When we visited Sevastopol in October of 2013 it was in Ukraine. It has been occupied by Russia since February 27, 2014, before Russia annexed Crimea on 18 March 18, 2014. Sevastopol is the largest city in Crimea and a major port on the Black Sea. Before Russia occupied Crimea in 2014, Russia leased the port from Ukraine. Russia considers the port important even though they have other Black Sea ports, including Novorossiysk which is open for navigation year round. This post will (mostly) be about what we saw in October 2013.

Our first bus trip from the port of Sevastopol was to the National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos and St. Vladimir Cathedral.

Istanbul residents must love to eat, because there is food everywhere: restaurants, take-out, and street stands. Then there is food to buy to prepare at home, which is always beautifully displayed. Teas you have never heard of, spices everywhere… Then there is tourist shopping. All of us have to buy something, even if it is not a handmade Turkish carpet.