KIEV,UKRAINE

An Old City Full of Gold Domes

The hotel, located in the heart of Kiev, was an excellent location, only a few steps away from the city’s famous Kreschatyk Street. The hotel had recently refurbished its 416 rooms. Our room was small, basic, but adequate. The centerpiece of the hotel was a gorgeous, gray granite, curving staircase topped with a shiny brass handrail from the second floor foyer to the lobby. It was fun to walk down it as it reminded us of the wonderful one we climbed in Wurzburg, Germany.

It was a short walk from the hotel to Independence Square where the infamous Orange Revolution took place.  It was a beautiful day. Young people were everywhere, many with a bottle of beer in hand. Food kiosks were being set up to accommodate the anticipated crowd later in the evening. The evenings were long with darkness not falling ‘til nearly midnight. We stopped in a large department store that was supposed to have a good souvenir section, but we found mostly junk.

At the square we descended into the underground mall where we found expensive boutiques and upscale western shops. We couldn’t help but wonder who the clientele might be.

We chose the cafeteria that had been recommended for dinner the first day. Little English was spoken, but we could see all the food and had no problem. The borscht that evening was wonderful and the best of any we had on the whole trip. I added a good cucumber salad and meat-stuffed roll, ending the meal with a cheese filled pastry. Not only was the food excellent but it was extremely reasonable, bordering on cheap. Unfortunately we did not have a chance to return.

Kiev is a city of young people.   Gold domes are everywhere you look.  The small big city is a nice blend of the old and the new. We saw no decaying old buildings. The city is generally very clean.  There is a resurgence of religion.  Girls are pretty, have model figures, no thighs and long skinny legs covered with tight jeans. Long pointed-toe shoes with 4” nail-thin spike heels were the fashion of the day.

Everything, the streets, landmarks, and maps have three spellings. I’m sure one is Ukrainian, one Russian and one a European spelling, but it does make it confusing and difficult for the visitor

We learned about salo—a pig fat product that is served many ways. White in color it reminded me of Crisco. Apparently it is popular in that part of the world although it did not appeal to any of us.

We had a delightful time in Kiev, saw a lot , and wished for a couple more days.

CAPE SPEAR

North America's Eastern Point

Cape Spear, Newfoundland is the most easterly point in North America, and I had thought I’d like to get over there to see a sunrise one morning since it is the first place to see the sun. However, the sun was up a bit before 5 AM and it would mean trying to get a cab very early in the morning for the 15-20 minute ride from St. Johns to the area, so I gave up on a sunrise.

  However, we did visit Cape Spear and a friend and I did walk to the point for a photo op. The rugged coastline is spectacular. It was clear and sunny by the time we arrived late in the afternoon.

I walked the 156 steps up to the 1836 lighthouse . It is the oldest surviving lighthouse in Canada’s Eastern Provinces. A modern concrete lighthouse was built in the 1950s just a few meters from the original one.

            The old lighthouse has been restored to its 1840s décor and shows how the light keeper and his family lived.  Because the lighthouse was built while the province was still a British protectorate it is six sided and has the required 23 windows. However, half of the windows are false and painted black behind them. Sitting high on the very windy hill if all the windows were real it would be impossible to keep the house warm with the one fireplace in the kitchen, which also was used for cooking.

            During WW II a gun battery was built into the stone cliff. Barracks housed 300 men, 50 of whom were Americans. There were underground passages from the gun battery. Viewing it I thought That must have been a challenge to build. All evidence of the barracks was gone.

            Several whales were playing just off the coast. They were blowing every few minutes compared to the 30 minute spans at Witless Bay. We stood and watched them for some time and what a fitting way to end out visit in Newfoundland!