Profile: Ukraine

Meet Ukraine

- Former Soviet country with close historical ties to Mother Russia
- Language: Ukrainian, with Russian widely used
- Birthplace and home of my paternal grandparents until fleeing in WWII
- Large country on the Black and Azov Seas, bordering Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova
Visited: Crimea (Kerch, Yalta), Odessa
Sidewalk Safety: Serious twisted ankle threat
Stray Dog Rating (out of 5): Three cats plus a dog and a half

Ranting Impressions: Starting with the glaring caveat - I visited at a time of political instability as the federal government had recently been overthrown and pro-Russian forces took military control of the Crimean region while I was there. (See Crimean Politics)

Phew, glad that's out of the way.

On touchdown I was relieved to be there. Something felt freeing about departing Russia and despite a severe disconnect I did have some ingrained affection based on my lineage. It was also nice to have the dollar on my side to not worry that my beer bill would equal my room for the night.

To speak of the people, in general it seemed as if they did not care at all about you and were happy to ignore you and take care of themselves - ticket agents included. However those who did take an interest were so sweet, generous and caring that it makes me wonder. There were more than a few times where I was in a predicament and a local would usually respond to my plea (not necessarily offering on their own) by doing everything in their power to assist me. In Yalta I was fed, sheltered (as well as sheltered from any potentially dangerous political situations), chaperoned and genuinely cherished by a group of strangers. It was immensely welcoming.

Logistically moving around was a little tough as there was no English; online, in the stations, or spoken by attendants. That said I could almost always find someone to understand my destination and show me the way.

The food was.. only okay. Before you berate me and call me a blasphemer I suspect this is largely due to the language barrier precipitating that I could only eat in the select places that had an English menu. Even there it was slim pickings for the vegetarian, especially because the majority of my time was spent in Russian areas that retain the Russian taste for flesh.

Altogether it was an enjoyable experience with beautiful and interesting things to see and do, even in the late winter/early spring. Next time I would like to return with my family and to places in the north, including Kyiv, for perhaps a more authentic impression closer to my original expectations. And of course without the impending threat of war.