Kyiv

We have heard about Ukraine because of its great folk dances. This trip gave us a chance to learn a bit more about its capital city, Kyiv. Ukraine is about the size of Texas, with 48 million people. I believe that it will play a very important role in the future. Kyiv is a very livable city, with 2.6 million people. We enjoyed the places we visited, the people we saw and met, and the food we tasted in different restaurants.

St. Sophia's Cathedral:

the town center where a musical video was being filmed

St. Michael's Church:

and a park behind

The Cave Monastery on the hill above the Dnepr River:

Eggs made into the shape of an egg at the Monastery

a vender in the center of the monastery

The Chernobyl Museum:

Museum gate

a record of the towns destroyed

faces of those who died

local guide

the burned reactor

Open Air Cossack Museum:

Kids outside the gate

burial mound

Independence Square where the orange revolution occurred in 1994:

There is a mall under the square, and, of course, there is a food court there with Chinese food. A group of Chinese students were there to eat their lunch. They all came to Kyiv to learn music and they complained about the hard life they were experiencing!