Ukraine -

Kiev – 13 reasons to visit the capital city of Ukraine

Gosia — Sat, 26 Feb 2022 22:16:47 +0000

I visited Kiev this year on my way to Chernobyl. I admit that I didn’t expect to see “fireworks” on the spot. I don’t know, maybe it was a matter of my attitude, but for sure I didn’t fall in love like in Lviv. Even though it’s really worth seeing this city due to an interesting mix of past and modern times. In total, I counted thirteen reasons why the capital of Ukraine deserves tourists’ attention. Mother Motherland Statue It’s a huge monument, more than 100 meters high, standing on one of the Kiev hills. It’s one of the largest structures of this type in the world. It is even taller than the Statue of Liberty. Mother Motherland holds a sword in one hand and in the other, a shield with the coat of arms of the USSR. Nearby hill offers an amazing panorama of Kiev. Park and Mariinsky Palace Mariinsky Palace is an example of another interesting point on Kiev’s map, due to its characteristic blue colour. Glass Bridge An ideal place for an afternoon walk is the Glass Bridge, which offers an amazing panorama of the centre of Kiev and a characteristic pedestrian bridge across the Dnieper. Right next to the bridge is the Arch of Friendship of Nations, a relic of the past which is a symbol of Russian-Ukrainian friendship. The arch looks quite modern and is an interesting tourist spot. However, as a consequence of decommunization laws, the government is planning its demolition. Orthodox church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on the water One of the most interesting religious buildings in Kiev is the Church of Nicholas the Wonderworker. The building itself may not arise great fascination, but its location on the water is certainly unique. It is also an interesting viewpoint on the Dnieper embankment. Chernobyl Museum Definitely, this place is worth visiting before a trip to Chernobyl. The theme of this museum is the Latin slogan: “est dolendi modus, non est timendi,” which can be translated: “there is a limit of sadness, anxiety has no limits.” Outside the museum, you can see the vehicles used in the rescue operation. The exhibition halls are connected with long stairs where you can see road signs of the affected towns. The exhibition presents the tragedy of people living in these areas during the disaster. It presents the rescue operation and the effects of the reactor accident. It’s a kind of a mausoleum dedicated to the victims of Chernobyl. Zhytniy market This place is an absolute must to see everyday life in Kiev. You can buy groceries here, as well as try local dishes. In addition to the grocery section, there’s also a clothes and workshop part, all in one place. The market hall is very easy to recognize, the appearance of the building does not raise any doubts in what period it was built ? Abandoned Billionaire Ghetto The Billionaire Ghetto is a term for the Vozdvizhenka District. The name Vozdvyzhenka comes from the local church of Chrestovozdvyzhenska, known as the baptism site of the famous Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov. Colorful tenement houses and elegant surroundings indicate that it’s a luxurious neighbourhood. However, the strangest thing is that these candy buildings look completely deserted. In 2003, it was decided to build an exclusive district in this place, but the crisis in 2008-2009 resulted in a lack of interest in new, very expensive apartments. Currently, the colourful, art nouveau buildings of Vozdvizhenka are an ideal place solely for photo sessions. Four times better than in Brussels Brussels is known for a peeing boy, while Kiev is known for as many as four boys. What’s more, they together create a colorful fountain. The figurines are located in the Peizazhna Alley Park, where you can see many other unconventional sculptures. “City of Golden Domes” The golden domes and the characteristic blue facade of the monastery are visible from under the monument to Bohdan Chmielnicki. Anyway, it’s no wonder why Kiev is called “the city of golden domes”. The monastery was destroyed in the 1930s, and it was rebuilt only after Ukraine regained its independence. Orthodox church of St. Andrew Looking at the Kiev churches, it cannot be denied that the favourite colour of its inhabitants is blue. According to the legend, St. Andrew indicated that this place was to be dedicated to build a magnificent temple. It actually happened. The church is located in the oldest part of Kiev, in the very centre of the city, near the famous Independence Square. Independence Square The place known from numerous TV broadcasts is Independence Square with the characteristic Monument of Independence. It is also a favourite Kiev residents’ meeting place. It was the place of the so-called Orange revolution – protests against the rigging of elections by V. Yanukovych. For the second time in 2013, inhabitants of Kiev took the street again, during the so-called Euromaidan. They were pretesting against Yanukovych’s failure to sign an association agreement with the European Union. About 100 people lost their lives as a result of the clashes. Shukai While walking along the streets of Kiev you can meet many tiny bronze figures. They’re called Shukai, which means simply search, and as you can easily guess that you have to look thoroughly to spot them. On this site you can learn more about their history. Street art at the end I have to admit that Kiev surprised me with its very local street art scene. On the spot, I expected to see a gray, socialist reality, while the capital of Ukraine turned out to be surprisingly colourful. Of course, there are still plenty of places from a bygone era here, but at the same time you can notice that the inhabitants are trying to diversify this space. Effect? As for me, great ?

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Visit Chernobyl… before it fades

Gosia — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 19:04:06 +0000

Chernobyl, the name of this city to this day gives a lot of people the creeps, although many years have passed since the catastrophe. It took place on the night of April 25-26 in 1986 as a result of the nuclear reactor accident of the power unit no. 4. It’s one of the biggest disasters in the history of nuclear energy. A huge area was contaminated in Belarus and Ukraine, many people were forcibly displaced, a large part of the area was closed, and the radioactive cloud spread throughout Europe. How does this place look like now, 35 years after the catastrophe? This question has been bothering me for a long time. After all, this summer I decided to check it out. The disaster site looks completely different than in 1986. At the site of the nuclear power plant, you can see a huge steel sarcophagus, built in July 2019, which covered the original, threatening structure. The investment wouldn’t be possible without the external help, funds for this purpose, flowed from European Union, as well as 40 countries, including Poland. The new structure is to ensure safety for the next 100 years. I’m looking around and see that the area of the Chernobyl power plant doesn’t look deserted at all, it is evident that someone looks after the area. In particular, it’s necessary to control the closed reactors, reportedly it’s done by about 2,500 people staying here temporarily. Moreover, taking photos is only allowed from the perspective of the monument commemorating the tragedy, and yet on the other hand there is a whole complex of buildings that by no means look abandoned. Anyway, it’s enough to look at the mural, the trimmed lawns and the flowers planted to see that something is wrong here … Red Forest, Magic Forest … It’s located near the Chernobyl power plant, towards the city of Pripyat. The name comes from the characteristic pine trees which, under the influence of a high dose of radiation, died off changing green colour to the characteristic red one. This place has been exposed to the highest radiation doses in the form of a cloud of radioactive dust and is one of the most contaminated in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Initially, it was planned to clear the area by removing and burying the irradiated trees, but this was abandoned when it turned out that the excavated soil was a major source of radiation. Currently, the area of the Red Forest is like an open-air laboratory. The effect of radiation is evident in the abnormal appearance and size of the vegetation. Apparently, currently the radiation level in the Red Forest can reach the level of 1 R / h (X-ray per hour), which is 10,000 µSv [microSevert), but in the majority of this area it is 100 µSv / h. Pripyat Pripyat was a modern city, built from scratch to support the power plant. The people living here could use the well-developed and well-thought-out infrastructure in the form of: schools, kindergartens, shops, sports and entertainment facilities and hospitals. The city was created specifically for the needs of power plant employees. The average age of its inhabitants was about 26 years. It can be said that it was a prestigious location, the inhabitants of Pripyat were selected by the security apparatus. There were many people willing to settle down in Pripyat, because living conditions were perfect here. New apartments were taken for free, and electricity bills were covered by the power plant. Wages were much higher than in the rest of the country, and the shops were full of goods. Moreover, the inhabitants of Pripyat had access to products that others would not even dream of at the time. However, time stopped here in April 1986. Currently, the city has been largely looted and devastated, and the rest has been literally taken over by nature. I was surprised by the amount of vegetation on the site, Pripyat looks like a huge jungle. It’s really difficult to see any buildings here. While visiting Pripyat, you can see the hospital that played an important role in the rescue operation right after the disaster. It was here that the victims of the explosion were brought, while the clothes used in the rescue operation were left in its basement. You can imagine that the radiation here is very high. A bit further, next to the river station building, you can see water saturators. Inside there used to be a café called “Pripyat”, but now you can see an interesting stained glass window. The Polissya Hotel is one of the most characteristic landmarks in Pripyat. It could accommodate over 100 people. There used to an observation deck with a café on top of it. The hotel was used as a rescue headquarter. The upper rooms were made available to government employees overseeing the course of the rescue operation. From here, the movement of helicopters involved in extinguishing the reactor was also coordinated. The radiation level is slightly higher here, about 1 µSv/h. Near the hotel there’s a market where you can see damaged shelves and tills. It’s also worth taking a look at the Avanhard Stadium, which has never been used. Its opening was scheduled for May 1, 1986. Currently, it does not resemble a modern facility that can accommodate 5,000 fans. First of all, there’s no treadmill, it was quickly removed when it turned out that it had absorbed a high dose of radiation. The rest also doesn’t resemble the times of the former glory, and the facility is gradually being taken over by nature. The faith of the stadium is also shared with abandoned amusement park with the characteristic Ferris wheel. It was built specifically for the May 1st celebrations, but was never opened. Destroyed, metal structures look like from the worst horror, and the awareness of the increased levels of radiation at certain points (e.g. next to the Ferris wheel) really gives you the chills. The Ukrainian authorities have plans to activate the Chernobyl area economically by creating, for example, recycling bases. There was also an idea to revitalize the area and create a large open-air museum here. It’s no wonder that the authorities want to do so, it would be a real money-making machine. Unfortunately, if they do so, Chernobyl won’t be the same place anymore.

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Russian Woodpecker – Duga in Chernobyl Exlusion Zone, Girl off the Trail

Gosia — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 20:42:37 +0000

Russian Woodpecker (Duga) was my first point during exploration in Chernobyl, although I must admit that I would prefer it to be the last – such a cherry on the cake of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. I won’t hide that I went to Chernobyl, mainly to see the famous Moscow’s Eye not the site of the nuclear power plant disaster. Moscow’s Eye is the colloquial name given to the Soviet over-the-horizon radar system, which in the USSR was called Duga, or “bow”. The system consisted of three radars with a range of 3,000 km. Radars were transmitting and receiving devices that used the reflection of short radio waves from the ionosphere. It can be said that during the Cold War, they constituted the pinnacle of Soviet technology. Their task was the early detection of fired ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. They were able to do it surprisingly quickly, just within 3 minutes after launching. For this reason, they have been aptly called the Moscow’s Eye. Each of the radars operated in a different frequency range and covered a different area of the globe. The radar in Chernobyl covered the most strategic area – the north-eastern part of the USA together with the North Pole, the radar in Nikolaev on the Black Sea – Asia, and in Komsomolsk on Amur – the west coast of the USA together with Alaska. The Duga makes a really great impression, mainly due to the scale of this structure. The facility is 150 m high and 700 m long. The whole complex, including the radar and the technical infrastructure, was kept secret. The radar is only 10 km from the nuclear power plant, but its location in the middle of the forest makes it invisible. A self-sufficient town was created for the staff, protected by the military. The location may have been perfect, but the radar’s existence was betrayed by the way it operated. When transmitting signals, Moscow’s Eye made a characteristic sound resembling a woodpecker knocking on a tree. For this reason, Duga is called Russian Woodpecker in English. The sound emitted by the radar was intense enough to interfere with radio and television broadcasts. Over the years, many conspiracy theories have arisen around Duga. There were voices that it’s used to control people’s minds or shape the weather. Chernobyl Russian Woodpecker was shut down in April 1986, due to the Chernobyl disaster, it was feared that the increased radiation would destroy the radar. Ultimately, the radar was shut down in 1988. However, Chernobyl disaster wasn’t the only reason why Duga was shut down, modern satellite technologies proved to be much more effective.

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Odessa, Ukraine – “Long Live the Bribe” and an elegant makeshift

Gosia — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 20:05:52 +0000

Odessa – a popular resort at the Black Sea. It’s considered one of the most beautiful cities in Ukraine. In my opinion, of all the places I have visited in Ukraine, it’s certainly the most elegant city. However, my heart has long belonged to Lviv (which I wrote about here). In general, my thoughts about Odessa turned out to be in line with reality. Odessa aspires to be an exclusive seaside resort but on the other hand, makeshift and kitsch can be seen at every step. However, I must admit that this mix makes this city so interesting ? The most recognizable building in Odessa is the Opera House. Apparently, its interior makes an amazing impression and tickets for the shows are quite cheap. Unfortunately, due to the lack of time, I didn’t have the opportunity to check it. A tourist hot-spot is definitely Deribasivska Street. There are numerous pubs, cafes and bars. The main attraction of this place, however, is the Monument of the Twelfth Chairs – which is the symbol of the city. The location of the chair can be recognized by a long queue of tourists waiting to take a photo of it. The Monument to the Oranges is also quite surprising. However, few people know that, according to the legend, this fruit saved the city … After the death of Tsarina Catherine the Great, power in Russia was taken over by her son – Paul I. Being an opponent of the location of a large port in Odessa, he cut off the city’s financing. In order to save Odessa from losing its city status, the inhabitants decided to bribe the tsar with a gift – four thousand Greek oranges. By the way, among the inhabitants of Odessa, the monument is also known under a different name: “Long live the bribe” ? The Potemkin Stairs are another symbol of Odessa. They were built to facilitate access to the port from the city center. The stairs extend to the horizon and seem to be endless. However, they are specially designed to make this impression. In fact, they’re not so challenging. Alternatively, you can take the iconic cable car to the top. In the vicinity of Deribasivska Street you can visit an elegant shopping center, somewhat reminiscent of the Victor Emmanuel II Gallery in Milan. The glass ceiling and decorated walls create a cool atmosphere of this place. An interesting building is also located on Vorontsov lane. At first glance, it does not really stand out with anything special, but when you look at it from a different angle, you get the impression that it consists of only one wall. It is only an optical illusion due to its triangular shape. When visiting the Old Town, it is worth straying from the main tourist route. You can then see Odessa from a completely different perspective. Old buildings and cars make this city even more interesting. Cozy spots can be seen right next to the ruined and often abandoned buildings. Street art, in the form of decorations on walls or murals, also appears here and there.. Most tourists visit Odessa mainly for the opportunity to rest at the Black Sea beaches. Evidently, the beach and the boulevard nearby are the most frequented places in the whole city. At the end of the tour, while waiting for the return bus to Chisinau, I decided to go around the station. I was incredibly lucky because I accidentally found a local market. The assortment included everything like: paintings, old clocks, kitchen utensils, RTV equipment, through tableware and clothes.

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Lviv – love not from the first sight

Gosia — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 07:08:10 +0000

I’m arriving at the bus station, what’s the time actually, it’s hard to say, because I haven’t woken up yet. I’m getting off the bus, it’s pouring out, I can see only the gray and gloomy, neglected bus station. I look around, and it doesn’t look any better, damaged buildings and bus stops. A quick glance at the tram tracks, crunched on the four sides of the world. Although I’m still unconscious after a night trip, my gut instinct tells me it’s better to get on the bus. While I’m watching the monotonous landscape of the city, I’m asking myself: is this really beautiful, antique Lviv, I’ve heard so much about? A short walk down the empty street, finally it’s Saturday 8 am. I’m watching demolished townhouses with windows decorated with various laces, markets with icons and all kinds of bric-a-bracks, destroyed facades of the buildings. Surprisingly, I’m starting to like this town, it has something special, THIS unique atmosphere. Liviv is a city – surprise. You need to look deeper to get to know it. One of the most interesting places is Casino. The building was built between 1897 and 1898. Since then, he has been used for many purposes, as well as it has had many names. Now it’s called the Home of Scholars. The building impresses from the outside, but what’s inside… it knocks down. On the ground floor there are wooden twisted steps on which you can feel like in the scene of the Titanic. The building itself was used to make films like D’ Artagnan or the Three Musketeers. On the first floor there are beautiful rooms – white with marble fireplace, black – concert room, red with beautiful crystal chandeliers and one with an antique terrace. Officially, the Casino is closed to visitors, but in practice the security guard will show you it for 15 UHR. The next point – the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is one of the oldest churches in Lviv. The dark climatic interior combined with a colorful, oriental decoration makes an amazing impression. Close to the cathedral, there’s a small, Armenian café where you can drink the world’s best coffee made on the sand (more details here). Apart from the coffee, Lviv also smells chocolate, prepared in different ways and strudels with various filling, which you can taste in a wide range of climatic restaurants. It’s also worth looking into the Orthodox Church. From the outside, it appears to be a simple, typical chapel, but when you get into, you’ll be surprised by its cosy atmosphere. Just outside the Old Square, there’s one of the oldest pharmacies in Lviv, operating from the 18th century. In addition to the interesting decor, you can see exhibits used to make medicines and numerous vials, weights and old documents. The Panorama of Lviv is best seen from the perspective of a gnome sitting on the chimney of the Dim Lehend Restaurant or from a car located on its roof! But one thing is sure, Lviv is a very specific city and very neglected. At first glance, it may seem gray and gloomy, but just take a look a little further, enter the building or even the courtyard to see the amazing, surprising face of this city. That’s its character, you can love it or hate it, and for me it’s love, maybe not at the first sight, but I know I’ll come back here again. ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

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Lviv restaurants

Gosia — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 11:39:27 +0000

Restaurants and cafes in Lviv are famous for their unique atmosphere. Some of them are hidden in narrow nooks of the old streets. They surprise by their diverse decorations which match perfectly with surrounding buildings. There’re also thematic restaurants such as „Gas Lamp”, where its inventor – Ignacy Lukasiewicz sits at the table. A few steps farther, Leopold von Sacher Masoch welcomes and invites to his restaurant where we can be spanked with a quirt. Restaurants in Lviv are not only creative places there you can also eat delicious food. In order to feel the city’s atmosphere and taste delicious cuisine, you can go to Kumpel restaurant (address: Vynnychenka 6). It’s so popular spot in Lviv that it’s impossible to find there free table in the evening. There’re huge, copper vats where dark and light beer is brewed. Kumpel has a long tradition of beer brewing. The restaurant serves delicious meals also from Galician region. It connects Ukrainian, Polish, Slovakian, Austrian and Armenian cuisine. You can try here: tripes, garlic soup, Ukrainian borsch, homemade sausages, roasted knuckle and dumplings. This place is so popular not only in view of exceptional cuisine but also the prices which are as follows: dumplings 33 UAH (1,5 $; 1,3 €) garlic soup 56 UAH (2,5 $; 2,3 €) Ukrainian borsch 35 UAH (1,6 $; 1,44 €) trout 103 UAH (4,75 $; 4,25 €) beer (1l) 42 UAH (2 $, 1,7 €) But mainly the atmosphere, makes this place exceptional. The interior resembles old, prewar restaurants with leather chairs and old photos. Another interesting decor you can find in Dim Lehend (The House of Legends, Staroyevreyska 48 st.). You’ll easily recognize this place by pink townhouse decorated with dragon. Guests are welcomed by talkative chimney sweeper who likes talking about Lviv legends. Making a wish and grabbing his button is a must! In this 7-storey townhouse – restaurant you’ll find a lot of rooms dedicated to different things connected with Lviv. There’s a room dedicated to cobblestone, underground river and lions which are the symbol of this city. The most interesting is a terrace where you can admire a beautiful view of the city. There’s also a sitting chimney sweeper and parked car! Dim Lehend is a very interesting place, but unfortunately the cuisine here is average. Don’t be surprised when you see a long queue in a gate of a townhouse which is located opposite the Town Hall. People there wait to get into a restaurant called Kryjivka. In order to keep up appearances of conspiracy, there’s no sign where it’s located. It’s a very controversial place. It refers to the times of Ukrainian Insurgent Army which is known for infamous past. The entrance is guarded by an old insurgent who lets the guests in only on condition that they know secret password „slava Ukraini, herojam slava”. The interior resembles a bunker with narrow passages, posters and rifles. Very interesting business model is presented by so called The Most Expensive Galician Restaurant. It was designed on the basis of masonic lodge, and consequently it’s very hard to find it. It’s located in the same building as Kryjivka. Don’t be surprised that on the first floor you’ll find only one door equipped with a handle, and unfortunately there’s no information that there’s the restaurant. At the threshold we saw an old man dressed in a robe who told us that we were on the spot. But that place looked like a simple hall. We didn’t have a chance to say that it was probably a mistake, when the door leading to the lodge, was opened. The restaurant is very expensive, it seems that additional “0” was added to the prices. Coffee or beer cost 200 UHR, so very expensive for Ukrainian conditions. But there’s a secret. If you have a special card from Kryjivka or Coffee Manufacture you’ll have 90% discount! At the end of your sightseeing, stop at Salo Restaurant & Museum – Museum of lard (address: Prospect Svobody 6/8). Every exhibit is made of lard. There’re paintings, photos or even the biggest beating heart in the world, made of this famous Ukrainian dainty. I have no doubt that it’s indeed. I don’t think that anybody else could have such a ridiculous idea. The main part of our visit was tasting lard chocolates. Unfortunately lard is one of these things which I hate. I really wanted to try it but it was impossible but Lukasz ate even my piece. Additionally the restaurant serves Marlin Monroe’s lips , Putin’s head and even ice-cream made of lard! ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

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Sweet Lviv and the best coffee on sand!

Gosia — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 22:31:10 +0000

During organizing a trip to Lviv, it didn’t run through my mind that it’s the land of milk and coffee. We used to connect Ukraine mainly with cheap alcohol, cigarettes and halva made of sunflower seeds. By the way, it wasn’t only our image. We saw it on our way back to Poland. When we heard one big noise of bottles at the bus station, we knew that this journey would be very hard. In a fact, the reality turned out to be worse. During more than 6-hour customs inspection which was ended in pushing the bus (battery had gone flat) I was thinking why in the depths of 54 bags were no coffee? Then, crossing the border would have been much pleasant and it could have changed the life of many coffee – lovers in Poland. Few people know that this wonderful drink, which sustains our body functions especially on Monday mornings, we owe to Ukraine or more precisely Jerzy Kulczycki. He became famous not only in view of his heroic defense of Vienna against Turks but also he miraculously transfigured his prize – useless brown grains into coffee. One of the first cafes in Europe was opened in Lviv, and this city was called “the coffee capital of Poland” for many years. Because coffee is the quintessence of Lviv. Wonderful aroma of this strong and mild brew fills little cafes situated in the old city. The amount of cafes in Lviv is enormous but there’s one place which deserves more attention. It revolutionized the way we used to perceive the process of brewing coffee. It’s a small, inconspicuous Armenian cafe called Virmenka. It’s decorated in the cosy old – fashioned style but the service seems to be irritated at the sight of customers, but that’s not the point. The amazing smell of coffee prepared here in a Turkish way, can hypnotize everyone. To brew it you need a special pot called cezve. What’s interesting finely grated coffee grains (almost for a dust) are mixed with cold water. This mixture is poured only to the half of the cezve. Then it’s placed in the special vessel filled with sand and placed on embers. It helps to keep an ideal temperature for brewing. Preparing coffee in this way requires a lot of agility because during warming up the mixture starts frothing (froth is necessary to keep an inimitable aroma). If it’s brewed too long it becomes bitter. The effect is thick, essential coffee with unique intensive but also a mild taste. It was similar to coffee in Vietnam but without chocolate tang. What’s more coffee in Viermanka is very cheap. It costs 15 – 25 UAH (aroun 1 $ or €). You don’t belive it? Just take a look at the menu: Another interesting place is Lviv Coffee Mining Manufacture, located in the Old Town Square, more precisely in the basement of Lubomirski Palace. It’s the biggest café in Lviv, and in our opinion the most crowded. At the entrance everyone receives helmet and a torch which are necessary to explore the mine where coffee is excavated. During sightseeing some people seemed to believe in the underground coffee origin but the rest was really amused. After delicious coffee it’s time for chocolate. Lviv has been famous for perfect chocolate since 19th century. Ukraine chocolate products were highly valued in Europe. Delicious chocolate you can find in Chocolate Manufacture (Serbska 3 st.) The trip starts just in front of the Manufacture in the exterior display. There you can see how chocolate is made. Inside a lot of confectionary masterpieces such as pralines, huge chocolate blocks and chocolate balls, bears or even high – heels are located in the 5 – floor building. On the last floor there’s a bar where you can sip delectable hot chocolate. A trip to Lviv can’t go without tasting a traditional strudel. The best are in the café called Lvivski Plyatski (Rynok 13 st.). They’re served hot in various combinations with cherries, poppy-seed, apples, chicken with mushrooms and salmon with spinach (cost 30-40 UAH aroun 1,5 $/€). And this taste…. indescribable, you must go there and taste it. Lvivski Plyatski is also a very cozy place. Accesories such as rolling pins, grinders and, shelves with preserves and lamps made of graters, decorate claret walls. Who would have thought that Lviv is a paradise for coffee and chocolate– lovers? Only one day trip was enough for us to fell in love in it. The atmosphere of old buildings, narrow lanes, trams which run at the 5 km/h in view of contorted rails, homelike cafes with delightful coffee aroma, taste of chocolate or strudels can’t be described even in the best tourist guide or blog J Let’s find it out by yourselves! ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

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Lychakiv and Cemetery of Eaglets – difficult History lesson

Gosia — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 07:16:56 +0000

On the Lviv hills is a place which is the best History and Art lesson. It’s Lychakiv Cemetery. It was built at the end of 18th century and it’s one of the oldest burial grounds in Europe. The whole necropolis is somewhat a metaphor of the death embodied in sculptures which look like real figures which present grieved angels and sounded in eternal asleep or fossilized in mourning people. Beautifully decorated gravestones, tombs and shrines seem to struggle not only with passing time but also they fight a losing battle with overgrowing vegetation. But not only artistic aspect makes this cemetery exceptional. It’s an expression of multicultural character of Lviv and also its rough history. Walking along alleys one can see Polish and Ukrainian tombs. Not only the insurgents of January and Kosciuszko Uprising rest here, but also numerous famous Polish like: Maria Konopnicka, Gabriela Zapolska, Julian Konstanty Ordon or Artur Grottger. But there’s one thing which attract Polish visitors. It’s the Cemetery of Eaglets known also as the Campo Santo (Sacred Place), situated on the highest hill of Lychakiv Cemetery. Here, the defenders of Lviv from 1918-1920 rest in simple graves girded by white and red ribbons. They struggled to hold Lviv within Polish border, firstly with Ukrainian minority and next with Bolsheviks. There you can see the Chapel and the Monument of the Pride, decorated with inscription “MORTUI SUNT UT LIBERI VIVAMUS” – “They died so that we might live free”. There’re also the Monuments of American Airmen and French Soldiers who died in the name of Polish people freedom. However, the most moving is the fact that in these nameless graves also children rest. Some of the Eaglets were pupils and students. The youngest defender was only 9 years old. My mind can’t comprehend how these little children had educated such a great sense of national identity that they sacrificed they life for the freedom of Poland. There’s nothing moves so deeply like a walk along these narrow lanes in the maze of graves. The little part of this cemetery was transferred to Warsaw. The Unknown Soldier, buried on Pilsudski Square is in a fact 14 years’ old boy with the bullet in his head who died during defending Lviv. Our visit in this city will never be the same after walking across this cemetery. It’s an amazing History lesson described in a form of metaphoric graves. But the most beautiful thing is that, regardless of the differences in the perception of history, this cemetery is the burial ground for all city’s defenders – Polish and Ukrainians. As a matter of fact these two nations had something in common – they defended their homeland and their city. ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

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Only in Lviv!

Gosia — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 18:20:31 +0000

We’ve been waiting for a trip to L’viv for a long time. This city is a part of long Polish – Ukrainian history. We hadn’t known what to expect there but our visit turned out to be a journey to the past. Having got off at local bus station at 8 o’clock, we saw another reality. This city brought us back to the old, pre-war Warsaw times and resembled Polish conditions around 30 years ago. It was a very important cultural center. Many famous Polish writers, scholars or artists lived here. A lot of Polish prominent figures were buried in the old Lychahiv Cemetery and in the city many monuments are connected with common history. In the city center you can see the most beautiful statue of Adam Mickiewicz – the famous Polish poet. Another Polish artist – Nikifor, who sits in front of Dominican Church. In museums are numerous exhibits important to Polish history and in the Old Town Square are a lot of old Polish townhouses. But on the other hand, we must admit that we didn’t know what to expect there because L’viv was within Polish borders for around 600 years. What’s more, Polish and Ukrainian history was sometimes very rough. To our amazement, after getting into the first restaurant we received Polish language menu and heard Polish old music from late 20’s. And this makes this city amazing. Our difficult relations seem to be a thing of the past. Lvi’v has been a multicultural for years. It has been a city of Polish, Ukrainians , Jews, Russians or Armenian people and this is apparent even nowadays. One can see it in the architecture where Orthodox churches coexist with Catholic ones or even Armenian Cathedral. The city has been trying to catch up with West Europe for years but then again one can get an impression that it got stuck in post – socialist malaise. Bumpy roads, uneven sidewalks, contorted tram tracks or neglected townhouses are common here. To top it all off, chaos in public transport, unmarked stops and routes which remain secret even for local residents. What’s more, public transport facilities are in poor condition and simple activity like tickets validation can be really baffling However this is a charm of this city. During our only 1-day visit, we heard many negative opinions about L’viv. Some people were disappointed by the omnipresent chaos and city and overall city’s condition. To our mind, these things create a unique atmosphere of the place which seems to be locked in a time warp. This city is a one of its kind, we’ll get back here again. ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

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