Trip Report - Kiev, Ukraine
Nov 14th, 2010, 11:45 AM
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Trip Report - Kiev, Ukraine
Better late than never. Had a wonderful time in Kiev, Ukraine for one week. We were a bit disappointed that we unable to get to the south, Odessa, but did get out of down for one day to Chernigiv (hired a driver). I was there to give a talk, which was mid-week, so it created a small logistical problem to wander too far from the city.
We went the first week of November (2009), so the weather was not the greatest. Although it was cold, cloudy and a bit drizzly at times, we never had to stay inside because of the rain. We brought winter jackets, and found ourselves a bit on the hot side, once we started walking.
Kiev is a great walking and public transportation city. You definitely don't need a car (unless you want to get out of town) or to take taxis. Walking five or six miles a day was not a big deal for us. The only time we took a cab, was getting to the Lavra (caves), because the person at the front desk gave us a weird look when we asked about walking there. We walked back to our hotel easily.
We saw all the various neighborhoods and sites that were of interest to us, including:
1. Khreschatyk Street
2. Independence Square
3. St. Michael's
4. Andriyivskyy Descent
5. St. Sophia's
6. Bulgakov Museum
7. St. Andrew's Church (though it was closed for renovations)
8. Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves)
9. Babi Yar
10. Central Synagogue
We stayed at a nice hotel, Hotel Rus. It had a great breakfast buffet included. It was just a short walk from some really delicious restaurants and the Central Synagogue (the old Jewish neighborhood). The room was basic, but comfortable. It had wifi for an additional charge, so we could use Skype to call our daughter back in the states. The people were pretty nice and helpful, though the person at the currency exchange put out some really negative vibes, but both being psychologists, we didn't take it personally.
One of the most special moments was afternoon tea at the cafe at the Bulgakov Museum. Although the women working there didn't speak English, and we didn't know Ukraine, there was a wonderful feeling of hospitality. We were the only people at the cafe, so the woman turned off the lights, and brought a few candles to our table. We had the most delicious tea and pastries. It was the most relaxing moment I think we experienced the whole week. A combination of sweet romance between me and my wife, and solitude, warmth and comfort from the cold and dreary weather outside.
Babi Yar (Holocaust Memorial) was a very moving experience. We took the train to and from the park (the subways themselves are an interesting experience). The rainy weather accentuated the mood that we experienced from the moment we got off the train. The park actually begins at the train station. The first thing you see is the statute built for the child victims. All I can say, is it was a profoundly sad day, and that was hard to shake the residual feeling that resulted from the visit. But I was glad that we went.
The Monastery of the Caves was also very interesting. It felt very spiritual walking through the caves and paying homage to the saints. Afterward, we went across the street to the art museum and were lucky to catch an incredible Rodin exhibit. We walked back to our museum in the park across the the government buildings. There was even a demonstration going on in front of the Parliament building.
We walked to the Podil neighborhood, which is the other side of the Andriyivskyy Descent. There is a cool museum call the Museum of One Street, which has many, many artifacts demonstrating the history of the street. It was very interesting!
We stopped by the Opera House several times, but that week, everything was canceled due to the swine flu epidemic. That was the biggest disappointment of the week. Lots of people were wearing masks, but we escaped without infection. ;-) There was a cool street art exhibit about the way the government was dealing with the epidemic, just a few blocks from our hotel.
On our final day, we hired a driver to take us to Chernigiv. We spent the day walking through the large park and viewing the sights of the river, religious sites and cathedrals. Before we left, we had a nice late lunch/early dinner at this cool little restaurant that seemed to mostly cater to college students. We could have been on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, except for the language and smoking.
Oh yes, smoking. Sometimes we forget how California is different from the rest of the world. The smoking in Kiev is really, really intense. A non-smoking section of a restaurant is not really free of smoke. We had to get all our clothes and jackets dry cleaned when we got back to get rid of the smell. A small inconvenience, but definitely not a place for people who are really uptight about breathing second hand smoke.
Overall, I loved the trip. Both of our families (grandparents) were from the Ukraine, so it felt a bit like a return to our roots. Interestingly, the food was very reminiscent of the food we both ate as children. Next year, we are going to Israel for the first time, so it kind of completes the circle for us. Looking forward to sharing those experiences here as well.
Photos from our trip can be found here: http://danielsonkin.smugmug.com/Trav...18458417_BCeiD
We went the first week of November (2009), so the weather was not the greatest. Although it was cold, cloudy and a bit drizzly at times, we never had to stay inside because of the rain. We brought winter jackets, and found ourselves a bit on the hot side, once we started walking.
Kiev is a great walking and public transportation city. You definitely don't need a car (unless you want to get out of town) or to take taxis. Walking five or six miles a day was not a big deal for us. The only time we took a cab, was getting to the Lavra (caves), because the person at the front desk gave us a weird look when we asked about walking there. We walked back to our hotel easily.
We saw all the various neighborhoods and sites that were of interest to us, including:
1. Khreschatyk Street
2. Independence Square
3. St. Michael's
4. Andriyivskyy Descent
5. St. Sophia's
6. Bulgakov Museum
7. St. Andrew's Church (though it was closed for renovations)
8. Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves)
9. Babi Yar
10. Central Synagogue
We stayed at a nice hotel, Hotel Rus. It had a great breakfast buffet included. It was just a short walk from some really delicious restaurants and the Central Synagogue (the old Jewish neighborhood). The room was basic, but comfortable. It had wifi for an additional charge, so we could use Skype to call our daughter back in the states. The people were pretty nice and helpful, though the person at the currency exchange put out some really negative vibes, but both being psychologists, we didn't take it personally.
One of the most special moments was afternoon tea at the cafe at the Bulgakov Museum. Although the women working there didn't speak English, and we didn't know Ukraine, there was a wonderful feeling of hospitality. We were the only people at the cafe, so the woman turned off the lights, and brought a few candles to our table. We had the most delicious tea and pastries. It was the most relaxing moment I think we experienced the whole week. A combination of sweet romance between me and my wife, and solitude, warmth and comfort from the cold and dreary weather outside.
Babi Yar (Holocaust Memorial) was a very moving experience. We took the train to and from the park (the subways themselves are an interesting experience). The rainy weather accentuated the mood that we experienced from the moment we got off the train. The park actually begins at the train station. The first thing you see is the statute built for the child victims. All I can say, is it was a profoundly sad day, and that was hard to shake the residual feeling that resulted from the visit. But I was glad that we went.
The Monastery of the Caves was also very interesting. It felt very spiritual walking through the caves and paying homage to the saints. Afterward, we went across the street to the art museum and were lucky to catch an incredible Rodin exhibit. We walked back to our museum in the park across the the government buildings. There was even a demonstration going on in front of the Parliament building.
We walked to the Podil neighborhood, which is the other side of the Andriyivskyy Descent. There is a cool museum call the Museum of One Street, which has many, many artifacts demonstrating the history of the street. It was very interesting!
We stopped by the Opera House several times, but that week, everything was canceled due to the swine flu epidemic. That was the biggest disappointment of the week. Lots of people were wearing masks, but we escaped without infection. ;-) There was a cool street art exhibit about the way the government was dealing with the epidemic, just a few blocks from our hotel.
On our final day, we hired a driver to take us to Chernigiv. We spent the day walking through the large park and viewing the sights of the river, religious sites and cathedrals. Before we left, we had a nice late lunch/early dinner at this cool little restaurant that seemed to mostly cater to college students. We could have been on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, except for the language and smoking.
Oh yes, smoking. Sometimes we forget how California is different from the rest of the world. The smoking in Kiev is really, really intense. A non-smoking section of a restaurant is not really free of smoke. We had to get all our clothes and jackets dry cleaned when we got back to get rid of the smell. A small inconvenience, but definitely not a place for people who are really uptight about breathing second hand smoke.
Overall, I loved the trip. Both of our families (grandparents) were from the Ukraine, so it felt a bit like a return to our roots. Interestingly, the food was very reminiscent of the food we both ate as children. Next year, we are going to Israel for the first time, so it kind of completes the circle for us. Looking forward to sharing those experiences here as well.
Photos from our trip can be found here: http://danielsonkin.smugmug.com/Trav...18458417_BCeiD
Nov 14th, 2010, 02:02 PM
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Dan...thanks for the concise report. Very nice nostalgic pix. You walked in our footsteps from 2008...although I had been to USSR a few times, but never to the New Russia and the New Ukraine..I was very impressed with a city striving for world class status. In some ways, it's already there. My dad and his family came from the Podil section of Kiev...we endlessly walked the streets and felt we indeed were walking in HIS footsteps when he was a child. The famly later lived in what is now a suburb, but then was 20 miles out of town, and it was from there they emigrated to Boston in 1912-1914.
Having been to several K-camps throughout Europe, I found that Babi Yar matched them all in emotional sadness. The children's statue was a knife through the heart. We, too, enjoyed vsiting Lavra, butI found that the nearby Military Museum of the Great Patriotc War was also very moving...one statue therein, that of a soldier holding his dead or badly wounded buddy, was a poignant knockout. Did you see it? En route to Kiev from St. Petersburg, we also spent some time in Belarus where my wife's mother was born,near Brest.
Yes, we also stayed at the Hotel Rus and found it to be very convenient to everything. Do they still have a gang of about 6-8 men sitting in the lobby all day and night? Found out that the owners were threatened by a dangerous Ukrainian gang, for some reason, and the owners employed these guys for protection. Kind of an eery feeling.
Funny story...in visiting the Central Synagogue, in the lobby on the way out, there were two young men standing off to one side. I wanted to ask them some questions....my Yiddish is moderately fluent, my Russian/Ukrainian is less than fair, my German is more of a Germanic Yiddish, my Hebrew very skimpy. I was sure I'd find that one of those languages would be OK for a brief conversation. Soooo, I asked...if they spoke each or any of the languages by asking the question in that particular language. Each time, they stoically shook their heads in unison. I was about to give up, walking away to where my wife was standing, and I hear them conversing in perfect American-style English. I walked back to them and politely asked..."Why didn't you tell me you spoke English?"
Answer: "You never asked!"...
stu tower
Having been to several K-camps throughout Europe, I found that Babi Yar matched them all in emotional sadness. The children's statue was a knife through the heart. We, too, enjoyed vsiting Lavra, butI found that the nearby Military Museum of the Great Patriotc War was also very moving...one statue therein, that of a soldier holding his dead or badly wounded buddy, was a poignant knockout. Did you see it? En route to Kiev from St. Petersburg, we also spent some time in Belarus where my wife's mother was born,near Brest.
Yes, we also stayed at the Hotel Rus and found it to be very convenient to everything. Do they still have a gang of about 6-8 men sitting in the lobby all day and night? Found out that the owners were threatened by a dangerous Ukrainian gang, for some reason, and the owners employed these guys for protection. Kind of an eery feeling.
Funny story...in visiting the Central Synagogue, in the lobby on the way out, there were two young men standing off to one side. I wanted to ask them some questions....my Yiddish is moderately fluent, my Russian/Ukrainian is less than fair, my German is more of a Germanic Yiddish, my Hebrew very skimpy. I was sure I'd find that one of those languages would be OK for a brief conversation. Soooo, I asked...if they spoke each or any of the languages by asking the question in that particular language. Each time, they stoically shook their heads in unison. I was about to give up, walking away to where my wife was standing, and I hear them conversing in perfect American-style English. I walked back to them and politely asked..."Why didn't you tell me you spoke English?"
Answer: "You never asked!"...
stu tower
Nov 14th, 2010, 03:17 PM
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Dan...you'll find my Kiev pix to have many recognizable duplicates of yours...almost as If we planned the trip together! I included the Belarus pix also. Otherwise, just scroll down to the Kiev segment. Thanks again for posting the TR...and the pix...you told the story very well!
Stu (L.A.)
http://picasaweb.google.com/stuartto...raineKiev2008#
P.S. I, for one of a very few, salute you for using your name, as I do.
Stu (L.A.)
http://picasaweb.google.com/stuartto...raineKiev2008#
P.S. I, for one of a very few, salute you for using your name, as I do.
Nov 14th, 2010, 03:53 PM
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Stu, thanks for you thoughtful response to my TR. You are correct, we took a lot of the same photographs. Amazing! I laughed at your story about the central synagogue. We met the rabbi there, who spoke fluent English. I asked him about the place were my grandparents were born, but he wasn't altogether certain, other than it might have been a bit west, toward Poland. We ate at the King David restaurant twice, it was delicious. Also bought several items in the temple gift shop.
My grandparents knew each other as children and adolescents in Russia. My grandmother, Rose, came via boat to NY and settled with family in Chicago. My grandfather, David, was forced into the army, went AWOL and walked east across Russia. Caught a boat to Japan. Walked across Japan and caught a boat to Seattle. He rode the rails trying to get to Chicago. It took him two years to make it around the world, but he made it, into his loving Rose's arms. It was an incredible love story.
Back to the trip. Yes, the men were still sitting around the lobby. I even got a few pictures. I thought they were guides, waiting for tourists, but what you say makes lots of sense. They weren't exactly the guide type.
We didn't get to the military museum, it sounds interesting.
On the one hand, we did feel like we were returning to somewhere familiar, but on the other hand, there didn't seem to be anything that felt Jewish to us, except for the synagogue. It was kind of weird.
Azzure, Kiev definitely has a European feel to it. Except for the old, mid-1990's architecture, it had all these beautifully old buildings, and the shopping in some parts were definitely upscale. My wife noticed that the women were dressed very chic, the men no so. I was doing work for the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe). They were wanting to know best practices for addressing family violence.
Thanks everyone else for your kind feedback.
Daniel
My grandparents knew each other as children and adolescents in Russia. My grandmother, Rose, came via boat to NY and settled with family in Chicago. My grandfather, David, was forced into the army, went AWOL and walked east across Russia. Caught a boat to Japan. Walked across Japan and caught a boat to Seattle. He rode the rails trying to get to Chicago. It took him two years to make it around the world, but he made it, into his loving Rose's arms. It was an incredible love story.
Back to the trip. Yes, the men were still sitting around the lobby. I even got a few pictures. I thought they were guides, waiting for tourists, but what you say makes lots of sense. They weren't exactly the guide type.
We didn't get to the military museum, it sounds interesting.
On the one hand, we did feel like we were returning to somewhere familiar, but on the other hand, there didn't seem to be anything that felt Jewish to us, except for the synagogue. It was kind of weird.
Azzure, Kiev definitely has a European feel to it. Except for the old, mid-1990's architecture, it had all these beautifully old buildings, and the shopping in some parts were definitely upscale. My wife noticed that the women were dressed very chic, the men no so. I was doing work for the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe). They were wanting to know best practices for addressing family violence.
Thanks everyone else for your kind feedback.
Daniel
Nov 14th, 2010, 04:11 PM
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Dan...that is some story about grandpa! There were many who walked across Europe to reach the ports. I wrote about an organized group (60) of young people who walked from Romania in 1904..based on factual events. My dad walked partially in 1913(at age 13) with his older sister (19) until they reached Hamburg; preceded six months earlier by grandpa who had already served in the army 4 years, heard rumors he was about to be called back and hightailed it to board a ship in Rotterdam and send for his family when he got settled ... There are so many stories about millions of courageous people emigrating from all over Europe..And that can be expanded to Asia, Central America, Africa, etc.indeed , from all over the world...and we are the living beneficiaries of their gutsy determination.
Nov 16th, 2010, 01:24 AM
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Thanks for the report! I loved my time in Ukraine although I didn't make it to Kiev - would really like to go back, especially to Lviv (see http://wilhelmswords.com/eur2006/index.html )
Nov 16th, 2010, 06:29 AM
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<i>Yes, the men were still sitting around the lobby. I even got a few pictures. I thought they were guides, waiting for tourists, but what you say makes lots of sense. They weren't exactly the guide type.</i>
Dan...believe it when I say that they were all packing "iron"...when we were checking out, one of them was showing his Luger-type weapon to one of the uniformed security guards who was examining it in full view of the guests milling around. Expected to see Wyatt Earp and his deputies walk in for an afternoon shootout.
Stu
Dan...believe it when I say that they were all packing "iron"...when we were checking out, one of them was showing his Luger-type weapon to one of the uniformed security guards who was examining it in full view of the guests milling around. Expected to see Wyatt Earp and his deputies walk in for an afternoon shootout.
Stu
Jan 23rd, 2011, 04:38 AM
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Notes about life in Ukraine through the eyes of American living there during 6 years...
www.yolkstar.com/blog
www.yolkstar.com/blog
Sep 24th, 2012, 07:12 PM
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YOur photos are amazing. So different from many places I have been. My grandfather was born in Ukraine, but I don't know where. Would love to visit some day. I've been to Prague & Krakow in October, & I really like these cities in the autumn. Very atmospheric in a different sort of way. Fewer tourists around, so that is nice too.
Mar 9th, 2013, 12:08 PM
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Western standard hotels in Kiev are expensive. Regular visitors prefer to rent an apartment - a decent one-room studio apartment in the center costs between $50-$90 / day.
Since last year, smoking in restaurants and other public places has been banned.
Since last year, smoking in restaurants and other public places has been banned.
Mar 9th, 2013, 02:50 PM
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Thanks for an interesting report, Daniel. Daniel and Stu, thank you for sharing your pictures. I enjoyed looking at them. I was interested to hear the stories of those whose ancestors came from that part of the world and how they got to the U.S.
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