Very slowly I’ll be adding all the stuff I still have to add from this year. ( Yes sorry for neglecting you, dear reader ).

So let’s start off with a april trip to Ternopil ( Ukraine ).

Some way overdue pictures of the typical Ukrainian food culture. Interestingly a lot resembles the traditional Dutch cuisine. Of course this is not too strange since the climate is suitable for similar vegetables. A big diffence is nowadays in our western culture of import in the Netherlands most vegetables will be available year round in acceptable quality while in Ukraine it’s hard to find – for instance – good tomatoes when the season climbs to winter.

Stocking up potatoes.

Bunch of random photos from the last week.

Troyeshchina by sunset

Today some images from the district of Obolon. Which is partly a very rich part of town where the president, son of the president, prosecutors and other well-to-do Ukranians live.

Needless to say rents are high here, even much higher than most places in Amsterdam.

This is one of the things I find amazing and so far I only saw this in Kyiv. If you enter a bus you can just sit somewhere, take some
money and tap the person in front of you. Optionally you say for how many people you pay. The money then travels forward by many hands. The front person throws the fare (often) at a small carpet near the driver, or gives it to the driver. After a while your exact change (if any) comes back. This all takes place without anybody saying anything at all.

Even in a crammed bus ( 21 seats, 45 people may stand ) this happens. And the driver -will- notice if you don’t pay. You must be supernatural to check this and in the same time drive through Kyivian traffic.

Imagine this in a Dutch bus and expecting any change back.

( Yes I will finish and blog the last part of my august trip really soon, you are still getting Romania and Budapest. )

Troyeshchyna

So there I was on Borispyl international Airport. One of the fastest pass-throughs I ever had. Left the plane, went in customs, picked up bag and all in all five minutes later I was meeting Halyna outside.