It's Nice to Have a Friend
11/14/2019
If you didn't hear Taylor Swift's voice singing you this post title then I'm not sure we can be friends.
Actually, I'd love to be friends, but you've got some songs to learn ;)
I have a pretty cool friend named Shashank that works and lives in Baghdad, Iraq. He needed to escape the realities of the war zone and I needed some company, so he came to hang out for a week! We rented a two-bedroom apartment right near Maidan Nezalezhnosti, the central square of Kyiv. I haven't been feeling the best, but staying in the middle of Kyiv for a couple days gave me a chance to finally get to know it. Being so far out of town makes a big difference for me. I like to travel with a purpose, having somewhere to be or something to do. A home base in Kyiv for two days made it so much easier to just roam around without becoming burnt out or having to make a long journey back! Of course, having a friend around also means I get caught in tourist traps like this.😂
Kyiv is such a large city that I've typically gone from section to section by train, and so I hadn't quite put together a sense of direction. This trip I finally got it down! At least the relationship between two of the biggest tourist/ active areas of Kyiv, Maidan Nezalezhnosti and Podil. Starting up from the apartment was St. Sophia's Cathedral: one of the largest and prettiest here in Kyiv, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was dedicated in 1101 and has undergone several attempts at preservation. It looks similar to the many Cathedrals that dot the walkways of Kyiv. Somehow between my health and tourist prices, we spent more time outside of it than inside (oops).
From here it's any uphill walk to the Arch of Nations and the beautiful park surrounding it.
My favorite way back downhill is along a street full of artwork. It’s like an open air gallery and so picturesque. I’m realizing now just how few pictures I have of all of this. I think I get self conscious about taking pictures because of the social media age and I need to get over it! These are memories I want reminders of forever. So I promise you and myself that more pictures will be taken in the future.
Anyway, you keep walking through Old Town where vendors have handmade goods and other products for sale on the sidewalk, and then you hit the center of Podil!
Drunken Cherry, or П’яна Вишня, is basically a landmark in the western Ukrainian city, Lviv. When I was in Lviv in 2018 I didn’t go for some reason… probably because I was traveling with my uncle and their gimmick is a little provocative?
Anyway, you keep walking through Old Town where vendors have handmade goods and other products for sale on the sidewalk, and then you hit the center of Podil!
Drunken Cherry, or П’яна Вишня, is basically a landmark in the western Ukrainian city, Lviv. When I was in Lviv in 2018 I didn’t go for some reason… probably because I was traveling with my uncle and their gimmick is a little provocative?
I decided we had to try it while we were there or I never would.
All they sell is a warm, cherry spiced wine that is DELICIOUS and STRONG. I’m so excited I got to check it off my list!
And of course the slight buzz prompted me to cross something else off my list…
All they sell is a warm, cherry spiced wine that is DELICIOUS and STRONG. I’m so excited I got to check it off my list!
And of course the slight buzz prompted me to cross something else off my list…
This Ferris Wheel was so anxiety inducing and so worth it. It's definitely on the list of things I have to be talked into but also secretly want to try. I started hyperventilating before it even started moving. The 'seat' portion is fully encapsulated in glass... including looking straight down at how freaking high up you are. The views were amazing, although I was too busy freaking out and vocalizing over and over that we were going to die to really enjoy them. That I did take pictures of though...
From Podil we basically retraced our steps to Maidan instead of completing a circle.
This square is one of my favorite spots in Kyiv, not for its looks as much as its political significance. Many a protest and act of rebellion have taken place here. It's the protests here that first turned my attention to Ukraine back in 2014.
I get hesitant to talk about all of that on here... I like to be thorough and educating about political situations, to me, means you have to tell all parts of the story available to you, not just your opinion. So maybe one day I'll be able to write something appropriate and not a 10,000 word essay.
Until then, though, here are the two monuments of the square. The Maidan 'Independence Square' area actually stretches across a road on the surface level, and under ground there is a large shopping mall, a metro station, and many small kiosk shops line the tunnels one walks to cross the street.
This square is one of my favorite spots in Kyiv, not for its looks as much as its political significance. Many a protest and act of rebellion have taken place here. It's the protests here that first turned my attention to Ukraine back in 2014.
I get hesitant to talk about all of that on here... I like to be thorough and educating about political situations, to me, means you have to tell all parts of the story available to you, not just your opinion. So maybe one day I'll be able to write something appropriate and not a 10,000 word essay.
Until then, though, here are the two monuments of the square. The Maidan 'Independence Square' area actually stretches across a road on the surface level, and under ground there is a large shopping mall, a metro station, and many small kiosk shops line the tunnels one walks to cross the street.
On the left is the Independence Monument, built in 2001 for the 10th anniversary of Ukraine becoming independent after the Soviet Union broke apart in 1991. It features a Slavic deity named Berehynia (the "hearth mother" or "protectress of the earth) holding a guelder rose branch. Surrounding the base of the statue you can see brown posts in two rows. These tell the story of the 2013- 2014 protests in which Ukrainians gathered to declare their patriotism and nationalism in the face of a government they felt was corrupt and inclined to betray their interests. Opposite the square (right picture) is the Lach Gates monument, also built in 2001. It's topped with the Archangel Michael, the symbol of the city.
I'm in love with dessert, so I highly recommend the tiramisu at Veterano's Pizza, or the eclairs (especially the tiramisu) at Art Eclair near Maidan.
I'm in love with dessert, so I highly recommend the tiramisu at Veterano's Pizza, or the eclairs (especially the tiramisu) at Art Eclair near Maidan.
The souvenir shops in the underground are, again, something I haven't properly photographed, but I did snap this.
Little babies speaking Russian melts my heart so fast. Probably because they're easiest for me to understand? And also just so damn cute. I'm convinced spending time with a Russian kid would teach me spoken language faster, so I may be back here in a year when my friend has some babies I can gush over! In the meantime I'll just be slayed by little kids being adorable and cultural.
Little babies speaking Russian melts my heart so fast. Probably because they're easiest for me to understand? And also just so damn cute. I'm convinced spending time with a Russian kid would teach me spoken language faster, so I may be back here in a year when my friend has some babies I can gush over! In the meantime I'll just be slayed by little kids being adorable and cultural.