YOU HAVE PROBABALY NOTICED THAT MANY EASTERN EUROPEAN CITIES HAVE SIMILAR LAYOUTS...AND EVEN SIMILAR HISTORIES...
LET'S GENERALIZE...A BIT...
YOUR CITY IS LOCATE ON A MAJOR RIVER...PREFERABLY AT SOME IMPORTANT SPOT...PERHAPS JUST DOWN STREAM FROM THE JUNCTION OF TWO LARGE BRANCHES...(GREAT FOR TAXING PEOPLE PASSING BY...!)
YOU BUILD ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIVER...SINCE MOST OF YOUR "ENEMIES" ARE COMING OUT OF ASIA...AND MAKING THEM CROSS THE RIVER TO GET AT YOU... PROVIDES A NICE "FIRST DEFENSE"....SORT OF A "NATURAL MOOT."
YOU LOOK FOR THE HIGHEST GROUND....THEN BUILD A CASTLE OR FORTRESS THERE...A SIMPLE WOOD STOCKADE WILL DO TO START.
YOU ALSO PUT YOUR MAJOR CHURCHES AND GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS IN THIS HIGH GROUND FORT...AND PERHAPS HAVE AN "OLD" MARKET SQUARE AS WELL...
THEN...YOU WALL IT ALL IN....
THERE IS A SMALL SUPPORT SETTLEMENT ...JUST OUTSIDE OF THE WALLS ...WHICH EVENTUALLY BECOMES "OLD TOWN"... SOMETIMES A BRIDGE IS NEEDED TO GET TO THIS OLD TOWN...SOMETIMES NOT.
EVENTUALLY, THERE IS ANOTHER NEWER SECTION ...THAT BECOMES "NEW TOWN..."
THERE ARE DISTRICTS IN THE NEW TOWN FOR DIFFERENT "TRADES"...AND OF COURSE ONE OR MORE "NEW MARKET SQUARES" FOR COMMERCE AND FAIRS....OFTEN THESE "MARKETS" ARE LOCATED NEXT TO THE CATHEDRAL OR A LARGE CHURCH OR OTHER PUBLIC BUILDING...EITHER INSIDE THE WALLED PART OF THE CITY...OR PERHAPS IN THE NEW TOWN "TRADES" AREA...
YOU HAVE A NEARBY GHETTO FOR JEWISH RESIDENTS...
GOOD EXAMPLES OF THIS TYPE OF MEDEIVEL "CITY PLANNING"...ARE MOSCOW...SMOLENSK...KIEV...KRAKOW...PRAGUE...
WARSAW...AND BUDAPEST... ET AL...
ALL HAVE SOME VARIATION OF THIS MEDEIVEL "CITY PLANNING" ....
.....
OK...NOW FAST FORWARD...TO MODERN TIMES...
AFTER THE CITY WALL IS TORN DOWN...YOU HAVE
1. A RING ROAD...! VERY MODERN DEVICE FOR TODAY'S URBAN TRAFFIC...BUDAPEST, MOSCOW ARE EXAMPLES...
2. A PARK THAT RINGS THE OLD SECTION...AS IN KRAKOW
3. A COMBO OF PARK AND BOULEVARD...SEE MOSCOW...
THE OLD TOWN BECOMES A TOURIST ATTRACTION... AND THE NEW TOWN BECOMES COMMERICAL...HOTELS, BARS, DISCOS...RESTAURANTS...MUSEUMS AND THEATERS...
THE NEWER SUBURBS FILL UP WITH MASSIVE APARTMENT BLOCKS...MOSTLY "STALINIST" ...OR OTHERWISE DEPRESSING...
AND FINALLY... IT'S ALL CONNECTED UP BY THE METRO SYSTEM...
NOTE THAT SAINT PETERSBURG IS AN EXCEPTION TO THIS PATTERN ...AS PETER THE GREAT STARTED THE "NEW TOWN" FROM SCRATCH...WHICH BY THE WAY ...SOMETHING SIMILAR WAS WAS DONE IN POLAND BY A FAMOUS POLISH NOBLEMAN A BIT BEFORE PETER'S REIGN...
SO WAS PETER MORE INFLUENCED BY THE SITUATION IN POLAND...? OR BY HIS FAMOUS "GRAND TOUR" OF WESTERN EUROPE....? OR WAS HE JUST TRYING TO AGGRAVATE THE KING OF SWEDEN...AS MANY PEOPLE THINK TODAY?
I THINK THAT RUSSIANS AT THAT TIME SAW THE WESTERN WORLD THROUGH THE "PRISM" OF POLAND...EVEN THOUGH POLAND WAS "THE ENEMY" MOST OF TIME...
RUSSIAN HISTORY SIMPLY MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS CONNECTED TO THE HISTORY OF WESTERN EUROPEAN "CATHOLIC" SLAVS...LIKE THE POLES , SLOVAKS, CROATS, CZHEKS AND OTHERS IN THE NON-ORTHODOX PART OF EUROPE...
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
BOOKING HOSTELS IN EASTERN EUROPE...
THERE ARE MANY HOSTELS AVAILABLE IN EASTERN EUROPE...
IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD IDEA TO "JOIN" THE "HOSTELS INTERNATIONAL" AND GET THEIR CARD...JUST IN CASE YOU ARE ASKED FOR IT BY THE HOSTEL TO SHOW SOME KIND PROOF OF MEMBERSHIP... ALTHOUGH MEMBERSHIP IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE NEEDED...?
BESIDES...THE CARD IS CHEAP...ABOUT $28 PER YEAR IN THE US...
YOU CAN BUY THE "PACKET" FROM MANY TRAVEL AGENTS...WHO SELL THESE MEMBERSHIPS...
THEN YOU SIMPLY REGISTER YOUR CARD ON-LINE... SO YOU'RE "LEGAL"....
NOTE THAT YOU ARE OFFERED SOME "FREE" INSURANCE WITH MEMBERSHIP...SO A NAME AND ADDRESS AND PHONE OF YOUR "BENEFICIARY" WILL BE NEEDED...WHEN FINALIZING YOUR MEMBERSHIP.
HOSTELS ARE A GOOD FALL BACK POSITION WHEN TRAVELING...
MANY OFFER SINGLE ROOMS AT A FAIRLY CHEAP PRICE...IF YOU WANT TO AVOID THE "DORM" SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS...
WHICH CAN BE PROBLEMATIC IN SOME CASES...BUT ARE USUALLY OK...
IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD IDEA TO "JOIN" THE "HOSTELS INTERNATIONAL" AND GET THEIR CARD...JUST IN CASE YOU ARE ASKED FOR IT BY THE HOSTEL TO SHOW SOME KIND PROOF OF MEMBERSHIP... ALTHOUGH MEMBERSHIP IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE NEEDED...?
BESIDES...THE CARD IS CHEAP...ABOUT $28 PER YEAR IN THE US...
YOU CAN BUY THE "PACKET" FROM MANY TRAVEL AGENTS...WHO SELL THESE MEMBERSHIPS...
THEN YOU SIMPLY REGISTER YOUR CARD ON-LINE... SO YOU'RE "LEGAL"....
NOTE THAT YOU ARE OFFERED SOME "FREE" INSURANCE WITH MEMBERSHIP...SO A NAME AND ADDRESS AND PHONE OF YOUR "BENEFICIARY" WILL BE NEEDED...WHEN FINALIZING YOUR MEMBERSHIP.
HOSTELS ARE A GOOD FALL BACK POSITION WHEN TRAVELING...
MANY OFFER SINGLE ROOMS AT A FAIRLY CHEAP PRICE...IF YOU WANT TO AVOID THE "DORM" SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS...
WHICH CAN BE PROBLEMATIC IN SOME CASES...BUT ARE USUALLY OK...
Saturday, June 27, 2009
GOING BY TRAIN FROM GERMANY TO EASTERN EUROPE?
THE TICKET OUT OF GERMANY CAN BE EXPENSIVE UNLESS YOU SHOP AROUND...
Friday, June 26, 2009
SEAT 61 IS A HUGE SITE ABOUT EUROPEAN TRAINS
THIS IS A LARGE AND CONFUSING SITE...BUT IT SEEMS TO COVER MOST ASPECTS OF EUROPEAN TRAIN TRAVEL... WITH SOME INTERESTING SUGGESTIONS AND ITINERARIES....
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
EXPERIENCE KIEV...SOME SUGGESTIONS HERE.
WHAT THEY SAY:
A PLACE TO STAY AND AIRPORT TRANSPORT TOO... THANKS!
While in Kiev, it is helpful to know that there is also an agency in the train station which rents apartments, hotels and rooms in Kiev at daily rates starting at 15 dollars or on a long term basis. The office is located in the south terminal of the main railway station in office 35 (on the 2nd floor above ticket counters 38-39).
You'll be there in a few minutes if you're arriving by train. From the Borispil airport you can take a bus marked "polit" which will take you directly to the south terminal of the main train station for approximately 4 dollars.
A PLACE TO STAY AND AIRPORT TRANSPORT TOO... THANKS!
PRAGUE AIRPORT INFORMATION
THIS TITLE LINK HAS A NICE OVERVIEW OF THE AIRPORT SITUATION IN PRAGUE...
THE BUS FROM PRAGUE AIRPORT TO CITY CENTER SCHEDULE
AND HERE IS THE PRAGUE METRO MAP...IF YOU NEED IT....CLICK HERE
"For the quickest transport to the city centre or the nearest metro station we advise using bus routes no.119 and no.100.
If you take the No.119 bus (intervals of 5 to 20 minutes, journey time of 25 minutes) you should get off at the last stop called Dejvicka where you can transfer to underground line A."
Note: Dejvicka is the "A" or Green Metro stop in the top left of the Metro Map. Provided above.
Friday, June 19, 2009
WHAT IS EASTERN EUROPE...?
I CONSIDER EASTERN EUROPE TO BE THE SLAVIC PART OF EUROPE...
STARTING IN PRAGUE...THE OLD KINGDOM OF BOHEMIA...WHICH WAS THE MOST WESTERLY EXTENSION OF THE SLAVIC PEOPLE...
VIENNA WAS GERMAN...BUT THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE HAD MANY CATHLOIC SLAVS IN IT...BY CHOICE OR BY FORCE!
THESE PEOPLE ARE MAINLY THE CZECHS, POLES AND SOME UNIATE UKRAINIANS...WHO STILL RETAIN THE ORTHODOX RITES...ALSO THE CROATS AND THE SLOVENIANS...
THE "CROATS" BEING THE MORE WESTERLY AND THEREFORE "CATHOLIC" SERBS...WHILE "EASTERN" SERBS ARE MOSTLY ORTHODOX...
THE EASTERN SLAVS BEING THE BELORUSSIANS, THE MALORUSSIANS ...OR UKRAINIANS...AND THE RUSSIANS...COMPRISE THE GREAT MASS OF ORTHODOX SLAVS.
FINALLY, THE BULGARIANS TO SOME EXTENT...A VERY ANCIENT CULTURE....
AND THEN THE YUGOSLAVS... THE WORD "YUGO" SIMPLY MEANS "SOUTH" IN MOST SLAVIC LANGUAGES....
ALL THESE ARE THE GREAT SLAVIC ORTHODOX NATIONS...OF EASTERN EUROPE...TO THIS DAY.
THE DIVIDE BETWEEN THE CATHOLIC SLAVS AND THE ORTHODOX SLAVS WAS HUGE... AND PERSISTS EVEN TO THIS DAY...
WITH THE UNIATE RUTHENIANS AROUND LVIV ....BECOMING SORT OF... HALF CATHOLIC AND HALF ORTHODOX...WITH THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO THE CATHOLIC POPE ...BUT RETAINING THE EASTERN ORTHODOX RITES...
ALL THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE OF AN OLD TREATY MAKE BY THE POLES WITH THE POPE ...CONCERNING THE RUTHENIANS AROUND LVIV AND IN THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS...
THE HUNGARIANS ARE NOT SLAVS... RATHER A GROUP OF INVADING PEOPLES... FROM THE URALS, WHO ARE SOMEWHAT RELATED TO THE FINNS...AND NOT THE "HUNS" AS MANY THINK...
FINNISH AND HUNGARIAN LANGUAGES ARE NOT INDO-EUROPEAN ...AND HAVE ALMOST NO SIMILARITY TO SLAVIC LANGUAGES... MANY EUROPEANS HAVE A HARD TIME WITH THESE LANGUAGES.
STARTING IN PRAGUE...THE OLD KINGDOM OF BOHEMIA...WHICH WAS THE MOST WESTERLY EXTENSION OF THE SLAVIC PEOPLE...
VIENNA WAS GERMAN...BUT THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE HAD MANY CATHLOIC SLAVS IN IT...BY CHOICE OR BY FORCE!
THESE PEOPLE ARE MAINLY THE CZECHS, POLES AND SOME UNIATE UKRAINIANS...WHO STILL RETAIN THE ORTHODOX RITES...ALSO THE CROATS AND THE SLOVENIANS...
THE "CROATS" BEING THE MORE WESTERLY AND THEREFORE "CATHOLIC" SERBS...WHILE "EASTERN" SERBS ARE MOSTLY ORTHODOX...
THE EASTERN SLAVS BEING THE BELORUSSIANS, THE MALORUSSIANS ...OR UKRAINIANS...AND THE RUSSIANS...COMPRISE THE GREAT MASS OF ORTHODOX SLAVS.
FINALLY, THE BULGARIANS TO SOME EXTENT...A VERY ANCIENT CULTURE....
AND THEN THE YUGOSLAVS... THE WORD "YUGO" SIMPLY MEANS "SOUTH" IN MOST SLAVIC LANGUAGES....
ALL THESE ARE THE GREAT SLAVIC ORTHODOX NATIONS...OF EASTERN EUROPE...TO THIS DAY.
THE DIVIDE BETWEEN THE CATHOLIC SLAVS AND THE ORTHODOX SLAVS WAS HUGE... AND PERSISTS EVEN TO THIS DAY...
WITH THE UNIATE RUTHENIANS AROUND LVIV ....BECOMING SORT OF... HALF CATHOLIC AND HALF ORTHODOX...WITH THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO THE CATHOLIC POPE ...BUT RETAINING THE EASTERN ORTHODOX RITES...
ALL THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE OF AN OLD TREATY MAKE BY THE POLES WITH THE POPE ...CONCERNING THE RUTHENIANS AROUND LVIV AND IN THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS...
THE HUNGARIANS ARE NOT SLAVS... RATHER A GROUP OF INVADING PEOPLES... FROM THE URALS, WHO ARE SOMEWHAT RELATED TO THE FINNS...AND NOT THE "HUNS" AS MANY THINK...
FINNISH AND HUNGARIAN LANGUAGES ARE NOT INDO-EUROPEAN ...AND HAVE ALMOST NO SIMILARITY TO SLAVIC LANGUAGES... MANY EUROPEANS HAVE A HARD TIME WITH THESE LANGUAGES.
MAP OF HOTELS AND HOSTELS IN PRAGUE
I LOVE THIS INTERACTIVE MAP OF PRAGUE...
ALSO CLICK HERE FOR MORE HOTEL AND HOSTEL INFO ABOUT PRAGUE.
ALSO CLICK HERE FOR MORE HOTEL AND HOSTEL INFO ABOUT PRAGUE.
EASTERN EUROPE RAIL PASS...IS IT WORTH IT?
THE TITLE LINK HAS SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT THE EASTERN EUROPEAN RAIL PASS...AND THE SYSTEM OF TRAINS SERVICING THE REGION...
Thursday, June 18, 2009
LUFTHANSA EAST EUROPEAN SERVICE
THE "WE FLY HOME" WEB PAGE OF LUFTHANSA HAS MANY EAST EUROPEAN FLIGHTS TO CONSIDER...
A TRIP TO LVIV...
LVIV IS AN INTERESTING SIDE TRIP FROM KIEV...
LVIV IS SORT OF UKRAINE'S PRAGUE OR KRAKOW...
WITH AN OLD TOWN AREA...CASTLE ON THE HILL...LOTS OF OLD CHURCHES AND BAROQUE OR EMPIRE STYLE BUILDINGS....ETC...
THE TRAIN IS AN OVERNIGHTER...IT COSTS ABOUT $40 TOURIST CLASS...FOUR BUNK ROOM...NOT ALWAYS CROWDED... BUT NO RESTAURANT CAR...JUST A LADY WHO SELLS BEER AND POP IN THE FRONT OF YOUR CAR...
THE LVIV TRAIN STATION ..."VOKZAL"... IS A SHORT CAB RIDE OR LONG WALK FROM DOWNTOWN...WHICH IS THE OPERA HOUSE AND THE SQUARE IN FRONT OF IT...
BY OVERNIGHT TRAIN ...YOU GET INTO LVIV VERY EARLY...SAY ABOUT 7AM...
THERE IS A MICKYD'S ON THE SQUARE DOWNTOWN FOR COFFEE WHICH OPENS EARLY..AND HAS "FACILITIES"...WHILE YOU WAIT FOR YOUR HOTEL ROOM TO BE READY...
I'D RECOMMEND THE GEORGE HOTEL AT THE END OF THE OPERA HOUSE SQUARE...ON THE RIGHT...A PINKISH BUILDING... THE SPELLING IS ODD IN CYRILLIC...SORT OF "XOPX"....IN UKRAINIAN YOU SAY "GEORGE" AS SORT OF..."ZZSH-OH-R-ZZSH..." MORE OF A "Z" SOUND THAN A "G" SOUND...
UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN LANGUAGES... DON'T "DO" "Hs"..."Gs" OR "Ws" VERY WELL...ALSO "Js"...AND...
TOURIST CLASS ROOMS AT THE GEORGE ARE CHEAP...ABOUT $40 PER NIGHT...BATH AND TOILET DOWN THE HALL...
OR...RIGHT BY THE OPERA HOUSE SQUARE IS THE "GRAND HOTEL" FOR A LITTLE MORE MONEY...
THE OLD TOWN AND THE RYNOK IN LVIV ARE WORTH SEEING...AND THERE ARE MAJOR MUSEUMS ON THE OPERA SQUARE... TWO DAYS IN LVIV WOULD BE A GOOD SIDE TRIP... TOTALLY NOT KIEV...
LVIV IS SORT OF UKRAINE'S PRAGUE OR KRAKOW...
WITH AN OLD TOWN AREA...CASTLE ON THE HILL...LOTS OF OLD CHURCHES AND BAROQUE OR EMPIRE STYLE BUILDINGS....ETC...
THE TRAIN IS AN OVERNIGHTER...IT COSTS ABOUT $40 TOURIST CLASS...FOUR BUNK ROOM...NOT ALWAYS CROWDED... BUT NO RESTAURANT CAR...JUST A LADY WHO SELLS BEER AND POP IN THE FRONT OF YOUR CAR...
THE LVIV TRAIN STATION ..."VOKZAL"... IS A SHORT CAB RIDE OR LONG WALK FROM DOWNTOWN...WHICH IS THE OPERA HOUSE AND THE SQUARE IN FRONT OF IT...
BY OVERNIGHT TRAIN ...YOU GET INTO LVIV VERY EARLY...SAY ABOUT 7AM...
THERE IS A MICKYD'S ON THE SQUARE DOWNTOWN FOR COFFEE WHICH OPENS EARLY..AND HAS "FACILITIES"...WHILE YOU WAIT FOR YOUR HOTEL ROOM TO BE READY...
I'D RECOMMEND THE GEORGE HOTEL AT THE END OF THE OPERA HOUSE SQUARE...ON THE RIGHT...A PINKISH BUILDING... THE SPELLING IS ODD IN CYRILLIC...SORT OF "XOPX"....IN UKRAINIAN YOU SAY "GEORGE" AS SORT OF..."ZZSH-OH-R-ZZSH..." MORE OF A "Z" SOUND THAN A "G" SOUND...
UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN LANGUAGES... DON'T "DO" "Hs"..."Gs" OR "Ws" VERY WELL...ALSO "Js"...AND...
TOURIST CLASS ROOMS AT THE GEORGE ARE CHEAP...ABOUT $40 PER NIGHT...BATH AND TOILET DOWN THE HALL...
OR...RIGHT BY THE OPERA HOUSE SQUARE IS THE "GRAND HOTEL" FOR A LITTLE MORE MONEY...
THE OLD TOWN AND THE RYNOK IN LVIV ARE WORTH SEEING...AND THERE ARE MAJOR MUSEUMS ON THE OPERA SQUARE... TWO DAYS IN LVIV WOULD BE A GOOD SIDE TRIP... TOTALLY NOT KIEV...
LONELY PLANET UKRAINE FORUM IS GOOD SOURCE
LONELY PLANET'S EASTERN EUROPE "DEPARTURE LOUNGE" IS A GREAT SOURCE OF CURRENT INFORMATION AND TRAVEL TIPS...
YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO GET A "NAME AND PASSWORD" FOR THIS SITE...
CLICK HERE
YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO GET A "NAME AND PASSWORD" FOR THIS SITE...
CLICK HERE
BOOKING TRAINS, BUSES AND PLANES TO KIEV
TRY THE TITLE LINK FOR INFO OR TO BOOK TRAINS IN CENTRAL EUROPE...
Monday, June 15, 2009
HISTORIC KIEV....
KIEV IS A LARGE CITY TODAY...
IT MIGHT REMIND SOME AMERICANS OF CHICAGO...
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT CREATE LASTING FIRST IMPRESSIONS....
FIRST...THE MASSIVE APARTMENT COMPLEXES...ALL WITH THEIR STANDARDIZED "STALINIST BALCONIES"... REMEMBER KIEV WAS AND IN SOME WAYS STILL IS A "SOVIET STYLE" PLANNED CITY.
THE TOURIST WILL SEE THESE BALCONIES BY THE THOUSANDS...COMING IN FROM THE AIRPORT....ALTHOUGH SOME APARTMENTS HAVE BEEN RENOVATED...OTHERS STILL SEEM RATHER "LOW INCOME"...
THERE ARE NEW APARTMENTS BEING CONSTRUCTED THAT DO NOT RESEMBLE THE "STALINIST" RESIDENTIAL "MASSIVES" THAT YOU SEE BY ALL THE SUBWAY STATIONS...ALL OVER TOWN.
AS A RULE... THE CLOSER AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IS TO THE METRO STATION...THE OLDER IT IS...
AND THE MORE LIKELY IT WILL APPEAR RUN DOWN...
THE "NICER" NEW APARTMENT BUILDINGS...WHICH ARE ALL STILL HUGE ....PERHAPS NINE TO FIFTEEN STORIES TALL .... AND ABOUT AS LONG AS A FOOTBALL FIELD...ARE THEREFORE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE OLD METRO STATIONS...AS A RULE...
MOST OLDER APARTMENTS HAVE COMMUNITY WELLS THAT TENANTS COME TO FOR DRINKING WATER...BECAUSE THE TAP WATER IN KIEV IS...WELL, ....QUESTIONABLE?
YOU WILL SEE PEOPLE COMING TO THESE WELLS WITH TWO HUGE PLASTIC WATER JUGS ON EACH HANDLE BAR OF THEIR BIKES...
WHY THEY CAN'T CLEAN UP THE WATER IN KIEV IS BEYOND ME...?
THE PARKS AND PUBLIC TOILETS IN KIEV ARE NOT UP TO US STANDARDS...
GENERALLY THE "MAINTENANCE" OF THESE "PUBLIC PLACES" IS LEFT IN THE HANDS OF "BABUSKAS" OR RETIREES...
THE GRASS IN THE PARKS IS A BIT TOO HIGH...AND THE WEEDS TO BIG...
AND THE PUBLIC TOILETS...FOR WHICH YOU HAND A BABUSKA 2 IN UKRAINIAN MONEY...? ARE, WELL... PROBLEMATIC.
LETS JUST SAY...USED THE MICKY D'S BATHROOMS....! OR THE ONES IN THE MAJOR HOTELS...
KIEV IS DIVIDED INTO MANY DISTRICTS NOW...
MOST OF THE "LEFT BANK" (FACING SOUTH) IS NOT HISTORIC...IT'S A FLAT FLOOD PLAIN THAT IS MOSTLY INDUSTRIAL AND MASSIVE RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT COMPLEXES NOW...BUT IT MAKES AN IMPRESSIVE "SKYLINE" ...VIEWED FROM THE HISTORIC CITY...IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S REALLY OVER THERE..."ACROSS THE RIVER"...
THE RIGHT BANK...ON THE HILLY SIDE OF THE RIVER...IS THE HISTORIC PART OF KIEV...
KIEV ORIGINALLY HAD THREE DISTRICTS...
FIRST THE OLD CITY ON THE HILLS WHERE ST SOPHIA AND THE MAJOR CHURCHES AND ELITES WERE LOCATED...
SECOND, PODIL...WHICH IS THE RIGHT BANK FLOOD PLAIN WHERE THE MERCHANTS LIVED...YOU GET TO PODIL BY TAKING THE FAMOUS ANDREWS DECENT...FROM THE HISTORIC CHURCH THAT RASTELLI ...DESIGNED IN THE 1750'S... RASTELLI DID THE HERMITAGE AS YOU MAY KNOW...
THE THIRD HISTORIC DISTRICT WAS ACTUALLY A "SUBURB" IN THE 11TH CENTURY...
THIS IS WHERE THE CAVES MONASTERY IS LOCATED ...
AND THE RULING CLASSES HAD THEIR "HUNTING LODGES" IN THIS "REMOTE" PART OF KIEV IN THE 1100'S!
...THIS DISTRICT IS JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE OLD CITY...BUT IS STILL IN THE RIGHT BANK HILL COUNTRY...THE GOLDEN DOMES ARE VERY IMPRESSIVE WHEN SEEN FROM THE RIVER...OR ANYWHERE ELSE!
KIEV NEVER RECOVERED FROM THE MONGOL INVASIONS OF 1242...
BUT IT WAS NOT DESTROYED...RATHER IT WAS USED BY THE MONGOLS AS A GATHERING PLACE FOR THEIR LOOTING EXPEDITIONS ...FURTHER INTO EASTERN EUROPE....INTO POLAND, RUSSIA, HUNGARY AND EVEN PRESENT DAY AUSTRIA...
THE MONGOLS ... AKA "TATARS" .... DID NOT STAY IN WESTERN EUROPE...
BUT THEY WERE AN HISTORIC PLAGUE FOR THE KIEVAN RUS... AND THE NORTHERN RUSSIANS FOR OVER 200 YEARS...
AFTER WHICH THE MONGOL "EMPIRE OF LOOTING" FRACTURED AND FINALLY COLLAPSED...
ALTHOUGH THE CRIMEA WAS A HOLD OUT FOR THE MONGOLS...OR MORE ACCURATELY THE "TATARS" ...WHO WERE A BRANCH OF THE MONGOLIAN TREE... AND REMAINED UNDER OTTOMAN TURKISH PROTECTION ....UNTIL FAIRLY RECENT TIMES...
HENCE THE RATHER "ASIAN" INFLUENCE IN CRIMEA EVEN UP TO TODAY...
SO THE ORIGINAL THREE HISTORIC DISTRICTS OF KIEV ARE STILL RECOGNIZABLE TO THE VISTOR...
BUT KIEV HAS EXPANDED INTO IT'S SUBURBAN DISTRICTS ...WHICH ALL STILL HAVE A MOSTLY RUN DOWN STALINIST LOOK...
THE CITY IS NOT REALLY "OVER-STORED" LIKE THE US... MUCH SHOPPING IS STILL DONE AT THE UNDERGROUND METRO STALLS...
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME TOP SIDE "SUPERMARKETS" THAT HAVE AMERICAN STYLE SHOPPING...
INDEPENDENCE SQUARE HAS THE GLOBUS SHOPPING CENTER WHICH IS ABOUT 80% UNDERGROUND ....LIKE MOST KIEV SHOPPING AREAS DOWNTOWN... AND IT'S VERY WESTERN IN APPEARANCE...LIKE ANY MALL IN THE US...
KIEVANS LOVE TO STROLL ON KRESHATIK STREET WHICH IS THE "MAIN STREET" ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT VERY LONG....
KRESHATIK EXTENDS FOR ABOUT LESS THAN A MILE FROM THE BASSARABIA MARKET (AN HISTORIC MARKET ...AT THE FOOT OF TARAS SHEVCHENKO BLVD.... WITH AN INTERESTING LENIN STATUE STILL STANDING)
IN SUMMER... KRESNATIK IS CLOSED ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM EARLY MORNING ... UNTIL ABOUT 10 PM...FROM "TSUM" (NOT" GUM") DEPARTMENT STORE...TO INDEPENDENCE SQUARE...THAT'S ABOUT 1/2 MILE...
AND THERE IS USUALLY AN 'EVENT' OF SOME KIND PLANNED...WHICH BRINGS OUT THE CROWDS...
BUT SINCE THE METRO CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT...IT TENDS TO BE AN EARLY NIGHT FOR A LOT OF YOUNGER PEOPLE ...WHO HAVE TO GET HOME BEFORE THE METRO STOPS RUNNING...
THOSE WITH CARS CAN STAY LATER...AND THE CARS ARE PARKED ALL OVER THE SIDEWALKS...BUT IT IS ACTUALLY ORGANIZED AFTER A FASHION...SORT OF PARIS STYLE PARKING...
KRESHATIK IS A GREAT PLACE TO HAVE A KIOSK BEER...MAYBE A KIEVAN "HUT DUG" (HOT DOG)...GRAB A PARK BENCH ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET...WHICH HAS THE WIDER SIDEWALKS...
AND JUST WATCH THE PEOPLE GO BY....
THE DOWNTOWN IS MOSTLY CLEAN...SAFE AND VERY MODERN... TRY TO FIND A JUNKY LADA...THERE ARE A FEW...MAINLY OUT IN THE SUBURBAN PARKING LOTS...BUT I THINK THEY ARE COLLECTORS ITEMS NOW...
KRESHATIK WAS MOSTLY REBUILT AFTER THE WAR...BECAUSE MOST OF THE BUILDINGS WERE BLOWN UP DURING THE NAZI OCCUPATION...SO KRESHATIK HAS A STALINIST 50'S IMPERIAL LOOK...
BUT... THE REST OF THE "OLD TOWN" AREA HAS A VERY 19TH CENTURY LOOK TO IT...WITH HIGHLY DECORATED BUILDINGS LIKE IN KRAKOW, PRAGUE OR LVIV...
SOMEHOW SAINT SOPHIA...THE CROWN JEWEL OF KIEV...HAS SURVIVED ...AS WELL AS THE VERY IMPORTANT "CAVES" MONASTERY ....AND FOR THAT WE CAN BE THANKFUL...!
MORE LATER.
IT MIGHT REMIND SOME AMERICANS OF CHICAGO...
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT CREATE LASTING FIRST IMPRESSIONS....
FIRST...THE MASSIVE APARTMENT COMPLEXES...ALL WITH THEIR STANDARDIZED "STALINIST BALCONIES"... REMEMBER KIEV WAS AND IN SOME WAYS STILL IS A "SOVIET STYLE" PLANNED CITY.
THE TOURIST WILL SEE THESE BALCONIES BY THE THOUSANDS...COMING IN FROM THE AIRPORT....ALTHOUGH SOME APARTMENTS HAVE BEEN RENOVATED...OTHERS STILL SEEM RATHER "LOW INCOME"...
THERE ARE NEW APARTMENTS BEING CONSTRUCTED THAT DO NOT RESEMBLE THE "STALINIST" RESIDENTIAL "MASSIVES" THAT YOU SEE BY ALL THE SUBWAY STATIONS...ALL OVER TOWN.
AS A RULE... THE CLOSER AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IS TO THE METRO STATION...THE OLDER IT IS...
AND THE MORE LIKELY IT WILL APPEAR RUN DOWN...
THE "NICER" NEW APARTMENT BUILDINGS...WHICH ARE ALL STILL HUGE ....PERHAPS NINE TO FIFTEEN STORIES TALL .... AND ABOUT AS LONG AS A FOOTBALL FIELD...ARE THEREFORE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE OLD METRO STATIONS...AS A RULE...
MOST OLDER APARTMENTS HAVE COMMUNITY WELLS THAT TENANTS COME TO FOR DRINKING WATER...BECAUSE THE TAP WATER IN KIEV IS...WELL, ....QUESTIONABLE?
YOU WILL SEE PEOPLE COMING TO THESE WELLS WITH TWO HUGE PLASTIC WATER JUGS ON EACH HANDLE BAR OF THEIR BIKES...
WHY THEY CAN'T CLEAN UP THE WATER IN KIEV IS BEYOND ME...?
THE PARKS AND PUBLIC TOILETS IN KIEV ARE NOT UP TO US STANDARDS...
GENERALLY THE "MAINTENANCE" OF THESE "PUBLIC PLACES" IS LEFT IN THE HANDS OF "BABUSKAS" OR RETIREES...
THE GRASS IN THE PARKS IS A BIT TOO HIGH...AND THE WEEDS TO BIG...
AND THE PUBLIC TOILETS...FOR WHICH YOU HAND A BABUSKA 2 IN UKRAINIAN MONEY...? ARE, WELL... PROBLEMATIC.
LETS JUST SAY...USED THE MICKY D'S BATHROOMS....! OR THE ONES IN THE MAJOR HOTELS...
KIEV IS DIVIDED INTO MANY DISTRICTS NOW...
MOST OF THE "LEFT BANK" (FACING SOUTH) IS NOT HISTORIC...IT'S A FLAT FLOOD PLAIN THAT IS MOSTLY INDUSTRIAL AND MASSIVE RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT COMPLEXES NOW...BUT IT MAKES AN IMPRESSIVE "SKYLINE" ...VIEWED FROM THE HISTORIC CITY...IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S REALLY OVER THERE..."ACROSS THE RIVER"...
THE RIGHT BANK...ON THE HILLY SIDE OF THE RIVER...IS THE HISTORIC PART OF KIEV...
KIEV ORIGINALLY HAD THREE DISTRICTS...
FIRST THE OLD CITY ON THE HILLS WHERE ST SOPHIA AND THE MAJOR CHURCHES AND ELITES WERE LOCATED...
SECOND, PODIL...WHICH IS THE RIGHT BANK FLOOD PLAIN WHERE THE MERCHANTS LIVED...YOU GET TO PODIL BY TAKING THE FAMOUS ANDREWS DECENT...FROM THE HISTORIC CHURCH THAT RASTELLI ...DESIGNED IN THE 1750'S... RASTELLI DID THE HERMITAGE AS YOU MAY KNOW...
THE THIRD HISTORIC DISTRICT WAS ACTUALLY A "SUBURB" IN THE 11TH CENTURY...
THIS IS WHERE THE CAVES MONASTERY IS LOCATED ...
AND THE RULING CLASSES HAD THEIR "HUNTING LODGES" IN THIS "REMOTE" PART OF KIEV IN THE 1100'S!
...THIS DISTRICT IS JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE OLD CITY...BUT IS STILL IN THE RIGHT BANK HILL COUNTRY...THE GOLDEN DOMES ARE VERY IMPRESSIVE WHEN SEEN FROM THE RIVER...OR ANYWHERE ELSE!
KIEV NEVER RECOVERED FROM THE MONGOL INVASIONS OF 1242...
BUT IT WAS NOT DESTROYED...RATHER IT WAS USED BY THE MONGOLS AS A GATHERING PLACE FOR THEIR LOOTING EXPEDITIONS ...FURTHER INTO EASTERN EUROPE....INTO POLAND, RUSSIA, HUNGARY AND EVEN PRESENT DAY AUSTRIA...
THE MONGOLS ... AKA "TATARS" .... DID NOT STAY IN WESTERN EUROPE...
BUT THEY WERE AN HISTORIC PLAGUE FOR THE KIEVAN RUS... AND THE NORTHERN RUSSIANS FOR OVER 200 YEARS...
AFTER WHICH THE MONGOL "EMPIRE OF LOOTING" FRACTURED AND FINALLY COLLAPSED...
ALTHOUGH THE CRIMEA WAS A HOLD OUT FOR THE MONGOLS...OR MORE ACCURATELY THE "TATARS" ...WHO WERE A BRANCH OF THE MONGOLIAN TREE... AND REMAINED UNDER OTTOMAN TURKISH PROTECTION ....UNTIL FAIRLY RECENT TIMES...
HENCE THE RATHER "ASIAN" INFLUENCE IN CRIMEA EVEN UP TO TODAY...
SO THE ORIGINAL THREE HISTORIC DISTRICTS OF KIEV ARE STILL RECOGNIZABLE TO THE VISTOR...
BUT KIEV HAS EXPANDED INTO IT'S SUBURBAN DISTRICTS ...WHICH ALL STILL HAVE A MOSTLY RUN DOWN STALINIST LOOK...
THE CITY IS NOT REALLY "OVER-STORED" LIKE THE US... MUCH SHOPPING IS STILL DONE AT THE UNDERGROUND METRO STALLS...
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME TOP SIDE "SUPERMARKETS" THAT HAVE AMERICAN STYLE SHOPPING...
INDEPENDENCE SQUARE HAS THE GLOBUS SHOPPING CENTER WHICH IS ABOUT 80% UNDERGROUND ....LIKE MOST KIEV SHOPPING AREAS DOWNTOWN... AND IT'S VERY WESTERN IN APPEARANCE...LIKE ANY MALL IN THE US...
KIEVANS LOVE TO STROLL ON KRESHATIK STREET WHICH IS THE "MAIN STREET" ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT VERY LONG....
KRESHATIK EXTENDS FOR ABOUT LESS THAN A MILE FROM THE BASSARABIA MARKET (AN HISTORIC MARKET ...AT THE FOOT OF TARAS SHEVCHENKO BLVD.... WITH AN INTERESTING LENIN STATUE STILL STANDING)
IN SUMMER... KRESNATIK IS CLOSED ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM EARLY MORNING ... UNTIL ABOUT 10 PM...FROM "TSUM" (NOT" GUM") DEPARTMENT STORE...TO INDEPENDENCE SQUARE...THAT'S ABOUT 1/2 MILE...
AND THERE IS USUALLY AN 'EVENT' OF SOME KIND PLANNED...WHICH BRINGS OUT THE CROWDS...
BUT SINCE THE METRO CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT...IT TENDS TO BE AN EARLY NIGHT FOR A LOT OF YOUNGER PEOPLE ...WHO HAVE TO GET HOME BEFORE THE METRO STOPS RUNNING...
THOSE WITH CARS CAN STAY LATER...AND THE CARS ARE PARKED ALL OVER THE SIDEWALKS...BUT IT IS ACTUALLY ORGANIZED AFTER A FASHION...SORT OF PARIS STYLE PARKING...
KRESHATIK IS A GREAT PLACE TO HAVE A KIOSK BEER...MAYBE A KIEVAN "HUT DUG" (HOT DOG)...GRAB A PARK BENCH ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET...WHICH HAS THE WIDER SIDEWALKS...
AND JUST WATCH THE PEOPLE GO BY....
THE DOWNTOWN IS MOSTLY CLEAN...SAFE AND VERY MODERN... TRY TO FIND A JUNKY LADA...THERE ARE A FEW...MAINLY OUT IN THE SUBURBAN PARKING LOTS...BUT I THINK THEY ARE COLLECTORS ITEMS NOW...
KRESHATIK WAS MOSTLY REBUILT AFTER THE WAR...BECAUSE MOST OF THE BUILDINGS WERE BLOWN UP DURING THE NAZI OCCUPATION...SO KRESHATIK HAS A STALINIST 50'S IMPERIAL LOOK...
BUT... THE REST OF THE "OLD TOWN" AREA HAS A VERY 19TH CENTURY LOOK TO IT...WITH HIGHLY DECORATED BUILDINGS LIKE IN KRAKOW, PRAGUE OR LVIV...
SOMEHOW SAINT SOPHIA...THE CROWN JEWEL OF KIEV...HAS SURVIVED ...AS WELL AS THE VERY IMPORTANT "CAVES" MONASTERY ....AND FOR THAT WE CAN BE THANKFUL...!
MORE LATER.
Friday, June 12, 2009
BEST TRAUMA HOSPITAL FOR AMERICANS IN KIEV
| National Emergency and Trauma Hospital Works 24 hours a day responding to the most of traumas/injuries in Kyiv City Address: 3, Bratislavskaya street 24 hours Information Station: 24 hours Admittance department: 24 hours Multi-Trauma department: 24 hours Hospital Resuscitation/Intensive Care Department: Hospital Blood Collection department phone, business hours: | 518-5111 518-0629 518-7259 518-7020 518-0479 |
AMERICAN HEALTH CENTERS IN KIEV NEWSLETTER
PROBABLY THE BEST BET FOR THE AMERICAN TOURIST....CLICK HERE
Monday, June 8, 2009
Beer Kiosks in Kiev
Kiev is full of Beer Kiosks...and it is legal to walk down the street with a bottle of beer in hand...
For Americans...just think French Quarter in New Orleans...or imagine that the beer is a Coke bottle... It's like that....
You see very few intoxicated people in Kiev...despite all the supposed drinking and the availability of beer at every street corner...and all along the sidewalks...especially at night downtown...
Kievans are rather shy and reserved...and even when drunk are seldom loud or obnoxious...
In addition to beer the "hot dog" Kiev style is popular... This is often served with "toppings" like cole slaw, corn, peas, and ketchup...and it's rather unique.
For Americans...just think French Quarter in New Orleans...or imagine that the beer is a Coke bottle... It's like that....
You see very few intoxicated people in Kiev...despite all the supposed drinking and the availability of beer at every street corner...and all along the sidewalks...especially at night downtown...
Kievans are rather shy and reserved...and even when drunk are seldom loud or obnoxious...
In addition to beer the "hot dog" Kiev style is popular... This is often served with "toppings" like cole slaw, corn, peas, and ketchup...and it's rather unique.
Dress and Fashion in Ukraine... Kiev Gangster Fashion...? Not Really.
A lot of people think that Ukrainians dress like "gangsters"... or even that they are gangsters!
This is totally false...
In truth, Ukrainians like to "dress up" especially when they are strolling downtown... But their "taste" in clothes is a bit different from what people from America are used to...
Younger men in Ukraine tend to wear "pointy" black dress shoes...even with jeans...this is considered to be very fashionable...
The typical male "dress code" might be a short "squared off" black jacket (leather if possible)...with black jeans or slacks...with the trade mark pointy shoes.
Kakki pants are very rare ...as are sneakers...if found at all...they are usually on younger guys!
A lot of younger men (18-34) also have shaved or close cut hair...this is often mistaken for being a "skin head" ...
To the "newbie" American in Kiev...this typical male fashion and hair style can be mistaken for being "gangster" or "racist." It's not...its' just a local fashion preference.
Women in Ukraine also go for higher fashion dress...high heels are common even on the roughest pavements... This tendency toward "chic" dress should not be mistaken for being a prostitute or sex trade worker....
So what's the point...?
Well...the way the typical young Ukraine dresses is different from what many Americans expect... Most Ukrainians are not overweight...they are rather on the thin side compared to the average American...and they like to dress up accordingly...
Why? Who knows....perhaps because they can!
Also there are a lot of "knock-off" high fashion items sold at the local "flea" markets...called "Rynoks"...which are often attached to or very close to the Metro Stations...
A lot of "shopping" in Kiev is done very close to the Metro Stops...the undergrounds are packed with tiny "shops"...this is for convenience in getting items back to your apartment...
Everyone, of course, lives in an apartment...mostly within walking distance to your Metro stop...
The one Rynok at Petrivca is especially large...and is stuffed with clothes sold from hundreds of small "stalls".... The typical American might find these "fashions" to be a bit "over the top"...or tacky...but that's the kind of thing Ukrainians like...
Petrivca Rynok also has a 7 day used book market attached to the regular market....
This Rynok also tends to sell a lot of "tacky "knock off fashions...at cheap prices...
So do not assume that every younger Ukrainian you meet on Kreshatik Street is a gangster or a prostitute...
You'll get used to the "Gangster Dress Code" after a few days...so don't panic...
This is totally false...
In truth, Ukrainians like to "dress up" especially when they are strolling downtown... But their "taste" in clothes is a bit different from what people from America are used to...
Younger men in Ukraine tend to wear "pointy" black dress shoes...even with jeans...this is considered to be very fashionable...
The typical male "dress code" might be a short "squared off" black jacket (leather if possible)...with black jeans or slacks...with the trade mark pointy shoes.
Kakki pants are very rare ...as are sneakers...if found at all...they are usually on younger guys!
A lot of younger men (18-34) also have shaved or close cut hair...this is often mistaken for being a "skin head" ...
To the "newbie" American in Kiev...this typical male fashion and hair style can be mistaken for being "gangster" or "racist." It's not...its' just a local fashion preference.
Women in Ukraine also go for higher fashion dress...high heels are common even on the roughest pavements... This tendency toward "chic" dress should not be mistaken for being a prostitute or sex trade worker....
So what's the point...?
Well...the way the typical young Ukraine dresses is different from what many Americans expect... Most Ukrainians are not overweight...they are rather on the thin side compared to the average American...and they like to dress up accordingly...
Why? Who knows....perhaps because they can!
Also there are a lot of "knock-off" high fashion items sold at the local "flea" markets...called "Rynoks"...which are often attached to or very close to the Metro Stations...
A lot of "shopping" in Kiev is done very close to the Metro Stops...the undergrounds are packed with tiny "shops"...this is for convenience in getting items back to your apartment...
Everyone, of course, lives in an apartment...mostly within walking distance to your Metro stop...
The one Rynok at Petrivca is especially large...and is stuffed with clothes sold from hundreds of small "stalls".... The typical American might find these "fashions" to be a bit "over the top"...or tacky...but that's the kind of thing Ukrainians like...
Petrivca Rynok also has a 7 day used book market attached to the regular market....
This Rynok also tends to sell a lot of "tacky "knock off fashions...at cheap prices...
So do not assume that every younger Ukrainian you meet on Kreshatik Street is a gangster or a prostitute...
You'll get used to the "Gangster Dress Code" after a few days...so don't panic...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)