Kyiv, Ukraine

With good spirit and uncertain expectations, we left Denmark and actually also Europe, since Ukraine is not in the European union.

Myself personally, had been looking forward to a trip to eastern Europe for some time, and the possibility to go with two friends whom already ‘arranged’ a trip didn’t pass me by.

The flight was brief and after a short Uber ride, we arrived at our hotel, a nice Soviet looking concrete building, in the center of Kyiv. It looked like something out of the 80’s, and brought just the right feeling of Eastern Europe.

We went out for a walk down the Khreschatyk, one of the main roads with a lot of things, big buildings and monuments. We found a nice middle eastern restaurant for lunch, Musafir, where I had a delicious lamb kebab.

Afterwards we strolled down the street when all of a sudden the sky opened up, and in desperate need of shelter we found a local waterhole and sat down for a vodka and a beer.

The city is dominated by large soulless concrete buildings and beautiful churches. We went to see St. Michaels church were a session was under way. And the down to the statue of Volodymyr the Great whom looks over the Dnieper river and to the east bank of Kiev.

Then past the funicular that transports people down the hill, and down Andriivs’kyi descent where Ukrainians sell handicrafts, old soviet items, things from the wars and Matrjosjkas to tourists. At the bottom, a market with food wagons, and live music from young ukrainian musicians. The night ended with some drinks at the Podil area of Ukraine and the Punkraft beer bar, where the burgers were served with one-time-use latex gloves.