Nuclear Peace (Ukraine)

The Ukraine…this is one place that I could never have imaged going to. And the only thing that I could bring to my about this country was Chernobyl, and the nuclear meltdown. That stereotype is a reality, with 10% of the country being radioactive to the point that it’s illegal to live there, though some squatters still do. Considering the Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe, that’s a sizable area of a ‘no go zone.’ A lot of people died, especially the ones who were sent in to clean up the mess, and many people are still dying from the longer term effects of radioactivity exposure. Despite this, the Soviet casualty count was/is 31.

Another ugly characteristic of the recent past is the fact they were only given back their independence from Russia in 1991. There was originally a Ukraine-Soviet war but there’s no stopping such a big neighbour like Russia when he shows up on your doorstep in the 1920s. It took the collapse of the soviet union, plus the realisation that a large part of the country closest to the Russian mainland was radioactive, to reinstate Ukraine as its own nation again.

But this country seems to be progressing. Yes, there are corruption issues which I have now taken to be a given with these ex-communist countries, but they are apparently handling better than some of those other countries. The land is clean and green, and there is a much more hopeful mood than the dreariness of Russia.

Kiev has a wonderful outdoors street scene, with plenty of buskers and places to buy beer and food and hang out. Plus its all so cheap! We went to the ballet one night, a fully-fledged performance of Sleeping Beauty at the National Opera House and it cost $2.50 for the ticket. (Actually, that’s one of the good things left over from soviet communism. They believed that all art should be accessible to all people, and that’s why it is so cheap. Now that’s a really good idea, like a lot of the ideas which formed the principles of communism, it’s just a shame that you need corruptible people to coordinate it). I explored lush green parks, and watched families have picnics. The Orthodox Easter occurred when we were in Ukraine so we saw how they celebrate Easter (a lot less commercial and family/ritualistic than ours). Also, it was cool to have Chicken Kiev in Kiev.

 

One day I got blessed by a preacher who splashed my face with holy water and the next thing I know my debit account has been frozen…the big guy is onto me. So that was fun to have to resolve wondering if the Russian mafia were off spending my money on black caviar and fur coats. 

We went up to a village in the Carpathian Mountains and did a hike up into the forested hills. The meals we had in these smaller villages were absolutely epic; the best food I’ve had since China and you bet they had their own bootleg spirits which they poured endlessly.

For me, the best things about the Ukraine is being able to see groups of farmers working the one, small patch of land, all using ancient looking farm equipment, such as scythes. It felt like I’d gone back in time a hundred years. They villages are so humble and simple and everybody seems to be working together and helping out in the fields. The cities were quaint and relaxed and the people were pleasant.

Considering what these folks have been through with soviet times and the nuclear meltdown, Ukraine seems like it has finally come in to a little bit of peace and quiet. Like this old couple, who would have seen some pretty crazy shit in their day, but now are taking it easy playing chess by the river in the afternoon sun.