Ukraine - July 06

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Andy's camera phone photos

We just got back from Ukraine yesterday. I was planning to update my blog from over there, but I seemed to have problems with the moby, so was unable to. Anyway, it has to be the craziest holiday I have been on so far and definately one of the best.

Day 1 - Arrival and beers

We landed at Kiev Borispol Airport around 4:30pm local time and changed some US Dollars to the local currency, Hryvnia. Alex decided to haggle with the first taxi driver who approached us, to save the usual faffing about. He agreed a price and after a hair raising journey, we arrived at Hotel Kozatsky. The location of the hotel was fantastic, being right on the Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti).

Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti)


The hotel itself was like something out of the former Soviet Union, after checking in at the front desk, you got given a card which you then showed to someone else on a different floor who then gave you your key. Instead of just one check-in desk, there were people on almost every floor who looked after the keys.

Everytime we left our keys and then picked them up later, we got told off in Ukranian. Not sure what for, possibly for going in and out a few times a day. Saying 'dyakuyu' (thank you) seemed to help break the ice.

Graham upon checking in got the infamous phone call 'You want girl?'. (He said 'no' obviously).

We then headed out for a beer at Independence Square before heading into the metro station for pizza and beer. 6 quid for 2 pizzas and 4 pints.

We headed back to the square for a few more beers and got joined by a Canadian guy who was born in Ukraine, his bodyguard and a monk. Nuts. Andy decided to tell the monk he looked like Rasputin (which he possibly did) but perhaps not the right thing to say. As the night went on, Graham got into a politics discussion, so it was time for me to head home. Apparently later that night, Andy left to go back to the hotel alone (literally a one minute walk from where we were sitting) but wandered around and got stopped by the police before being escorted home.

Day 2 - Local 'character' gives us tour for money, beer and fags

We went out the next morning to do a bit of sight seeing before we were too hungover and were approached by Wally. He offered to show us the sights in exchange for some cash. Alex bought him a beer and we headed off.

True to his word, he took us round all the sights we were wanting to see.

Graham, Andy and our guide/translator, Wally


Museum of the Great Patriotic War


Rodina Mat (Mother of the Motherland)


One of the many Orthodox Christian churches


After a day's sightseeing with several beers on route, Wally took us to a Ukranian restaurant and then onto a club (Art Club 44) where a band were playing. After they finished, there was a disco and it was a good laugh. Everyone was really friendly. Harry Big Cigar (Alex) insisted on buying a huka pipe just because someone at another table had one. He doesn't even smoke.

When we got a taxi back to the hotel, Andy fell asleep and then tried to fight Wally who was trying to get him out of the taxi. He woke up the next morning lying in the hallway on the 7th floor.

Ended up being a top night.

Day 3 - Alex has to 'give a policeman a gift for his birthday'

On weekends the traffic is blocked on Khreschatyk Street


After a bit of sight seeing and a few beers, we headed to another Ukrainian resturant for some grub before heading to Art Club 44 (minus Graham who was pissed and had to go home).

Another good night in the club and we ended up chatting to some really cool girls, Tania, Sasha, Rimma and Julia. Alex and I left Andy in the club and walked back to the hotel. (Andy was drinking vodka with some Crimean's and seemed happy enough!).

We were literally a few metres away from the hotel when two policeman decided to stop us. Alex didn't have his passport on him, so he offered to go into the hotel and bring it down. The police didn't have time so they said he'd need to go to the station. Then after a bit of small talk about football, one of the policemen said 'It's my birthday tomorrow, would you like to give me a gift?'.

Knowing the question was retorical, Alex asked 'How much?'. He then walked Alex down the stairs into the underpass and proceeded to take his gift of 50 Hryvnia. Apparently they are only paid $100 a month salary, so they still see this as a way to supplement their income.

Day 4 - Meet Yevhenia, daughter of Yulia Tymoshenko

We went for a few beers before meeting Tania, Sasha and Rimma from the club the previous night. They took us round a few of the sights before going to a Jewish restuarant. After we'd eaten, we headed down to the river and onto one of the many party boats. They sail about the river for a couple of hours playing overly loud dance music. A good laugh though.

On the the party boat .. Graham


Andy


Rimma


Tania, me


After the boat we headed back to Independence Square and Tania said she'd go speak to the protesters camping there and get us a couple of t-shirts.

Alex and Rimma


Graham, Sasha and Rimma


Rimma, Alex, me, Graham and Tania


A little later she came back with a couple of the activists and they took us behind the taped off areas into the camp.

We met a lot of the protestors who were excited and pleased that some foreigners were taking an interest in what was going on. There were several police there too, who seemed to be taking an interest in us. Graham asked Sasha who explained that the police were just making sure we were ok.





Tania then told us that the ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko's daughter was also there and would we like to meet her. It was an offer we couldn't refuse, so we then got taken over to meet Yevhenia and her British rock singer husband, Sean Carr.

Graham, Andy, Sean, Yevhenia, Tania and me


The imortal line here has to be Andy as he was taking a photo of Yevhenia and Sean and said 'bunch up motherfuckers!'. Sean was from Leeds and seemed pretty cool. He also gave Andy his mobile number as he wanted to meet the Glasgow boys for a beer the next night. Unfortunately we were a bit too hungover so it never happened.

By now it was 2am, so we headed off for another couple of beers before heading home

Day 5 - Chornobyl, beers

The last day in Kiev was our excursion to Chornobyl. Everyone we have spoke to so far thinks we are mad to be going there and they are probably right. We left Kiev, a glorious sunny day and headed to Chornobly, about 2 and a half hours away. Unfortunately when we started to get near there, the rain was chucking it down and Alex only had on his shorts and t-shirt. On the plus side, apparently the rain helps keep the radiation down!

The sarcophagus covering Chornobyl’s No. 4 reactor


The radiation from where we are standing near the sarcophagus (it is 523 - normal background radiation is 14). It did get a lot higher than this later. I did start to wander if it was such a good idea!


Prypyat - the deserted town that used to have a population of 49,500






Checking for contamination


After Chornobyl we met Sasha, Tania and Rimma for a couple of farewell drinks. Bodmo!

We had a great time in Kiev and it was a shame to head home. Everyone we met was really friendly and the city itself was great.

Andy and I are planning on going back in September :)

View the photos
Andy's camera phone photos