A Visit To Kiev
We found Kiev a delightful city although definitely not a pedestrian friendly
city. Crossing the street can be hazardous to your health, as pedestrians
do NOT have the right of way. Fortunately there are many under the street
tunnels and one should use them when possible.
I don’t know why everyone wants to add THE before
Ukraine. We don’t say the Canada, the Cuba, the Poland---you
get the idea—but for some reason everyone thinks it’s the Ukraine. I
shared a table in Winnipeg, Canada a few years ago with a charming Ukrainian
who enlightened me.
Ukraine, slightly smaller than
Texas, is Europe’s second largest country, and the largest country and most
populous and developed republic of what once was the Soviet Bloc or USSR. Russia dominated Ukrainian history for
centuries, but Ukrainian culture stretches even farther back in history. The
country was the center of the first Slavic state, a powerful nation called
Kievan Rus, which dominated Europe in the 10th and 11th
centuries.
The city of three million people
seemed like a small large city. The girls are gorgeous, have long skinny legs
that are emphasized with 4-inch heeled shoes topped with tight blue jeans. It
is a city of young people. Streets are wide, traffic heavy. The city is full of
art nouveau buildings, Stalin-era buildings that generally had a large star on
top, 80 churches and numerous well-preserved buildings. We saw no decaying
buildings. There are gold domes everywhere you look. The city has many 11th
century buildings, yet Kiev is both the modern gateway to Ukraine and a
historic town that blends commercial streets with modern byways with its old
town. The seat of government, the city was very clean.
One afternoon we walked down town
to Independence Square. Kiev’s main
business district, Khreshchatik, was
blocked off for the holiday so we strolled down the center of the wide street
lined with large old trees and grand monumental buildings interspersed with
small shops. 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.
Independence Square was the site
of the Orange Revolution when the presidential elections were so hotly
contested. Many young people in the square were smoking. Beneath the square is
a huge underground mall where we found expensive boutiques and upscale western
shops. A bit weary we stopped in a cafe for some people watching and ice cream.
