Kiev or Kyiv, is the birthplace of Russia. Legend has it that three Slavic Brothers and their sister founded this city 1500 years ago. It has played part in many empires and many rulers. My first impression of Kiev during my landing was that it was a city surrounded by natural beauty and fertile farmlands. Once in the city, it was clear that time had left its marks – the prosperous times and not so prosperous times and more recently the soviet influences.
I have read that Kiev may be the next Prague of Europe – time will tell if Kiev will reach that but one thing is clear, there is a lot of building and development going on. Currently the city is preparing for the Soccer championships that will take place in 2012
Natasha, our tour guide started our tour by introducing herself. She said that if you meet less than five Natashas in five minutes, you are not in Ukraine. I had noticed the other names on the ship – Svetlana, Irina, Viktor, Olga and the list goes on.
As we drive to our first destination Natasha told us, the Ukraine has gone through so many changes it is possible to have been born in the Astro-Hungarian empire, gone to school in Poland, started work in the Ukraine, continued work in the Soviet Union and to retired in the free Ukraine and you didn’t have to leave your town. That is a lot of change during one’s lifetime and explains some of the challenges hunting down my family information.
Our first stop on the tour was the Kieve-Percherska Lavra known as thet Monastery of the Caves. This is actually a complex of gold domed orthodox churches, dorms and offices established in the 11th century. Under the site, in a series of man-made caverns, is a working monastery. The caverns contain churches, living quarters as well as cemeteries. There are 123 dead monks that have been preserved in the undergrounds monastery, preserved in glass coffins. Monks may spend decades without ever leaving.
The caves were narrow and we could only walk single file. Most of us were tourists but there were people making a religious pilgrimage. It is believed that the mummies hold healing powers. The pilgrims were kneeling beside the coffins and kissing it at the base of it. No cameras were allowed in the caverns.
Painted Easter egg monuments can be seen around the complex. Easter in the Orthodox religion takes on a special quality symbolizing the birth or re-birth. Ornately painted Easter eggs are a commonly bought tourist item and can be purchased at any tourist shop.
Visible from the Monastery is the statue of Rondia Mat which literally means “Nations Mother”, the locals like to call her Tin Tits and she sits on top of the Museum of the Great Patriotic War. She is over 200 feet high and yields a 42 food sword. Built under soviet rule, she commemorates the Soviet-Ukrainians victory over the Nazis in World War II.
Our second stop was at St. Sophia’s cathedral, the oldest standing church in Kiev. Many of the frescos and mosaics date back to 1017 when the cathedral was originally built. Unfortunately, the exterior of the cathedral was being renovated and we were not allowed to take pictures inside. Our tour guide warned us that the staff would get very angry if we tried to take pictures, and of course there was one person who tried and the Ukrainian staff member was very aggressive about taking her camera away while pretending to call what I assumed to be the police.
Outside of the Church there was a man playing a Traditional Ukrainian instrument called a Bandura. A mix between a hard and a guitar. There are no frets which mean each strings plays its own note.
At dinner I had the Ukrainian version of Ba Ba’s (Russian for Grandmother) Halupki and for dessert, a cheese platter. Halupki can be good when it is prepared correctly.
Where in the world is Blanca?
Years ago, I realized that there are tourists from Hell, the tourist who don’t understand the “Group” in “Group Tour”. It was on one particular trip that my friend Allan and I came up with a code name for this person. “Blanca” the tourist who should have never left their house.
This is the person who talks over the tour guide and the minute the guide asks if there are questions, they ask the very thing the tour guide just finished explaining – the person who decides they need a restroom break right after the group finished taking a restroom break – the person who walks through a door, or steps of an escalator/elevator and then just stands there marveling at the site with the 50 or so people behind them wondering why the hell this person doesn’t get out of the way – the person who has to sit in the front of the bus or the person who is always late getting back to the bus – the person who pulls out a camera and starts taking pictures (with flash) even though it is forbidden – the person who shows up dressed inappropriately and becomes furious when they are denied entrance to a religious venue. – the person who walks right into the middle of your picture and then won’t get out of it
We are all guilty of being like Blanca in some aspect at some point or another but to be given the title of Blanca, you consistently demonstrate the traits throughout the trip.
At first, the Blanca of the trip would annoy me and I would just try to avoid but then I learned, they are way too fun to mess with. Get in my picture more than once, watch me casually saunter right in front of you while you try to take the picture of you wife – every time you go to take a picture You need to be first in line? Watch me get in front of you and then stand there looking around while the rest of the line moves forward. Yes, way too much fun.
On this trip, it didn’t take but 2 hours into the tour to discover this tours “Blanca”. If you mention her real name everyone says, “Oh, she is very educated” – because that is the first thing she tells you She finishes the guides sentences, corrects her English, if she doesn’t have anyone to talk to, she talks to herself. In the Caverns where everything echoes, she started telling a story about the chipmunks that live in her house and how they set off her home alarm. I wasn’t sure if she was talking to anyone specifically and really – you have chipmunks living in your house?
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