Hotyn Fortress

Prior to leaving Chernivsti for the orphanage, we stopped at the local “Walmart/Entertainment Center” for food for our bar-b-q.  In addition to one of the biggest markets I have ever seen, they had a ice skating rink, huge bowling alley and the biggest pool hall in the world.  Probably 50-70 pool tables.  The most interesting part were the “Russian Pool Tables”.  These were monstrous.  They measured around 12 by 6 feet, used only white balls that were oversized too.  Our Ukrainian guides didn’t even know how to play on them.

After visiting the orphanage, (see previous post), it was off to see the castle.  As series of fortresses was built by the Slavic Prince Volodymyr the Great in the 11th century, one of which was Hotyn.  It was fortified for the next 600 years.

This is one of the biggest castles we have every seen.  The ramparts surrounding the castle have only been partial excavated, much work remains to be done. For ten centuries, innumerable battles were fought here by hundreds of thousands of soldiers resulting in tens of thousands of deaths.  A huge part of history few westerners have ever heard of.

Finally, to finish the day off.  One of Sasha’s famous bar-b-q’s.  A bit on the cold side, but a perfect way to end to the day.