Ukraine - Sept 2006

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We had such a good time in Ukraine back in July that Andy and I decided to go back this month so we could see some more of the country. Unusually for me (since I am generally the one who has to arrange all the flights, accomodation and excursions) we had nothing planned beyond return tickets to Kyiv, meeting our crazy Ukrainian friends and then see what happened.

Tania had promised us a crazy, extreme, Ukrainian adventure and she did not disappoint. Dyakuyu Tania.

Thursday 14th Sep - Arrive in Kyiv, travel to Lviv on overnight train

We arrived in Kyiv at 16:50pm and then called Tania who said she would pick us up at the airport. She turned up with the driver of her boss in a fancy car and we drove in Kyiv in style and to Sasha's Mum's restuarant.

Tania, me


Andy


After a good feed whilst watching the iguanas in the tank getting amorous, we drove to the train station to see about getting tickets for the overnight train to Lviv.

Kyiv train station


It turned out there was a train at 9:50pm that would get us into Lviv for 10am. All the cheaper tickets were gone so we had to pay extra to travel VIP Class. We paid for two rooms on the train, each with two beds. It was definately worth the extra money as it was amazing. A huge old Soviet era train.

Our train


VIP Class


Our room for the night


Friday 15th Sep - Arrive in Lviv

I didn't get much sleep on the train, party due to Andy's snoring and partly due to it being a bumpy journey so I got off the train tired but looking forward to seeing Lviv which I'd heard was a lovely place.

Tania's brother, Alex, met us at the train station and drove us into the centre of Lviv.

Tania and Alex


Tania had booked an apartment for us but we had a few hours to kill before we could get the keys so we went for coffee and a cake. As we later discovered, Tania is not good in the morning especially without coffee. Scary.

After breakfast we went for a wander round Lviv before dropping our bags into the apartment and heading out for some dinner. Lviv was an absolutely stunning place. Beautiful old buildings everywhere.

Lviv







It was a cracking day so we stopped off for a beer.


Saturday 16th Sep - Lviv

On the Saturday we went out sightseeing in Lviv. Again I was amazed at how beautiful the place was. I can see why Lviv is another of those places being called the "New Prague". Thankfully without so many tourists though.

Lviv











Our apartment, only 15 minutes from the centre of Lviv by bus.


Sunday 17th Sep - Travel to Ivano-Frankivsk and Carpathians, overnight train to Kyiv

We woke up at 6am and phoned a taxi to take us to the bus station for our bus to Ivano-Frankivsk.

Bus station


We got the 7:30am bus and got into Ivano-Frankivsk for about 10:30am where we met Tania's friend Marina. After getting breakfast and a couple of coffees, we went for a wander round the town.

Ivano-Frankivsk





Marina picked us up again a short while later along with her daughter and then we drove out torwards the Carpathian mountains.

The sun had come out again and it was absolutely stunning. After having spent time in Kyiv and Lviv, it was great to get out and see some of the countryside.

Carpathians








We had some traditional Ukrainian food before heading back to Ivano-Frankivsk. After a terrifying journey which involved overtaking four cars at a blind courner with the last car being a police car, Marina dropped us off at a bar back in Ivano-Frankivsk.

Marina's daugher stayed with us and some more friends of Tania's joined us.

Bar in Ivano-Frankivsk


Dva piva (2 beers)


I had a taste of the local Balsam and it was as bad as the stuff in Riga. I decided to stick to the beer.

The Balsam. Budmon.


After a few drinks we walked back to the train station to catch our 1am train back to Kyiv. This time we were Business Class rather than VIP Class so we had a room with four beds. Andy volunterred to take one of the shady looking top bunks. I was impressed, he managed not to fall off but did keep us awake with his snoring.

Every time I stood up I managed to bang my head off the top bunk which Andy and Tania found hilarious.

Monday 18th Sep - Kyiv

We didn't get into Kyiv till about 1:30pm after a long 12 and a half hour journey. I actually managed to get a half decent sleep so didn't feel too bad.

Breakfast


We were picked up at the train station and then drove to our hotel via a stop to stay hello to Sasha.

Me, Tania, Sasha



The hotel was next to the Dnipro river and our room on the 9th floor had an amazing view.



As we'd only had a couple of cups of tea and biscuits to eat all day, we got changed then headed round the corner to Sasha's Mum's place again to get a lunch. After lunch we headed into Kyiv and Art club 44 for a beer.

We were joined by Rimma and Tania's friends, Tania and Andrew and had a really good night in Club 44. There was a funky jazz band playing and they were amazing, like the tunes from the old Buff Club.

Andy, Rimma, me


Me, Tania, Tania and Andrew


Andy, Rimma, me, Tania, Tania, Andrew


Andy had texted Sean Carr earlier so we headed to the River Palace along with Rimma, Tania and Andrew to catch up with him for a few beers.

Tania and the rest of them left Sean, Mick, Andy and I so we had a few more beers in the club at the River Palace. After Sean and Mick left, Andy fell asleep on a table so I had to drag him home in a taxi.

Andy, Mick, Sean


Tuesday 19th Sep - Kyiv

Andy and I woke up late after the previous night and it felt like something was missing. We realised that it was Tania who was back at her apartment. The room felt strangely empty without her even though she is somewhat scary in the morning.

As it was our last day, we jumped on the bus to Independence Square and wandered around Kyiv, taking in the Dynamo Kyiv stadium and the Friendship Monument.

Kyiv






Friendship Monument


Dynamo Kyiv stadium


We went for a beer in a bar called Bunker near Independence Square to try and get rid of the hangover before meeting up with Tania and Sasha for a bite to eat.

Andy, Sasha, me, Tania


Tania was tired and not feeling too well after being stuck with Andy and I for the last few days. It had been hard work for her constantly speaking in English and she had worked hard arranging all our accomodation and transport. It was all appreciated as she made the holiday amazing and we saw places that we would not have managed to get to so easily ourselves.

After they headed home, it was back off to Art Club 44 for Andy and I.

Art Club 44


I was planning on a fairly early night as we had an early start for our flight back to Glasgow but it was 3:30am by the time we got home. Another top night though.

We had a great time in Ukraine, Kyiv was amazing and the people were so friendly again. It was also really good to see more of the country and visit Lviv and down towards the Carpathian mountains. Hopefully get back again next year and visit Crimea.

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Latvia & Lithuania - Sept 2006

Earlier this month I was away with the Tartan Army to Latvia and then Lithuania to watch the Scotland game. I hadn't had a chance to update the blog as I was over in Ukraine so although it's a bit hazy, I'll try and write it up.

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Sunday 3rd Sept - Arrival in Riga

We had been out on the Saturday to watch Scotland v Faroe Islands at Celtic Park and the next day we had the 6am flight to Riga. I'd gone home fairly early to back but Dave was a bit worse for wear.

After arriving in Riga and checking into our hotel in the old town, we headed out for a few beers. There was a party going on at the town square and it transpired that it was a celebration for the new semester at the university. Everyone was wearing orange hats and there was Latvian music and dancing followed by fireworks.

Fireworks at the square


It started raining so we went for a few drinks at the square we headed off to the John Lemmon Bar for a couple of pear ciders. Scott and I had were attempting to mix the Pixies on the PC they were using for the tunes in the bar and pissed off the barmaid. We ordered more pear cider which never arrived so we headed off to the Orange Bar where we crashed someone's birthday party.

It's all a bit hazy but I remember drinking Balsam - which was minging, Chris asking a bloke in a Latvia top what he was doing in Lithuania, and us singing Happy Birthday outside the bar as the birthday girl was lifted up and down on a chair.

The birthday girl in the Orange Bar


Orange Bar


After the Orange Bar we went to another bar which was pretty cool and then we ended up drinking back in the town square where there was a fight between a big Russian bloke and a bigger Swedish bloke. I think. Or that could have been the next day..

Monday 4th Sept - Riga

Woke up feeling really hungover after the previous nights madness. We headed out in the still bizarre weather of hot one minute then cold and chucking it down the next and visited the Occupation Museum and did a bit of sight seeing round the old town.

Riga Old Town


We stopped for a pint back at the town square to settle from the rain. One of the Scottish guys sat at the the piano and started belting out a load of songs.


In the evening, it was back out for a few refreshments. No idea what this bar was called though it had good Mojitos.

Gary, me, Scott, Dave and Chris


Then off to the club, Nobody Writes to the Colonel (Pulkvedim Neviens Neraksta) where Gary and Chris showed the locals their moves.


Tuesday 5th - Vilnius

On Tuesday we were supposed to get the 7am bus to Vilnius but with some cunning, we'd changed it to a more respectable time in the afternoon. Probably just as well as we were feeling a tad hungover.

After stocking up on a ridiculous amount of food and pear cider for a 3 hour journey, we got the bus over to Vilnius.

Dave and pear cider - scary combination


The 'highlight' of the bus journey was a drunk and annoying Scotland fan who though it was amusing to go to the toilet on the bus and then come out in only his scabby old boxer shorts and shout 'It's Party Time'. It wasn't funny the first time and after 3 hours it was incredibly boring. In saying that, the patter has lived on. Ironically of course.

After checking in to our cool apartments that Dave had organised, we headed out for a food and a few fruit beers.



And ended up in the club Broadway where we met big Ricky.


Wednesday 6th - Vilnius / Kaunas

On Wednesday we travelled to Kaunas via bus and train



and went for a few beers before the football.




After watching Scotland win 2-1, we got a taxi back in Vilnius before going for a few beers to celebrate and ending up in Broadway again.


Thursday 7th - Vilnius

Thursday was spent by sightseeing in Vilnius, before going to a cracking Lithuanian restaurant for some food and beers.

My Lithuanian look-a-like. Freaky.


Me, Dave, Chris, Gary


Scott, Chris, Gary, Dave and me


In the evening we met up with Renata (a friend of the guys from their last trip to Vilnius) at Club Bix.

Renata, me, Dave and Chris in Club Bix


The club was a pretty cool basement club and was playing some good music. Unfortunately the was a problem with the sewars and shit started to appear on the floor ... time to move on. We ended up in some club called Prospect that was full of Scots in kilts. Late night. All a bit hazy again. Can remember being in a taxi with Chris sticking his head out the sun roof, the driving playing really load techno and swerving about on the road...

Friday 8th - Vilnius

Very hungover after getting to bed at 7am. Chris had to leave about 10am and I didn't envy him at all. We met Renata who took us to Trakai on the bus. A lovely place.

Trackai






After getting the bus back from Trakai, we went to Savas Kampas for a couple of beers and a bite to eat. We bought a pigs ear, one of the traditional Lithuanian foods. It was minging. After watching Scott and Dave trying a bit and fighting to not throw it up, I decided to pass.

Pigs ear. Nice.