Sausage Dogs. Remarkable as it might seem, this week I noticed that the people of Kyiv have developed a fashionable love for the Sausage Dog. Given that the main feature of these canine-chorizos is their stupid shape, I can’t explain why they have become so popular but after two and a half years here in Ukraine,…
Lifts, or ‘elevators’ in Eastern Europe are intimidating things. They are small, they don’t look safe and they are usually in a state of stinking decay. However, don’t be scared by Ukraine’s collection of terror-boxes – I haven’t heard of anyone who’s every been hurt in, or by a lift. In Romania, I once squeezed into…
The mighty Dnieper river is by far Kyiv’s most monumental feature. Not only does it act as a gigantic air conditioner that channels fresh air through the city, but it defines so much of Kyiv city life. Kyiv and the Dnieper are inseparable. Thanks to the Dnieper, there are said to be 120 kilometres of beaches in…
According to dictionary.com a nail is: ‘a thin, horny plate, consisting of modified epidermis, growing on the upper side of the end of a finger or toe.’ Ukrainian women have a special love for these ‘horny plates’ and you will find all kind of nails, manicures and forms of nail art in the streets of Kiev. Even the conductor of the bus takes care of her nails. These nails were shot at the nail…
A study of prefabricated concrete. In Russian and Ukrainian the word ‘fabrika’ means factory. In English, we use a similar word ‘fabricated‘ to mean ‘constructed’ or ‘made’. ‘Prefabricated’ or simply ‘pre-fab‘ is “to manufacture in standardised sections, ready for quick assembly” Now, it is well known that the only thing that aroused Europe’s communist leaders more than…
Vodka. By Jared Morgan It’s a word with a lot of promise. For me it’s a promise of fun…or a night that, next morning, is completely forgotten. When vodka and I were introduced our meetings were fleeting – confined to a Bloody Mary or two, no commitment or bonds were formed. In Kyiv, vodka and I…
I stole my thunder This week Kyiv‘s most popular daily newspaper Segodnya ran an article about my 101 reasons to love Kyiv. However, like thousands of others, they found the original blog post I wrote under a short-lived pseudonym – the Ukrainian Penguin. So, much to my dismay, my pseudonym is now more famous than me and as…
A native’s guide to Kherson By Жанна Кобылинская There is a city in Ukraine filled of special aura, green parks and romance… This city is Kherson If you want to visit a city filled with a special aura of love and romanticism, I recommend you to come to Kherson in the south of Ukraine. The…
Next week, Ukraine’s much harassed LGBT community will hold its first ever ‘Gay Pride’ event in Kyiv and as one might expect in this part of the world it has stirred a lot of controversy. The gay-bashers have threatened to turn up with sticks and beat people and church Nuns have been handing out leaflets denouncing the parade. The event…
Loads more stunning pictures available at: http://elektraua.livejournal.com/ …including my favourite Puzata Hata
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