I just returned from a great trip to Eastern Europe including Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Transnestria, Ukraine, Poland and Czech Republic. Not speaking a lick of Turkish, Bulgarian, Romanian, Moldovan, Urkrainian, Polish or Czech I had some qualms but for the most part I had few problems and those were easily overcome by approaching teenagers who, in most of those countries, are learing English.

The one notable exception was my visit to Odessa - a fabulous place by the way - and had my luggage broken into.

I was staying at the Passage Hotel in downtown Odessa. It's a very old hotel in a fabulous location. My first two nights I had an outside room and had to listen to drunks staggering home all hours of the night until around 6 AM. After two nights I asked for a quieter room. I moved to the new room and found I had what you would describe as a tea towel and a face towel. My old room had a face towel and a bath towel. Under the old Soviet system there is a lady responsible for each floor. She has a set of keys and runs the operation as though it were her own private company. While trying to exchange towels, she saying I had the correct towels and I saying I didn't, she finally acceded to my request and exchanged towels. She wasn't exactly friendly but there had been no harsh exchange.

Then I went out for breakfast. When I returned to my new room and unlocked the door I instantly knew something was wrong. My leather and tweed Hartmann two suiter suitcase was laying on it's side and opened with some of my clothing spilling out. I quickly discovered the combination lock had been pried open along with the latches at each end - totally destroying the suitcase. Interestingly nothing was stolen and I am very fortunate. Normally I do not leave anything of value to steal in my suitcase - just in case. This time I had left my new digital camera and my passport. They were still there.

When I went down to reception to report the intrusion they blamed me for leaving my door unlocked. When I explained that I didn't it fell on deaf ears and when I asked then how it was locked when I returned I was given no answer. It is VERY unlikely that a thief would go to all the trouble to break into a room and then not steal a perfectly good, new American passport nor the brand new Canon digital camera I had paid nearly $400 for. I have no doubt it was the floor lady meant to send me a message. The final irony, the hotel charged me to leave my luggage in their storeroom until my overnight train to Kiev. While a small thing I think it speaks to the attitude of the hotel staff. I asked to speak to the ower or manager and was told there was none available.

If you value your luggage and your personal safety I would advise to NOT stay at the Passage Hotel.