Odessa sits on the Black Sea and is known through the former-Soviet Union as the “pearl of the Black Sea.” I never really considered the sea near this port very pretty–rather dirty and cold.

But today the sea seemed prettier than I remembered, even though we were cold… 

I saw these cute little birds in the bushes along the shoreline.

And I liked them as much the Black Sea today…

Tomorrow, I will share some photos of the city. You can find a brief history here of  Odessa and the Black Sea.