We wake up to grey skies and rain. Lots of rain. Time to put our KLIM investment to the test. And they are tested thoroughly as we ride through everything from a light drizzle to a proper downpour with about 15cm of water on the roads. With this kind of weather, even the big roads become a challenge so we decide to take the fastest route to Truskavets. So we keep to the main roads, keep stops to a minimum and don’t really feel the need to take pictures of this wetness.
Along the way, during a period of some lighter drizzle, we come across a Y-junction. Neither the maps, nor the GPS are very helpful at pointing us in the right direction. There are no signs either. There is, however, a police car sitting on the side of the road not far away. Jo decides to tempt fate and approach them for directions. The cop is rather stern and looks a bit unhappy. But who wouldn’t be in this weather, especially since he seems to have suffered a flat. He does point us in the right direction, without asking for a bribe. Perhaps the action cam mounted on Jo’s helmet persuaded him not to, perhaps not all cops are like the ones we ran into a few days earlier.
We reach Truskavets around 2PM. It’s a big spa resort famous for it’s water with healing powers. And it’s a lot busier that what we have been used to the past few days. So we head for the tourist office to ask for some nice hotels with secure parking. We end up in a cosy looking hotel just off the main street.
Since we arrived really early, we have all the time to walk around town and take in the vibe. The center of town is a small building on a round square where a lot of people have gathered. Many of them carry a small pot from which they take regular sips. Apparently, the building is one of the places where you can get the water which is said to have healing powers but which also smells terribly of sulfur.
On one side of the square is a small permanent market selling souvenirs and daytrips to Lake Sinevir and Bukovel. The other side of the square is bordered by a park that seems to be huge. It contains some interesting artwork though.
After walking around for about 2 hours we return to the hotel for a quick nap. We already spotted a few restaurants so finding a place to have dinner will not be a problem tonight. We pick out a rather tradional looking place and we will be treated to some local trational food tonight. But first: beer! It’s hard to find a beer that’s not Belgian, as the entire list contains not only Stella, but also Hoegaarden and Leffe! We can get those at home (although not at these prices) so we pick a local beer.
