchasing local crafts and a walk to Chufut Kale, an ancient cave city of Crimea . The city was built by Christians, Muslims, and Jews where all religious groups lived in harmony. This was our favorite part of the tour because the view was breathtaking. We were able to catch a beautiful sunset as it cast a variety of colors over the land and city. Day five was spent taking pictures in traditional costumes and evaluating the tour.

All in all we had a very nice time learning about Tatar culture with friends and good food. Now we are back in Zalischyky finishing up the first semester before we head to Germany to celebrate Christmas with the Doperak family.