Kiev initially started out to be very scary - the bit outside the main railway station on a Sunday morning resembled a Russian mafia street market, but once I got away and walked aimlessly towards the town I found it to be a great place. The main drag is Khreshchatyk Street and, presumably because they heard I was coming, was completely closed to traffic. There were a lot of people milling around, bands playing, people dressed up, you know, weird city stuff. These photos were taken before all that went on.
I headed straight over to the area around Maidan Nezalezhnosti - Independence Square, which was very picturesque.
This was my first time in Ukraine and also, depressingly for someone who likes travelling and has notched up about 40 countries, the furthest east I've been (beating a family holiday at Rhodes when I was in my teens). And I'm only one third of the way east to where I'll be this time next week. I liked this monument which showed the exact longitude and distance from various places!
I think this last one is Brian Blessed out of Flash Gordon.
Further on and round the corner and you'll find Dynamo Kiev's ground practically in the city centre, which is unusual these days.
And then just behind another building, the People's Friendship Arch and fantastic views over the River Dnieper.
I also got to see my first statue of Lenin too. And this one had wifi! Or maybe I was getting the wifi from somewhere else, although the provision of free wifi to the oppressed masses must be in Das Kapital somewhere.
Do you drink English? I hope not.
Can you really get registration numbers like this?
It was a big choice as to who to headline this one but the Kaiser Chiefs narrowly pipped Goran Bregovic's wedding and funeral band. (I will be searching for that on Spotify as soon as I get home)
I was beginning to feel a little bit like this.
At least they're honest ...
Going to try and find my train now, wish me luck ...
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