02.44 We just woke up from our sleep. Waiting to pass a border and meet gentlemen in uniforms. I hope it will run smoothly, I want to sleep more.

03.10 The only thing the men from customs service were interested in was money. They wanted to know how much money we had, more then 3000 dollar had led to more papers to fill in.

03.23 The passport police took their time. One checked the passports again and again. He also read something about Sweden in a little red book. Another one of them scanned my passport and spoke in a walkie-talkie with someone else.

UKRAINE

04.03 Stop at the Ukrainian side of the border. I wonder if the law/promise that no citizens from the EU need a visa is true.

04.13 We are in Ukraine. A new day has dawned.

08.03 Just woke up from a short sleep. It is a sunny day and it is time to start packing.

08.48 Our home for the last twelve hours will soon be abandoned for a foreign and unknown world.

Khreshchatyk Street in Kiev, closed for car traffic. Here lots of things take place!

09.54 Sitting in a park and rest shoulders and legs. On our way to a hotel where we plan to spend two nights. There were lots of people outside the railway station and we managed, once more, to take the wrong way. We managed, after crossing roads and passing cars, to find the main street and walk down town.

10.54 Checked in at Hotel Kozatsky just by the Independence Square. We are staying in room 604 at the cost of 672 hryvnia ($ 130) for two persons and two nights. The lady in the reception was sorry that she only could offer us a twin bed room. I wonder what she thought we were expecting, a luxury room each? It is time for breakfast and sleep.

13.26 A nap was just what I needed. Now it is time for a stroll in the town. Christer just learned on the phone that he is about to, for the second time, become an uncle. It is expected in February.

Christer at the Italian restaurant "Columbus" in Kiev.

15.09 We pulled ourselves together and went out on the streets of Kiev. Our trip took us across the Independence Square and along Vulica Khreshchatyk. Here lots of things took place, lots of balloons (all in orange colours), lots of music performances, people selling stuff and further more. This street is, according to our guidebook, one of the Stalinist architectures most brilliant projects.

15.33 At restaurant Columbus. Pizza and pasta is ordered. Here comes the beer, it will be something from Belgium today. Got to try a local kind some time soon. We walked around in town before we got here. It was during this trip that we walked up a steep road just to find out that it was just as far back again.

16.14 This meal was just what we needed but as usual have we managed to plan in our eating sometime between ordinary lunch- and dinnertime. I asked for the bill. The waitress said something and I nodded. She came back without the bill but with two cups of coffee. Had she noticed the coffee thirst in my eyes? What had happened if I had had a thirst for something else? We will never know….

17.22 Christer asked for the bill, we sipped on the coffee and waited for what would happen next. What happened was that we heard a strange noise, saw waitresses that kept the tables clean by dusting the candles and under the plates. The bill appeared and we paid. As we left the place it became clear what had caused the noise. They had a parrot! We have since then took pictures of the Sofia church and just reached the Saint Mykhaylivska monastery. Soon time to head for home.

Christer in front of Saint Mykhaylivska monastery.

17.55 Just brought ourselves back to the room. We bought two beers each just before entering the hotel. They cost us under "50 cent" each and were bought from the nice lady just nearby. We also saw a car from South Ossetia, an autonomic republic in Georgia. It was parked just by the beer ladies little hut, the car that is, not the republic.

View towards Saint Sofia-cathedral in Kiev.

21.11 We went out to find a grocery store. Instead we found concerts, lots of policemen, small horses, domesticated owls, bird of prey, monkeys and ferrets. Well one of the ferrets wasn’t that domesticated. It bit a man passed by it. We had quiet a chock as we tried to take a short cut under the Independence Square. There was a huge mall with lots of things to choose from. Lots of things but no grocery store. We had to settle with candy and soda from a store that sold bread.

A concert by the Independence Square in Kiev.

21.54 The party is going on out in the Square. Is this a new part of or a tribute to the orange revolution? Lots of things are orange.

23.32 Time to end a long and interesting day. We travelled far and long both with train and by foot. Tomorrow it is time to visit the Old Town but first we need breakfast.

The shopping mall under the Indepence Square.

Tuesday 28th of June

08.04 A new day has dawned. A new day with new causes of rejoicing and tests. One of these, whether rejoice or test, is breakfast that soon will take place.

09.06 Down to the reception, in through a small door to the right, up one stair, turn left, pass a room and there is the buffet. Satisfying and relative tasty. Something great was the huge amount of different kinds of juice. Next we just take it cool.

10.14 Having a morning beer and planning the day. It will be the metro to the railway station. The question is how do you buy a ticket/jeton here? I guess we once more have to study and copy.

12.48 W took a trip to the railway station. We walked to a counter. It was wrong counter so we switched. Better luck this time. The lady behind the counter had to go for help to be able to spell our names with Cyrillic letters. After this we took the metro and are currently looking for a place to have lunch. A "jeton" is bought and used in the same way as in Minsk. It cost 10 cent and can be used to as many stations as one wish. A bit cheaper than in Stockholm!

Zoloti Voroda (Golden gate) in Kiev.

13.17 After some strolling we have ended up at Pizzeria Vesuvio. I ordered Spaghetti Bolognese. Christer decided to have a Hawaii-pizza. He first asked for a large pizza but as the waitress measured up about half a metre a new order was placed. Before we got here Christer did this days good deed and took a picture of some ladies in front of a sign. I might add that the picture was taken with one of the ladies camera. I believe the sign was on some kind of university building.

13.49 Really tasty food in a pleasant place. One wall is a mirror wall. It makes the room seem bigger. On the other side of the wall is some kind of outdoor section of the restaurant. I am as of now having some Coffee Vesuvio, coffee with cinnamon. An interesting flavours mix, not bad at all.

14.46 We kept looking for a grocery store. No luck at all. Would be nice to have something for tomorrows trip. Out in the Square the bands keep playing.

Saint Andrew´s church in old Kiev.

16.07 Had some rest/siesta. Now its time to get out and do something serious. What that means with that we just have to find out.

Dnjepr River.

17.50 We managed to do some stuff since the last time. We went to the post office to mail some postcards and surf the net. After that followed a stroll in the Old Town. We walked down the cobble stoned streets in a relaxing and idyllic part of the town. Suddenly all this came to an end. Towards me came some soap bubbles. One of them went into the corner of my mouth. This led to some spitting from me and merry laughter from the bubble blower with friends. After this little show our walk down towards the river Dnepr carried on. We stopped and looked at it for a while. We went below the surface of the town and took the metro towards our Square. It was extreme crowded in the wagon! The train stopped at our station we spat us out. We went up the LONG escalator and met around thirty policemen coming down. We kept on walking along Vulica Khreshchatyk and here we just bought a kvas. A special brew with a taste of bread, apple juice and … We never got the chance to try kvas on our last visit to Ukraine two years ago.

Kvas being sold in a Kiev street.

18.30 Back in the room. We have drawn back because of the rain and damp air. As we return it will be for dinner and to buy breakfast and travel snack.

20.17 Time for dinner at Kortjma Kozatska Vticha, a Cossack-restaurant. Just decided for something made on spring calf and more plus beer.

A traditional music show during "The day of the constitution" in Kiev.

22.02 The dinner was served in a clay kettle. Roasted veal, something similar to pancakes, onion, dill and broth. Out in the square there were loads of people looking at a rock concert. In the end of the concert was there rain and thunder. The concert itself ended with a sparkling fireworks display. They are celebrating the Constitution day. The new constitution began this day. I guess it was excellent timing to stay by the square at this moment. There was something extra to hear the fireworks and thunder compete about making the most noise.

22.58 Lights out for today and time to say Good Night to Kiev. Tomorrow will be an early morning. Sleep will be welcome.

Fireworks at the Independence square

Wednesday 29th of June

05.20 It is an early morning. Time to wake up, pack the things, check my name day gift, get dressed and travel towards the station. I am tired.

06.40 On the train towards Dnipropetrovsk. Real great seat, just what I needed. Another thing I need is breakfast. It must be soon. Before we were allowed on the train we were asked to show tickets and ID.

07.04 We are travelling out of Kiev. A lady has gathered all the tickets. Another lady has passed carrying a tray with sandwiches. She passed before I had reacted about it.

07.32 Glory, glory hallelujah, glory, glory ham sandwich and coffee. Both bought from ladies with trays. On the TV in the wagon is a film about a lady in red showing how you act as a train passenger.

09.40 Three hours left on the trip. I fall asleep now and then. The train is passing a flat landscape with some trees here and there.

10.45 We are looking at people going on snowmobiles, snowboard and sledge in the white snow. All this on train-TV. Outside an agricultural landscape with animals.

11.41 About an hour left. The fields just keep growing along the rail we are travelling on.

12.04 A man passed with a flat disk covered in leather. In the leather were there small pocket with numbers on and small notes inside. He asked me something and I realised. He was returning my ticket.

13.03 Finally at the end of our trip. A short stop on a bench in Dnipropetrovsk. Where are we going to stay, where are we? The map has the answers, hopefully..

Dnipropetrovsk. View of Dnjepr River.

13.44 The first hotel only existed on the map. The second one existed but was fully booked. Here we had major language problems. They have phoned another hotel that we are walking to. It is supposed to lie next to the "tsirk", that is the circus. We are walking along Dnepr looking for the circus.

Hotel Dnipropetrovsk

14.22 Third is a charm. We are in room 625 at Hotel Dnipropetrovsk. The room cost us 110 hryvnia ($ 21) night. Now we need to gather some strength before we return to the station. We will need a ticket tomorrow as well. We would have bought while we were at the station but we had plans to find a hotel a bit closer to the station.

15.00 It is raining. The ticket will be bought tomorrow instead. We want it to stop raining. We want to go out for a feast for mouth and eyes. Meanwhile we will remain in the room. A room with brown curtains and wallpapers with large blue flowers. Reminds me of my childhood in the 70:s.

Peter outside the circus in Dnipropetrovsk.

16.43 The rain stopped and we went out. As we returned out in the city, so did the rain and we are currently seeking shelter outside a bookstore. We are hungry, where are the restaurants?

17.11 The hunt rages on. The new haunting ground is a park area. There is no longer rain around us, that’s good. There are neither any restaurants around us, that’s bad. All we see are small cafés.

17.50 We found restaurant Golden Rooster. It is across the street from our hotel and build a bit out in the river. We decided for 300 gram grilled chicken each.

Peter eating a chicken dinner at the restaurant "Golden Rooster".

18.04 The waitress just brought in the beers. We wonder if this place is specialised on breakfast. She first wondered if we wanted blini (pancakes), then offered salad and finally suggested breakfast. She looked amazed as we asked for dinner. She and the other waitresses are dressed in a morning robe/nightgown alike material. We are sitting by a covered table. Looks like some kind of wagon.

19.08 Just what I needed. Some sips of espresso on top of the food made it all perfect. I kept a low profile on some parts of the bird.

20.03 It was, before we returned to our room, time to get some evening beer, breakfast and travel snack in a little shop called Rainford. The store had an elephant as their symbol. It seems that elephants haunts us on our trips (20 June 2003, 1 July, 17 July and 31 July 2004)

20.33 After a refreshing shower I spent some time on the balcony looking out over Dnepr that flows by. Even the traffic flows by leaving a scent of diesel.

22.02 We are having our evening’s beers. I am drinking a Brahma from Brazil. We are zapping between the channels and one of them is showing a Swedish action movie.

22.30 Another day is over. Time to pull the sheets over us and go to sleep.

Evening by the Dnjepr.

Thursday 30th of June

05.12 Another early morning. It is time for breakfast, gathering and departure. By the station awaits a ticket purchase.

07.40 It was a long way to the station. As we got there all hell broke loose! A wild chase for the right ticket counter began. The first counters we founds had numbers from 29 and upwards. They felt like counters for special purposes. A new hunt started, out, round, around and the discovery of counters 1-28. Few of them were open, no tickets seems to change owner. We went outside again and the departure time for the train kept coming closer. We returned to counters 29-, queued for a long time and with just fifteen minutes to go to the departure the tickets were bought, tickets for Simferopol in Crimea. The lady in the counter told us to hurry up and here we are, finally sitting down at seat 8 for me and 10 for Christer.

09.45 The train rolls on the track. At the TV rolls the movie about the cat Garfield. One sure watch some strange movies as one travels around. Outside the train, water, lots of water.

10.05 We are surrounded by land again.

11.13 Just had my morning coffee. It was delicious but hard to drink as the train shook.

11.27 We are passing another huge field.

12.07 We are once again looking at that information movie about the train-riding lady in red. I am getting fed up of it.

13.54 Just reached Simferopol on Crimea. We are navigating us towards our new home. What is really important to navigate pass are all the friendly taxi drivers with all their offers. They sure are selling lots of stuff here, I wonder if some stuff got there because of a Crime(a). Opposite to us is Café Elephant, is this a sign? Time to get up and walk towards Rosa Luxemburg.

Our room at Hotel Ukraina in Simferopol.

14.36 In room 336 at Hotel Ukraina, Rosa Luxemburg 7. It is a great room. The entrance is hid away on the inner court. Two gentlemen showed us the way. This room cost us 200 hryvnia/night.

14.50 I´ve just explored the room. In the fridge I found; juice, chocolate, vodka, champagne and condoms. All a guest might need. In the instruction folder there are facts about almost everything, even how to cope in case of fire, flood, chemical accident, storm and earthquake. Time for a small analysis around the world we seen. This time it´s about different kinds of occupations we seen so far here in Ukraine. Do we need them? Now much fun do they have? Floor chief in a hotel: Takes care of keys and so on. Toilet guard: Takes care of the public toilets and get money from the visitors Hotel guard: Keeps uninvited guests away Escalator guard: Well what is he/she doing?

In Simferopol. The pink building is an old cinema.

16.58 Visiting Eva Fast food, for some food. Just ordered Iskender kebab and Obolon (Ukrainian beer). As you speak of the beer it appears on your table. Before we left the hotel I attempted to have a shower. Not much hot water in that shower.

Christer at "Eva Fast Food" in Simferopol.

18.02 The food was simple but tasty. It had a taste that was familiar but hard to find out. Suddenly Christer got it. The sauce had a taste of toffee.

Squirrel from Crimea.

19.29 Back in the room again. Wouldn’t bother if it could get cooler here. If there also would be some warm water in the shower and all would be perfect. We walked around town to get to know it better. The local ”expert” Sergei handed down further information about town. He popped up out of nowhere and told us about the churches and about some saint that´s given name to one church and got buried in another one.

One of those churches Sergei told about.

20.13 We´ve been visiting the floor chief and told her that the water is cold. Since English doesn’t work so well here another approach was needed. I tried sign language. I signed I had a shower and made a gesture that I was freezing. She understood and sent us to the reception. The reception lady nodded and sent us back to the floor lady. She in her turn showed us to room 00. There was a water heater and a shower. We guess that if there still is no water tomorrow is 00 the room for us.

22.40 Hey, I am getting tired. I hope the sleep is great, that there will be hot water tomorrow and that the breakfast is big.

Lenin on a square in Simferopol, Crimea.