Hello guys. I just started this blog to share my impressions from Crimea and the city of Balaklava. I’ve recently moved from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Balaklava, Ukraine. By doing so I essentially switched from highly paid office job to working as a guide in the resort and doing some internet marketing as an outsourcer. Right now this thing is the best thing I’ve done in years, because I really like it here. This blog will cover some interesting facts about Balaklava and some moments of my life. I will try to add photos in every blog entry, so stay tuned 
The view from another side of the bay.
I want to confess that one purpose of this blog is to invite you to visit Balaklava, I hope it’s OK with you. So…
What do I like about this place? Well, compared to St. Petersburg: it’s small, it’s cheap, it’s clean, it’s cosy, it’s NOT flat (I got tired from swamps), it’s just plain beautiful! This place is not for everyone. But no place is. For some people (like me for example) beauty is Nature, in this case there are picturesque mountains, rare species of animals and birds, transparent water and extremely useful air. I want to underline the difference between “clean” and “extremely useful”. The latter means that the air can actually cure numerous lung problems, so smokers and asthmatics listen carefully. I’m a little bit of both so I know what I say. No matter what country you live in, corticosteroids, nasal drops and humidifiers will not solve YOUR problems, they will solve financial problems of people who manufacture them and people who sell them (including your doctor). So, what is so good in Balaklava’s air compared to Egypt, Caire, Greece, Vietnam – whatever? The answer is… you’ve guessed it – Nature! Many countries have the shoreline, and the usefulness of sea air is not a mystery. Air is one of the benefits of the sea. “If you’ve ever wondered why we always sleep more soundly after spending the day on the beach, it’s because of the sea air. Sea air is charged with healthy negative ions that accelerate our ability to absorb oxygen. Negative ions also balance levels of seratonin, a body chemical linked with mood and stress. Which is why after a holiday you feel more alert, relaxed and energised.” So, what Balaklava adds to this? The flora. Flora is a major source of oxygen and vapors of conifers rosin improve the quality of air dramatically.
A bird’s nest next to the path to Ayazma
Flora of Balaklava is unique in its richness. The Ayazma tract plays the major role in it. Ayazma is just 5 km away from Balaklava and it stays a restricted area to visit. It is done so to prevent loosing the relic flora. One relict species is the endemic Pine of Stankevich. The pine is considered to be a growing relic – scientific world still doesn’t fully understand of how it is seeding. The pine consumes water mostly from the salty air and little by the roots. There are other relic plants also growing in Ayazma: tall juniper, strawberry tree, several kinds of wild orchids. On the mountains there are many wild herbs growing. All that makes the air in Balaklava healthy and easy to breath.
Take a closer look. Stankevich pine grows right on the rocks!
