Where am I? Who are these people?
Cliff in front of Livadia Palace, Yalta in Crimea – site of the signing of peace treaty between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin
Cover Reveal of Memoir 2 Coming Soon!
Where am I and Who are These People? Wordless Wednesday
by MarianBeaman | Sep 7, 2022 | blog, Cliff Beaman artist, Family / Nostalgia, Kiev Ukraine, Travel | 51 comments
Good morning, Marian! I don’t know!
Good morning to you too, Merril. It’s in a European country we visited, which may or may not help. I’m just dropping a hint–ha!
You have me stumped!
Liz, the lady is holding a dog on the leash. Hint #2. 😀
Sounds like “The Lady with the Dog” by Anton Chekhov.
Yay! You nailed it with the story title, Liz.
Thanks!
I don’t know either. She looks like Mary Poppins with that umbrella! I wondered what that thing was at her feet on the right. The way he’s dressed looks like early twentieth century.. He looks like a poet or playwright admiring his actress wife or his creation immoralized in stone.
You are getting warmer and warmer. The woman is not Mary Poppins though she is a character in a story. The man is a short story writer and playwright. You are a good guesser as to the time period. Thanks for pushing us further into solving the mystery, Linda Marie. 😀
Kyiv? I know only that you’ve mentioned this before. Blow me down wiv a fevver if this is right …
Susan, you are really HOT! And I like your expression, “Blow me down wiv a fevver!” It’s not Kyiv but you are in the right country. Thanks so much! 😀
These people are way too tall for you–and I perceive you as a tall person! But where, it’s looking like a university setting somewhere.
Thanks for making a valiant attempt here, Melodie. The site is famous for a world conference held in the 1940s. Hint, hint!
Sorry, I don’t have a clue.
Joy, thanks for checking in. Some of the comments above may give you clues. 😀
I was going to say Savannah, but I already know that’s the wrong continent. Can’t wait to find out!
You like puzzles, and mysteries–conundrums. Savannah does have lots of squares, green space, so your guess isn’t terribly off base. Thanks for trying, Barb! 😀
maybe statues are characters from a Jane Austen movie, maybe PRIDE AND PREJUDICE?
Sara, you are RIGHT. The statues are literary figures, but not from Pride and Prejudice. Thanks for making an effort. You are spicing up the conversation. 😀
It’s in Ukraine, but where and who?? We were Kiev and Chortiza, but I don’t remember seeing these statues there.
It’s Ukraine, but not quite. This area has been taken over by Russia since our visit there in 2011. Thanks for offering your thoughts, Elfrieda. 😀
Marian — You’re in the Ukraine. I don’t know who the woman is, but the man is Anton Pavlovich Chekhov.
You are right about the author. Chekhov it is. You get extra points for knowing his middle name too. Not quite Ukraine, but a former part of it, Laurie. 😀
I don’t have a clue, but I’m learning a little from other people’s comments. And it brings up grief about what has happened to Ukraine. I’m glad you went there during a more peaceful time.
I’m glad too although I’m sad that such a peace-loving people continue to be buffeted by a monstrous bully. As I may have mentioned, our friend Kathy, who runs a charity fund in Kyiv, has returned and planning family festivals. She doesn’t know how long her work can continue, so she is making the most of her ability to function semi-normally right now. Thanks for checking in and wisely reading other comments, Elaine. It looks as though we are edging closer to divulging the secret setting. 😀
Is it Luka? I know Chekhov lived or stayed there for awhile. I love that statue.
It’s not Luka, but it is a town close to the Black Sea. In fact, the Black Sea borders this town.
Yes, the statue is beautifully wrought, and I know you enjoy the statuary and architecture of places you and your husband visit. Thanks, Darlene. 😀
Like L. Marie, my first guess was Mary Poppins.
That makes sense, Jill. The lady has a parasol, aka umbrella, just like Mary Poppins. But the thread of the conversation will give you some clues. Thanks for joining in though. 😀
Is it Yalta? I confess I resorted to Google.
Yes, you correctly identified the town at which Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met as Yalta.
But one more question: What larger region is Yalta a part of? (Formerly Ukrainian, but now under Russian domination.)
My guess is Yalta: I understand that the story, “The lady with the Dog”, was written in Yalta where Chekhov had moved on the advice of his doctor because of his advancing tuberculosis. A fabulous photo.
You got it, Rebecca. Congratulations! From that visit for medical reasons, Chekhov wove a triangulated scenario in which Gurov, cheats on his wife by pursuing Anna, the married lady with the dog. Some critics say the story succeeds because it is open-ended, with ambiguity threaded throughout the plot. 😀
Now, in what region of the former Ukraine is Yalta located?
I believe it is the Crimea!! I would have loved to be there with you. There are so many stories associated with that location. The next best thing is to travel virtually with you through your blog!
😀
Bingo! CRIMEA it is.
After two weeks of performing in public schools in Kyiv and surrounding towns, Cliff and I flew to Crimea, and enjoyed a respite of 4-5 days. It’s getting later here in Florida, but I’ll return tomorrow with an entry or two about our experiences in this lovely region, now practically forbidden to foreign travel.
Yes, I’m glad we can travel vicariously on each other’s blogs. We have such pleasant memories of British Columbia, our last trip there occurring in 2017, for our 50th wedding anniversary. Thanks for playing the game today, Rebecca!
I cheated and read your clever readers.I wouldn’t of had a clue other than they look Victorian .Cameron ( our son ) studied Chekhov at school I remember him bringing a book home ( I think it was The Seagull ) and I took a sneaky peek .
Cherryx
😀
Reading the “thread” of chat here is not cheating, Cherry. It’s using your head! Yes, Chekhov did write The Seagull, a play which I don’t remember reading. But I do recall his rather haunting The Cherry Orchard.
Thanks for tuning in here. I believe your son Cameron and wife may have some news by now. Am I right? 😀
Gentlefolks, I’ve now included a photo of husband Cliff in front of Livadia Palace, site of the 1940s peace treaty between The United States, Great Britain, and Russia: Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin.
I have to add that after the tour, we sat down to be served at an “al fresco” restaurant along the Black Sea in Yalta. Cliff ordered coffee which came so strong his spoon nearly stood up straight in it. Next he ordered an ice cream sundae, so he could dip some of the whipped cream from it into his coffee. It worked okay, but the coffee became cold. When he got back home, he found packets of weaker “American-type” coffee he was used to, stowed away in his suitcase. He totally forgot that he brought them along for such a time as that. Joke’s on him. 😀
You’re such a tease! 🙂
Jenn, all I can say is. . . “It takes one to know one–haha!”
Hi Marian, a lovely picture of you in Yalta. I recognise the pair of statues and I know the man is Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, Russian playwright. I’m not sure who the woman with the dog is. I’ll have to look it up. This was an attraction I had on my list if we ever went to this area.
You are right about the name of the playwright. Chekhov wrote a short story about a married woman named Anna, sculpted here with her dog. The absent figure is that of Gurov, part of a love triangle.
Unfortunately, Crimea in which Yalta is located, may be closed to foreign travel now that it has been taken over by Russia. When we visited in 2011, Russian military presence was very evident. Thanks for stopping by to comment, Robbie! 😀
I’ve no idea where you are nor do I know who those people are, but I like the photo of you. And those people are well dressed, I’ll give them that.
Ally, you are certified English major, so you get a pass on not knowing the Russian short story writer Chekhov and his character in “The Lady with the Dog.” They are dressed warmly as I was in Yalta, Crimea, April 2011. Thanks for the compliment and the nod here! 😀
Love the pic of Yalta. But I don’t know where you are. The gentleman gives off a British, maybe Austrian impression, lol. 🙂 x
You are right: It’s Yalta in Crimea. We are in front of a restaurant that fronts the Black Sea. The gentleman in the sculpture is actually Chekhov, a Russian playwright. He gives off a British air maybe because he lived in the Victorian era. The woman with the dog, Anna, is a character in his short story “The Lady with the Dog,” who is part of a love triangle. Hope that helps, Debby!
Crimea is now under Russian domination. When we visited in 2011 there was a strong Russian presence.. I felt safe, but wary. :-/
OK, I guess my guesses weren’t right then. But, wow that must have been a great historical vacation and an interesting country to explore.
It’s so good to see you here, Chuck. We went to Ukraine as a mission trip, but the last four days of our stay in 2011, we visited Yalta, in Crimea where this photo was taken. Here is the link to a previous post that explains what we did the two weeks prior to this photo: https://marianbeaman.com/2022/03/30/our-easter-in-ukraine/
Again, thanks for commenting! 😀
I had no idea who they were, Marian. I had to start in on the comments to find out. Of course, Liz knew. Lol. It looks like you had a great vacation!