June 2003

    Since the ancient times of Kiev Russia, one of the most famous and wonderful cities of Eastern Europe is often nicknamed "a mother of all Russian cities". History of the city founded in V century AD is as rich as its current architecture. Of course, interpretations of the history are now quite different on sometimes contradicting. Kiev is a capital of an independent state that considers Russia not only a friend - but often a rival.

    However, all these complicated political matters have nothing to do with the feelings which most Russian have towards Kiev. We love the place that looks familiar, cozy, and at the same time much more European. We love the capital of the country that over the recent troubled years has never been an object of any terrorist acts. We love the strange mixture of languages in the streets of Kiev - here everyone speaks Russian, but all the written texts are in Ukranian.

As always in my stories here, you can zoom in on any picture. Just click on an image and a larger and better quality photo will open. Many of the photos are worth looking at in postcard size.

   The political motives behind the arch made of stainless steel and shown on the photo above may well be obsolete and sound strange now. Still, the location itself is worth visiting - because of the views from the high bank of Dnepr river.

   We in Moscow love to visit Kiev now and then. I posted on my Moscow Life pages a story about Kiev in year 2000, now, three years later it makes a perfect sense to return to the topic and show you more photos. Not commenting them at all - because almost any comment from a citizen of Russia immediately sparkles objection from Ukrainian nationalists, and there so many of these energetic people around. And now, in the middle of hot Moscow summer I am too lazy to spend my time on arguments.

   So - let us just watch Kiev from different places, at different angles. The city is worth it. And not only the city - now its suburbs offer also interesting views and places. Among them, nice restaurants, rich suburbs, and good old sunsets.

  
   ...And good old and very modern music, too! Music is all around the city and outside of the city too. They love to play it here - and do know how to do it

    Kiev is alive - as any good city - not only because of its magnificent buildings or lively scenery. People are who make it vibrant with energy and warm emotions. They are different. From the youths hanging out in the central streets at midnight to elderly praying ladies on the paved paths in the Lavra...

   Night life in summer time occurs outdoor, and is surprisingly safe for a Muscovite. Police patrols the streets with no machine-guns in their hands, unthinkable situation by Moscow standards. Cozy restaurants with excellent cuisine all offer more seats in the open air - and that is exactly where one should sit to enjoy the life around.

   And now, just a few more pictures...

   And more... Dnepr is a very essential part of Kiev, so let us look for a moment at the river that shapes the city.

   And the last row in this story.

   Okey, enough of Kiev. Next time, I promise, it will be Moscow and places around - once again in the sun of summer days.

   See you soon again at these pages!

Andrey - asebrant@online.ru